Assess the success or failure of JFK, LBJ, Nixon, and Ho Chi Minh in the wars they waged in Indochina. It asks several fundamental questions. The readings examine a number of perspectives on the war.
Films highlight the judgment that Vietnam was a devastating war for all involved.
Lectures provide basic information about the war and and the context in which it occurred, while also presenting an interpretive perspective. Because of the complexity and diversity of material upon which you will be evaluated, absences are not acceptable except for compelling reasons. Each undergraduate student will write a 1800-word analytical paper on topics to be announced. Without exception, these papers will be due the week of April 9. Plagiarism is a serious matter, amounting to academic misconduct, and will be dealt with as such within university guidelines.