Vietnam and the United States: A Study in Culture and War
Spring 2011- Tuesday/Thursday 3:10-4:25 Loyola Hall, 27
Dr. Byron Plumley / Loyola Hall, 21C / Ph. (303) 964-3660 / Email:
Office Hours: M:10:30-11:30; T:9-11
Course Description:
This course explores the history, religion, and culture of Vietnam as foundation for Vietnam’s resilience in overcoming colonization and domination by China, France, Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union. The relationship between the United States and Vietnam will be understood through the lens of philosophy, religion, historical fiction, politics, economics, and the use of films, and speakers with expertise in various aspects of Vietnamese and American experience. The course will consider possible nonviolent alternatives to colonization and war.
Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)
A student will:
1. Discuss the history, religion, and culture of Vietnam in overcoming colonization.
2. Recognize the role of political ideology in shaping the U.S. response to the Vietnamese independence movement, and the Vietnamese response to the U.S.
3. Examine and critique the value and power of “story” in reflecting the reality of war.
4. Assess post-war reconciliation and current relations between Vietnam and the United States.
5. Evaluate economics, politics, and human rights in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Participation and Attendance. Student participation through reading and discussion is a high priority. We are all learners in this class and need the full participation of each person to get the most out of the course. Student questions, insights and critical thinking are very important and valued. Reading and preparation before each class is essential to the conversation. Be an interactive reader. Write down comments and questions as you engage an author. The conversation will have greater continuity and be more meaningful if you are present and participate in every session. There will be no cell phones, or text messaging in class.
Absences will lower your grade. After your final grade has been calculated attendance will be considered before assigning the course grade. Three absences will drop your final grade one full letter. The only excused absences are: serious illness documented with a health care provider note (not a regularly scheduled appointment), a death in the family, and University business (e.g., forensics, NCAA athletic competition). Each additional absence lowers your grade one letter. With six absences you will fail the course. No student will pass the course with nine total absences (excused or unexcused). In this case, the student should withdraw from the course. Tardiness will be considered in evaluating your final participation grade. Students who are 15 minutes late for a class, or who leave class for 15 minutes will be counted as absent.
Plagiarism. Plagiarism is “the appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and thoughts of another [person], and the representation of them as one’s original work” (Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 1983). It is one of the most serious violations of academic ethical standards. It is the equivalent of fraud and theft combined. The consequences for those who plagiarize will be severe. To avoid plagiarism in your papers and portfolio, be sure to enclose quotations in quotation marks. Follow appropriate formats for quotations of more than four lines. It is wise to use quotations sparingly. Always give an in-text citation and a reference for quotations and for any ideas, facts, and interpretations that you have gotten from any source, especially published or electronic materials. If you have any doubts about how to provide citations and references in an appropriate format, visit the Writing Center in Loyola Hall, Rm 2.
Academic Integrity: Consistent with the College's Academic Integrity Policy, I will report all violations of this course's academic integrity policy to the Dean's office. Students who have committed multiple instances of academic dishonesty can be subject to institutional penalties like probation, suspension, or expulsion, in addition to the penalties for this course. The Academic Integrity policy is described in the Bulletin; detailed information about the policy and the appeals process can be found in the Dean's office."
Disability: If you have a documented disability requiring academic adjustments for this class please contact Joie Williams, Director of Disability Services (303)458-4941, . She will review your documentation and help determine appropriate accommodations. Then, make an appointment with your professor to discuss your situation in light of the course.
Course Withdrawal Policy: Students are expected to know and observe the published deadlines for (a) dropping the course and (b) withdrawing from the course. These deadlines are published on the University’s Academic Calendar, which is available in the Bulletin, the course schedule and is in the Dean’s Office. Please observe the following dates: last day to drop is Jan. 25, 2011, and the last day to withdraw is Mar. 25, 2011. THESE DEADLINES ARE NOT FLEXIBLE.
Course Readings:
Required texts— purchase:
Nguyen Du. The Tale of Kieu. Yale University Press. 1983 (Random House Vintage Books,
1973) ISBN: 0-300-04051-2
Marilyn B. Young. The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990. Harper Perennial. 1991.
ISBN: 0-06016553-7
Dang Thuy Tram. Last Night I Dreamed of Peace. Three rivers Press. 2007.
ISBN: 978-0-307-34738-1
Tim O’Brien. The Things They Carried. Mariner Press. 1990. ISBN:978-0-618-70641-9
Lady Borton. Sensing the Enemy. Garden City NY: Dial. 1984. ISBN: 0-385277547
Duong Thu Huong. Paradise of the Blind. Perennial Press. 1988. ISBN: 0-06-050559-1
Material available on Dr. Plumley’s webpage: (academic.regis.edu/bplumley).
1. Quang-Tran Luong, Timeline of Vietnam History.
2. Timeline: Vietnam, BBC News
3. Neil Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, Ch. 4.
4. Seth Jacobs, America’s Miracle Man in Vietnam, Introduction.
5. Bui Tin, Following Ho Chi Minh, Ch. 1.
6. Nguyen Ba Chung, Reflection on War.
7. Tulane University Conference, 1994, The Heroes of My Lai.
8. Laurel Westrup, Toward a New Canon: The Vietnam Conflict Through Vietnamese Lenses.
9. Ngo Vinh Long, From Polarisation to Integration in Vietnam.
10. Dung Hue Doan, Moral education or political education in the Vietnamese educational system?
11. Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire, Afterword.
Material available on reserve shelf DML.
1. Thich Nhat Hanh, Lotus in a Sea of Fire. 1967 (Buddhism, Struggle for Independence)
Material available on electronic reserve (http://ereserves.regis.edu/ares--you must establish an account from Dayton Memorial Library to access ereserves)
1. Neil Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, Ch. 1.
2. Lady Borton, Ho Chi Minh: A Portrait, pgs. 74-87.
3. Seth Jacobs, America’s Miracle Man in Vietnam, Ch. 1
4. Frances FitzGerald, Fire in the Lake: The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam, Ch. 1
5. Martin Luther King, Jr. A Time To Break Silence, from James Washington’s A Testament of Hope, pgs. 231-244.
6. Michael Bilton and Kevin Sim, Four Hours at My Lai, Ch. 4.
7. Bui Tin, Following Ho Chi Minh, Ch. 8
Films. All listed as homework. Student responsibility to view films. Available: Regis Library, Denver Public Library, Net Flix Account ($7.99/ mo. for unlimited films)
1. Buffalo Boy 2. Indochine 3. The Quiet American 4. The Fog of War
Assignment specifications:
All written assignments will be evaluated by the following criteria:
· Length. Notice the required word count. For example, Times New Roman 12 point font= approximately 375 words per page.
· Grammar/Spelling. Be sure to proof-read papers to correct any grammatical/spelling errors. Use the Writing Center for help and support with writing.
· Typed in 12 point font, Times New Roman, 1” margins, double-spaced.
· Citations are required for any quotations or references to text material.
· Use APA or MLA format. (see Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ USE Regis Writing Center, Loyola 2.
· Due Date: Papers are due on the date assigned. Late papers receive 10% penalty unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor prior to the due date.
· You must hand in a hard copy of your papers in class on the day they are due. You must also email your paper to me at .
· Please keep your papers during the semester for reference and discussion. The easiest thing to do is to create a folder on your computer. Save the syllabus as well as all of the drafts and final papers that you write for the class. The emphasis is on quality research and reflection.
Re-writing papers. If you would like to re-write a paper (except the final paper) it will be acceptable within one week of the date it was returned. Please talk with the instructor about specific details concerning your paper. All re-written papers must be turned in with the original paper. Final evaluation will average the two papers.
Regis Writing Center: The Writing Center is a free resource where Regis College students get immediate and personal feedback on their writing and answers to questions about grammar, documentation, and formatting. Peer writing consultants help at any point in the writing process, from brainstorming for ideas to organizing a draft to polishing the final version. The Writing Center is a very popular service, so appointments are strongly recommended. Drop by Loyola 1 or call (303) 458-4039 for more information.
Assignment grades:
Self-Interest Autobiography 10%
CBL Reflection Papers (2x10) 20
Colonization Paper 20
Ideology Paper 20
Final Analysis Paper 30
Written Assignments:
#1: Self Interest Autobiography Due: Thurs. Jan. 20
Write a 700-900 word essay that develops the three sections of your Self Interest Assessment.
a. Identify the primary influence(s) that shape your political worldview. (for example: family, education, religion, travel, media…)
b. What do you know about Vietnam? Where did you get your ideas?
c. Why are you interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam? What do you hope to gain?
#2: CBL Reflection Paper—TET Celebration Due: Feb. 8 Community Based Learning (CBL) see Service Learning website: www.regis.edu/slclasses, click Spring 2011, scroll to Vietnam and the United States
Write 600-800 word paper that describes your observation and participation in a TET celebration.
#3: Colonization Paper Due: Tues. Mar. 1 Write a 1400-1600 word research paper.
a. Name the values and beliefs of Vietnamese people that would support national independence.
b. In what way did the leadership of North and South Vietnam challenge or cooperate with French and Japanese colonization?
c. Discuss the role of the United States in the colonization of Vietnam.
#4: Ideology Paper Due: Tues. Apr. 5 Write a 1400-1600 word research paper.
a. Identify the political ideologies that shaped the perspectives of Vietnam and the United States prior to and during the American/Vietnam war.
b. In what way does the experience and stories of war influence foreign policy?
c. Does political ideology make a difference in the interpretation of a war story? Explain.
#5: CBL Reflection Paper—Peer interviews Due Apr. 19 See Service Learning website.
Write 700-900 word paper that is a brief biography of the Vietnamese or Vietnamese-American person you interview, and discusses the self-identity and values of the person.
#6: Synthesis/Analysis/Evaluation Due: Thurs. Apr. 28 Write an 1800-2100 word essay.
a. Tell your “story” of Vietnam and the United States as a result of this class.
b. Include a synthesis and analysis of at least four key themes/topics of the class and illustrate how they connect or fit together.
c. How will your understanding of the relationship and engagement between Vietnam and the United States shape your participation as a citizen of the United States and/or as a global citizen?
4