History 365G / AMS 321 The Vietnam Wars Unique number 38840 MWF, 10-11 a.m. MEZ 1.306
Mark A. Lawrence [email protected] Office: GAR 3.220, 475-9304 Office Hours: Monday, 1:30-3 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m.-noon; and by appointment
This course has two main objectives. First, it aims to introduce students to the complex and controversial history of the Vietnam Wars during the second half of the twentieth century. Although we will spend most of our time examining the “American war” of 1961-1975, the course places this event within a broad geographical and chronological context. We will spend a good deal of time considering Vietnamese history as well as the French, Japanese, British, and Chinese experiences in Vietnam predating U.S. intervention. As we move toward the 1960s, we will focus increasingly on the major controversies surrounding U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. Why did U.S. policymakers believe the defense of South Vietnam was worth a massive expenditure of lives and other American resources? Why did the United States fail to achieve its objectives? Was the 1961-1975 war winnable for the United States in any meaningful sense? What impact did the war leave on the United States, Southeast Asia, and the world?
Second, the course aims to encourage students to think like historians. That is, it requires students to evaluate primary sources (documents as well as memoirs, novels, and films), weigh competing interpretations of historical events, critique scholarly works, and defend their own conclusions in argumentative essays. Indeed, students will be evaluated largely on the basis of a series of such essays (both the take-home paper described at the end of this syllabus and essays written as parts of the exams).
Students are not expected to have any familiarity with the Vietnam Wars, but they should have a basic understanding of U.S. history since 1941. Students lacking this background should consult Walter LaFeber, America, Russia, and the Cold War and/or a standard U.S. history text such as Davidson, et al., Nation of Nations.
Requirements 1. 50-minute exam on February 23 (20 percent) 2. 50-minute exam on April 6 (20 percent) 3. Final exam, May 13, 2-5 p.m. (30 percent) 4. Paper of 5-7 pages, roughly 1,500-1,800 words (30 percent)
Required readings Christian G. Appy, Working Class War: American Combat Soldiers in Vietnam (1993) Graham Greene, The Quiet American (1955) George C. Herring, America’s Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975, 5th edition (2013) Mark Atwood Lawrence, ed., The Vietnam War: An International History in Documents (2014) Truong Nhu Tang, A Vietcong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War and Its Aftermath (1986) Robert S. McNamara, In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam (1996) Photocopy packet (available on Canvas and at Jenn’s Copy & Binding, 2200 Guadalupe)
Supplemental Instruction The Supplemental Instruction (SI) program is a nationally recognized initiative designed to help students master course content and improve study skills. For this course, the program is funded by the William S. Clements Jr. Center for History, Strategy, and Statecraft. SI sessions will be led by Kazushi Minami, a graduate student in the History Department who has received special training to be an SI. The sessions, to be scheduled after consultation with the class, will involve discussion of course contents as well as study and writing skills. Sessions will also help students prepare for class discussions, papers, and exams. Ultimately, students who attend SI will have participated in a cooperative effort that reinforces and clarifies course content, instills independent study and reasoning skills, and provides tools enabling students to succeed throughout the remainder of their college careers. Although attendance at SI sessions is voluntary, students can receive extra credit toward their term grades through regular and active participation. The UT Learning Center has established that, on average, students who take part in the sessions score approximately one letter grade higher than their non- attending colleagues. Professor Lawrence and Kazushi Minami strongly recommend that students participate in this extremely valuable feature of our class.
Other important notes § Attendance is required, but there will be no formal mechanism to monitor absences. Students will be responsible not only for all course material discussed in class but also for all announcements about course logistics and all handouts distributed. A student who misses class may request copies of handouts and/or lecture outlines after explaining his/her absence to the instructor via email (or providing a doctor’s note). § If you have a disability requiring accommodations, please let the instructor know no later than February 6. Be prepared at that time, or shortly thereafter, to provide appropriate documentation. To receive accommodation, a student must give the instructor a letter from Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). A student may request accommodations from SSD at 471-6259 or http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/. § Participation in discussions during class and attendance/participation in the SI sessions are not course requirements. Students should be aware, however, that they can receive substantial extra credit for regular and constructive participation in either setting (or ideally both). § Students who elect to bring laptops to class may not under any circumstances use those devices for any purpose not directly related to the class. Failure to comply with this rule will result in losing the privilege of using a laptop during class. § All of the required books are available for purchase at the University Coop. The photocopy reader is available at Jenn’s Copy & Binding at 2200 Guadalupe Street, and all readings are also available on the course Canvas site. § The instructor or teaching assistant may hand out photocopies for use during class. These should be treated as required reading. § Under no circumstances will the instructor or teaching assistant make available lecture notes. § This syllabus and all materials presented in lectures are copyrighted by Dr. Mark A. Lawrence. No materials may be directly or indirectly published, posted to the internet, or rewritten for publication or distribution in any medium. Neither these materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. § Paid note-takers are strictly forbidden from attending this class. § Students should be fully aware of university rules regarding academic dishonesty. The instructor assumes full compliance throughout the semester and will strictly observe all university procedures in cases of violations.
Schedule of Classes and Assignments
January 21 Introduction: Big Questions January 23 Vietnamese Geography and History READING: Neil L. Jamieson, “How the Vietnamese See the World,” from Understanding Vietnam (reader)
January 26 Imperial Encounters READING: Doc 1.1; Tran Tu Binh, “The Red Earth: A Vietnamese Memoir of Life on a Colonial Rubber Plantation,” pp. 1-31 (reader) January 28 The Rise of Vietnamese Nationalism READING: Docs 1.2-1.4; Truong Nhu Tang, foreword-chapter 3 January 30 The Second World War and the August Revolution READING: Docs 1.5-1.7; Greene, Part I, chapters 1-3
February 2 Film: “Roots of a War” READING: Herring, 3-16; Greene, Part I, chapters 4-5 February 4 Colonialism and Cold War READING: Docs 2-1-2.2; Greene, Part II, chapters 1-2 February 6 The Franco-American Partnership READING: Docs 2.3-2.6; Herring, 16-51; Greene, Part II, chapter 3
February 9 Dien Bien Phu and Geneva READING: Doc 2.7; Greene, Part III February 11 Nation-Building in the North READING: Greene, Part IV February 13 Nation-Building in the South READING: Docs 3.1-3.2, 3.4; Herring, 53-81; Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 4-6
February 16 A New Insurgency READING: Docs 3.3, 3.5; Herring, 81-89; Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 7-8 February 18 JFK and the New War in Vietnam READING: Docs 3.6, 4.1-4.2; Herring 91-112; McNamara, preface-chapter 2 February 20 The Overthrow of Diem READING: Docs 4.3-4.5; Herring, 113-133; Truong Nhu Tang, chapter 9; McNamara, chapter 3
February 23 EXAM I February 25 LBJ and the Vietnam Problem READING: Doc 4.7; Herring 135-146; McNamara, chapter 4-5 February 27 The Question of Alternatives READING: Doc 4.6, 5.2; Truong Nhu Tang, chapter 10; McNamara, chapter 6
March 2 Decisions for War, part 1 READING: Docs 5.1, 5.3-5.5; Herring, 146-167; McNamara, chapter 7 March 4 Decisions for War, part 2 READING: Doc 5.6; Herring, 167-175 March 6 The Air War READING: Doc 6.6; Herring, 177-185; McNamara, chapter 8
March 9 The Ground War READING: Doc 6.3, 6.7; Herring, 185-209; McNamara, chapter 9 March 11 The Politics of War: Diplomacy and Nation-Building READING: Doc 6.5; Herring, 210-213; McNamara, chapter 10 March 13 NO CLASS READING: Appy, introduction-chapter 1
March 23 The Politics of War: The Home Front READING: Docs 6.1-6.2, 6.4; Herring, 213-231; Appy, chapter 2 March 25 The Tet Offensive READING: Docs 7.1-7.5; Herring, 233-259; Appy, chapter 3 March 27 Film: “Homefront USA” READING: Doc 7.7; Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 11-12; Appy, chapter 4
March 30 A New Stalemate READING: Docs 8.1-8.2; Herring, 259-275; Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 13-14 April 1 Roundtable: The Experience of War (“In Country”) READING: Appy, chapters 5-6 April 3 Roundtable: The Experience of War (Homefront) READING: Appy, chapter 7; antiwar documents (reader)
April 6 EXAM II April 8 Nixon, Kissinger, and Vietnam: Worldview and Assumptions READING: Docs 8.3-8.4; Herring, 277-286; Kissinger, 674-685 April 10 Nixon, Kissinger, and Vietnam: Plans READING: Herring, 286-296; Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 15-16
April 13 Expansion and Contraction READING: Herring, 296-304; Appy, chapter 8 April 15 New Constraints READING: Docs 8.5-8.6; Herring, 304-319; Nick Turse, Kill Anything That Moves, pp. 1-23 (reader) April 17 The Easter Offensive READING: Herring, 320-331; Appy, chapter 9; Truong Nhu Tang, chapter 17
April 20 Final Negotiations READING: Docs 8.7, 9.1; Kissinger, 685-702 April 22 Peace of a Kind READING: Docs 9.2-9.3; Truong Nhu Tang, chapter 18; McNamara, chapter 11 April 24 Film: “The End of the Tunnel” READING: Truong Nhu Tang, chapters 19-21
April 27 The War After the War READING: Herring, 333-352; Ngo Vinh Long, “Legacies Foretold: Excavating the Roots of Postwar Vietnam” (reader) April 29 Nations in Torment READING: Docs 9.4-9.6, 10.1; Herring, 353-363; Truong Nhu Tang, chapter 22 May 1 NO CLASS WATCH “The Last Days in Vietnam,” which premiers on PBS on April 28
May 4 Contested Legacies, 1975-1989 READING: Docs 10.2-10.3; Herring, 363-368; Gary R. Hess, “From the Streets to the Books: Origins of an Enduring Debate” (reader) May 6 The United States and Vietnam READING: Docs 10.4-10.5; Herring, 369-380; Truong Nhu Tang, chs 23-24; H. Bruce Franklin, “Missing in Action in the Twenty-First Century” (reader) May 8 American Politics and Foreign Policy after the Cold War READING: Docs 10.6-10.7; Mark Atwood Lawrence, “Policymaking and the Uses of the Vietnam War” (reader)
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
Each student must write ONE essay on a topic drawn from the list below. The essay should be between 1,500 and 1,800 words in length (roughly 5-7 pages of double-spaced, 12-point type). No matter which question you choose, be sure to state a clear thesis and to support your argument with specific evidence drawn from readings and lectures. Also, be sure to use either footnotes or parenthetical notes to cite all information, argumentation, and quotations drawn from your sources. Provide a title and a word count. Students may not submit more than one paper. Please choose your topic carefully.
1. (Due February 9.) Many historians and other commentators have criticized U.S. policymakers for rebuffing Viet Minh appeals for support in 1945 and then backing the French war effort five years later, arguing that the United States should have remained true to its anticolonial traditions and recognized Ho Chi Minh’s movement as fundamentally nationalist, rather than communist, in inspiration. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this way of thinking? Think about whether the United States erred in rejecting Ho’s appeals and permitting the return of French control. Think too about whether there were reasonable alternatives to the course chosen by Washington.
2. (Due February 16.) Since the publication of The Quiet American in 1955, the character of Alden Pyle has often been viewed as symbolic of how America as a nation became deeply involved in the Vietnam conflict. Drawing on lectures as well as Herring’s book, the documents, and any other course material you consider relevant, write an essay explaining to what extent you believe that American policy in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s can be understood through the character of Alden Pyle. What are the similarities and differences between Pyle and high-level American policymakers in how they approached the conflict in Vietnam?
3. (Due March 2.) The most famous films dealing with the Vietnam War focus on the experiences of U.S. combat soldiers after 1965. Several lesser-known films focus on the relationship between Americans and Vietnamese recipients of U.S. aid and advice in earlier “advisory” years. Write an essay comparing and contrasting any two of the following films from this genre: “The Quiet American” (1958 or 2002 version), “The Green Berets” (1968), and “Go Tell the Spartans” (1978). Consider how the films depict American motives, the attitudes of the Vietnamese people, the effect U.S. personnel have in Vietnam, and/or other matters you find worthwhile. If you wish, you may also bring the novel version of The Quiet American into your analysis. [If you use film version(s) of “The Quiet American,” you may use either the 1958 or 2002 version, or you may use both as your two films.]
4. (Due March 9.) It is December 1, 1964, and you are the U.S. secretary of defense. President Johnson has asked you for advice about how to proceed in Vietnam. Write a memo advising the president. Try to limit yourself to information you could reasonably have known at the time. Be sure to organize your memo in a clear and concise fashion. Remember that the president is a busy person and expects direct and succinct advice.
5. (Due April 13.) Historians have often pointed out that the “antiwar movement” was hardly a single, unified movement. Yet distinguishing different schools of thought and identifying lines of fracture between different groups is not easy. Write an essay exploring the range of opinions that made up the antiwar movement. What different strands of opinion do you see, and what distinguishes them? What considerations seem to have driven different people to oppose the war?
6. (Due April 27.) Many commentators have sharply criticized Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger for failing to end the Vietnam War in 1969 and for continuing the fighting for four more bloody years. Others defend Nixon and Kissinger for making the best of a difficult situation. What is your opinion of this controversy? Think about whether the American administration erred by refusing to end the fighting during its first year in office and how you would rate the administration’s new approach to waging the war.