History 3400: The Vietnam War
Dr. David Krugler Spring 2007
320 Warner Hall 101 Boebel
342-1783; kruglerd@uwplatt.edu Mon. 2-2:52
Office Hours: Mon. 1-2, 3-4; Tu. 1-4 Wed. 2-3:52
Wed.
12-2; Th. 9-10, 1-3
This course examines
We have several goals in
this course:
·
To learn the
domestic and geopolitical sources of
·
To understand
why anti-communism became the guiding principle of American foreign policy and
led the
·
To trace the
long arc of
·
To learn what
the war was like for
·
To examine
both opposition to and support for the
The course combines
lectures with discussions. Each student is obligated to participate in regular
discussions of the reading assignments, which come from the following sources:
George C. Herring,
Tim
O’Brien, If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home
William Duiker, Sacred War: Nationalism and Revolution in a Divided
James S. Olson and Randy Roberts,
Marilyn B. Young et al., The Vietnam War: A History in Documents
Students may obtain copies of the books at the
Assignments:
Exams: You
will take a midterm exam and a cumulative final exam (each worth 15% of your
total grade). Study guides will be distributed before the test dates, which are
listed below.
Response essay: Early in the semester, you will write a 2 page response essay (worth 10% of your total grade) about an
excerpt of Vietnamese literature. This assignment will introduce you to
Writing: You
will write a 10 page research paper
(worth 30% of your total grade) on a topic of your choice. A sheet explaining
the assignment will be distributed well in advance of the final due date, and
you should consider this paper to be an on-going project. Therefore, four separate due dates apply to the paper: thesis and
bibliography, progress report, rough draft and peer review, and final draft
(see schedule below). Please know that each student must participate in the
in-class editing session and late papers will not be accepted.
Discussion: In seven classes, we will hold an in-depth discussion of shared
reading about significant historical problems related to the Vietnam War. Your
individual participation in these
discussions and related activities is mandatory and is worth 25% of your total
grade. Discussion guides will be distributed in advance of each discussion, and
you must complete the reading by class time. The date of each discussion is
given below. Some reading assignments are lengthy, so be sure to set
aside sufficient time to complete the reading by the due date. The assignment
schedule indicates when you should begin reading for each discussion. IMPORTANT:
In order to ensure that all students are completing the reading assignments,
I may occasionally give pop quizzes before we begin discussion. These quizzes
will be worth 5% of your total grade. Discussion activities may also include
the following: group work; peer review of research papers; and brief,
in-class writing assignments.
Attendance and accommodations: Timely and regular attendance is expected; roll
will be taken. Students who are
frequently absent when roll is taken will have their grade lowered at the
semester’s end. If you cannot attend class, please let me know ahead of
time. Class or assignment conflicts due to religious beliefs will be rescheduled
according to UW Statute 22.03. Eligible students who require test or lecture
accommodations should speak with me.
Grade Components:
Research paper @ 30% Midterm @ 15% Participation @ 25%
Final exam @ 15% Response essay @ 10% Quizzes @ 5%
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Begin reading
Duiker, 1-52; Young, 6-23.
Mon. 1/22 Introduction
to the course.
Wed. 1/24 Background
on
Week 2: Finish reading Duiker, 1-52;
Young, 6-23.
Mon.
1/29
Wed. 1/31 Lect. Who was Ho Chi Minh? Disc. #1:
Origins of Vietnamese nationalism.
Week 3: Begin reading Duiker, 95-137;
Herring, 53-87.
Mon. 2/5 WWII and
Wed. 2/7 Response essay due. The
Week 4: Finish reading
Duiker, 95-137; Herring, 53-87.
Mon.
2/12 Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime.
Wed. 2/14 Lect. Formation of the NLF. Disc.
#2:
Week 5: Start reading
Herring 131-169; Duiker, 138-184.
Mon. 2/19 Kennedy’s
conundrum.
Wed. 2/21 Getting
rid of Diem.
Week 6: Continue reading Herring 131-169; Duiker,
138-184
Mon. 2/26 Midterm
exam.
Wed. 2/28 Lect. The “Long 1964”; library research methods.
Week
7: Finish reading Herring 131-169; Duiker, 138-184. Paper thesis and bibliography due; schedule appointment with
instructor.
Mon.
3/5 The “Long
1964,” continued.
Wed.
3/7 Operation Rolling Thunder; Disc.
#3: Choosing war.
Spring Break: 3/10 through 3/18
Week 8: Read website with oral interviews;
handout.
Mon. 3/19 The ground war—varying strategies.
Wed. 3/21 Lect. Escalation of the war. Disc. #4: What was it like to be a grunt?
Week 9: Begin
reading Young, 131-36; Olson and Roberts, 1-25 and excerpts to be assigned.
Mon. 3/26 Opposition
to the war; international response to the war.
Wed.
3/28
Week 10: Finish reading Young, 131-36; Olson
and Roberts, 1-25 and excerpts to be assigned.
Mon. 4/2 Progress
report on paper due. The
siege of Khe Sanh and Tet.
Wed. 4/4 Lect. Khe Sanh and Tet, continued. Disc. #5: Massacre at
Week 11: Start
reading O’Brien.
Mon. 4/9 No
class—April break.
Wed. 4/11 1969—the
Week 12: Continue
reading O’Brien.
Mon. 4/16 The “silent majority”; growing
opposition to the war.
Wed. 4/18 Papers due and in-class
peer review.
Week 13: Continue
reading O’Brien.
Mon. 4/23 “Vietnamization”
of the war; escalated bombing.
Wed.
4/25 Revised
papers due. Lect.
Week 14: Finish reading O’Brien.
Mon. 4/30 Nixon
and Kissinger’s peace plans.
Wed. 5/2 Lect. Why
Week 15: Read Herring, 323-368; Duiker,
259-71; Young 147-161.
Mon. 5/7 Peace
at last?
Wed. 5/9 Lect. Assessing the war 30 years later.
Disc. #7
FINAL EXAM:
Wed. 5/16, 3-4:52pm. Please note: graduating seniors must take the final.