Table of Contents

How to Use This Product...... 3 Rules of Military Conduct ...... 47Ð50 Rules of Conduct ...... 47 Introduction to Primary Sources. . . . . 5 The Pocket Card ...... 49 Text of the Pocket Card ...... 50 Activities Using Primary Sources . . . 15 Vietnamese Student Letter ...... 51Ð54 Photographs Escape to Freedom ...... 51 President Lyndon B. Johnson ...... 15Ð16 Boat People ...... 53 Decisions of War ...... 15 Text of the Letter from a Vietnamese ...... 17Ð18 Student ...... 54 Vietminh Patriot ...... 17 Stars & Stripes My Lai Article ...... 55Ð58 American Soldiers ...... 19Ð20 A Day of Tragedy ...... 55 Combat In-Country ...... 19 The Court-Martial ...... 57 Text from the My Lai Article ...... 58 Smoke Over Saigon ...... 21Ð22 The Decisive Assault ...... 21 POW/MIA Symbol ...... 59Ð62 Remembered or Forgotten? ...... 59 1968 Democratic Convention ...... 23Ð24 To Always Remember ...... 61 Taking it to the Streets ...... 23 POW/MIA Symbol ...... 62 Kent State ...... 25Ð26 The Second Front ...... 25 Document Based Assessment Veterans Memorial ...... 27Ð28 Dog Tags ...... 63 The Wall ...... 27 Vietnam Guidebook ...... 64 Joan Baez Concert ...... 29Ð30 Vietnam Memorial Statues ...... 65 Wartime Music ...... 29 Defense of Free Speech ...... 66 Primary Sources River Patrol ...... 67 Map of Vietnam ...... 31Ð34 Purpose of Support ...... 68 Indochina Emerald ...... 31 Immunizations ...... 69 North and South ...... 33 Stars and Stripes Map of Vietnam ...... 34 Western Union ...... 70 Resolution ...... 35Ð38 Enlistment ...... 71 Executive Powers in Wartime ...... 35 Landing Zone ...... 72 H.J. RES 1145 ...... 37 Truman Doctrine ...... 73 Text of the Gulf of Tonkin Helicopters ...... 74 Resolution ...... 38 North Vietnamese Leaflet ...... 39Ð42 Appendix ...... 75 The Mountain People ...... 39 About Your CD-ROM ...... 75 Peoples’ Protest ...... 41 Suggested Young-Adult Literature and Montagnard Protest Leaflet Suggested Websites ...... 77 in English ...... 42 Document-Based Assessment Selective Service Card ...... 43Ð46 Rubric Example ...... 78 The Draft Choice ...... 43 Answer Key ...... 79 Draft Classification ...... 45 Selective Service Registration Cards . . . .46

#8125 Exploring History—Vietnam Conflict 2 ©Teacher Created Materials, Inc. Using Primary Sources American Soldiers Combat In-Country

Standard/Objective ¥ Compare similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures meet human needs and concerns. (NCSS) ¥ Students will study the photo and share information in groups about the struggles of ground soldiers in Vietnam.

Materials Copies of both sides of the American Soldiers photo card; Copies of the historical background information (page 20) Instructional Resources Corporation

Discussion Questions ¥ How old do the soldiers in the photo appear to be? ¥ Do the soldiers represent various ethnic groups of the ? ¥ The soldiers in the picture who have their necks exposed do not appear to be wearing dogtags. What are dogtags and where might the soldiers have their tags? ¥ Should the government cover disability payments to soldiers injured during the war and if so, for how long?

Using the Primary Source Have students read the background information and look at the photo card. Answer the discussion questions as a class. Let students work with a partner or in groups of three to complete the back of the photo card. Break the students into six groups. Have five groups investigate the branches of the military: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Have the last group research the role of women in the war. Each group must research its topic and present a short oral presentation to the class about how the men and women were involved in the war. Finally, students should vote to decide which of the positions was the most difficult. Would they rather be Marines dropping into the middle of the action or sailors facing the confinement of battleship life?

Extension Idea ¥ Bring in 40 to 50 pounds of weights to class. Borrow a student’s backpack and load it with the weights. Have members of the class go outside and walk, crawl, or do exercise with the pack on. Have students then explain the difficulty of moving with 40 extra pounds. Imagine how hard it would have been with 90 extra pounds.

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Combat In-Country (cont.)

Historical Background Information Life for ground units in Vietnam was difficult and hazardous. Men volunteered for the Marines, Navy, and Air Force, while the Army used a combination of volunteers and draftees. By 1969, there were more than 540,000 combat soldiers on the ground with another Instructional Resources Corporation 40,000 draftees inducted each month and sent to Vietnam. Soldiers sent to Vietnam served one year of duty and at the end of their tour chose to either renew their service or return home. Ground soldiers were equipped with much of the same equipment as soldiers of World War II and the Korean War. Their uniforms were made of cotton. Each soldier was also given a canvas or nylon poncho to wear during the monsoon rains. Soldiers’ boots were initially made of leather, but later in the war, the government issued a boot that was a combination of leather and nylon mesh. The meshing was to allow air to circulate around the foot and keep the soldiers’ socks and feet dry. Some of the soldiers suffered from “jungle rot,” a fungus that grew on their feet as a result of the constant moisture. Infantry soldiers also wore the steel helmet of World War II, called a “pot” helmet. This helmet was designed for protection but was also used by soldiers as a seat and a dry storage compartment. Infantrymen who were sent in search of the enemy were given canteens, hand grenades, knives or machetes, and a standard M16 rifle. The grenade was an M2- fragmentation grenade and soldiers could activate it by pulling the pin at the top. The M16 held a clip of 30 rounds of ammunition and could fire up to 900 rounds per minute. In 1966, the M16 was redesigned because many rifles jammed after becoming dirty or wet. Soldiers loaded extra ammunition packs around their waists before leaving the base. Since soldiers were away from their base for weeks at a time, they carried extra canteens, food rations, blankets, and other personal items. By the time a soldier was fully packed to go out into the field, he might be carrying an extra 90 pounds of equipment. Soldiers who served in Vietnam came from a variety of backgrounds. Eighty-four percent were Caucasian or Hispanic and 11% were African American. Most of the soldiers had completed at least a high school education and many of the pilots had completed a college education. Also, 76% of the men serving were from middle class families and neighborhoods. A ground soldier in Vietnam was in combat for an average of 240 days during his year of service.

#8125 Exploring History—Vietnam Conflict 20 ©Teacher Created Materials, Inc. ik65 American Soldiers

Historical Background Information During the 11 years of fighting in Vietnam, more than nine million soldiers served either in combat or in an assistance role for combat soldiers. Most of the new and young soldiers were drafted into the army and fought on the ground in Vietnam. A major hazard to ground fighting was the heavy brush and jungle foliage. In 1961, President John Kennedy authorized , a program to spray and kill the plants and trees surrounding many of the river areas of Vietnam. One of the major areas sprayed was the Mekong Delta, just south of Saigon. From 1961 until 1975 the United States sprayed 19 million gallons of chemicals on the brush and jungle plants in .

Analyzing History Historical Writing Knowledge Fiction Describe one of the two soldiers in the middle of the Assume that you are a soldier who has just picture. completed six months in Vietnam. You have Comprehension been assigned to an infantry unit stationed in the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam. Describe the various weapons that are seen in the Write a letter home to your sister or brother picture and explain how well prepared the men are to and describe the living conditions including fight the enemy. the weather, the food, the danger, and any Application other problems. How would you describe the terrain and the weather? Nonfiction Analysis Research the difference between the living During the war, the United States government made conditions of the Army infantry soldiers, Navy changes in the M16 and in clothing worn by soldiers. seamen, and Navy or Air Force pilots. In What other changes in equipment or clothing might groups of three, write one descriptive have made life easier for ground soldiers? paragraph for each of the military groups. In Synthesis your fourth paragraph, identify which of the Imagine yourself walking through this watery area. soldier groups had the best living conditions. Other than enemy soldiers, what else might cause you danger or discomfort? History Challenge Evaluation In 1991, American soldiers once again fought Research the chemical spraying that took place during on foreign soil, in Iraq this time. Find out if Operation Ranch Hand. The government used a veterans who served in Operation Desert chemical known as . Find a picture of Storm suffered any exposure ailments similar an area sprayed with Agent Orange and compare it to to Vietnam veterans. Bring your discoveries this photo. Why would spraying chemicals make back to class to share. fighting safer for American soldiers? What might be the hazards of spraying chemicals?

©Teacher Created Materials, Inc. #8125 Exploring History Through Primary Sources—Vietnam Conflict Using Primary Sources POW/MIA Symbol Remembered or Forgotten?

Standard/Objective ¥ Apply knowledge of how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good. (NCSS) ¥ Students will examine the symbolism of the POW/MIA flag and discuss the impact of the flag and bracelets on American society.

Materials Copy of the facsimile POW/MIA Symbol; Copies of the historical background information (page 60); Copies of the student activity sheet, To Always Remember (page 61); For optional use: POW/MIA Symbol (page 62)

Discussion Questions ¥ What is the symbolism of each item displayed on the flag? ¥ Why was the flag designed to be black and white and not colored? ¥ What events of the time might have inspired the designers of the flag to include the words, “You are not forgotten”? ¥ How might the flag have been a healing source for tensions in the 1970s?

Using the Primary Source Have students look at the reproduction of the POW/MIA symbol. After discussing the various symbols found on the flag, have the class divide into groups. Students should create new symbols that might reflect the same concerns for prisoners of war and men or women who are missing in action. Have the groups work together to create new POW/MIA flags that show their new symbols. Let groups display their new POW/MIA flags.

Extension Ideas ¥ Have the students research specific prisoners of war or men or women missing in action and write about the incidents that resulted in their capture or the events leading to their classification as missing. ¥ Have the students research to find out about how many men or women have been reclassified (from POW/MIA to dead) since the end of the war.

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Remembered or Forgotten? (cont.)

Historical Background Information Beginning with the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, the United States changed their policy of advisement to one of direct military operation in Vietnam. This direct military involvement lasted until 1975. Over this time period, more than 2,500 servicemen were either captured or missing within the areas of combat.

In August of 1964, Everett Alvarez, a navy aviator, became the first American to be shot down over . He survived and became a prisoner of war (POW) until his release in 1973. During the conflict, 745 soldiers were captured by the North Vietnamese and became prisoners of war. Prisoners were transferred to various prisons housed in the North. Two of the most infamous prison camps were both located in the northern city of . Hoa Lo was known as the Hanoi Hilton, and Pha Phim was known as The Zoo. According to the United States Department of Defense, 84 men died in captivity, 28 escaped captivity and were retrieved by United States forces, and 533 returned under in 1973.

In addition to servicemen who were captured, many more were reported as missing during battle or bombing raids. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Association lists 1,948 soldiers as Missing In Action (MIA).

Prisoners of war and men and women missing in action became the focus of two separate groups within the United States during the 1970s. In 1970, Carol Bates Brown and Voices in Vital America (VIVA) launched a campaign to focus on POWs and MIAs by selling bracelets to the public. Each bracelet had the name of a man or woman who was missing or in prison, the soldier’s rank, and the date that the soldier went missing or was captured. Wearers of the bracelet were asked to keep the bracelet on until the soldier was either found or returned home. Each bracelet sold for $3.00 and more than 5,000,000 were sold. The proceeds went to fund pamphlets and bumper stickers supporting the cause for getting the men returned home.

In 1971, Mary Hoff, wife of MIA Michael Hoff, came up with a plan to remember both POWs and MIAs in another way. Working with the National League of American Prisoners and Missing in , Mrs. Hoff designed the POW/MIA flag. The flag adopted was to have no colors, only black and white. It was also to symbolize the importance of supporting these two groups of servicemen. Since there are still almost 2,000 men and women listed as missing, the efforts to remember them go on. In 1989, the passed a measure to display the POW/MIA flag within the United States Capitol rotunda. Today, this flag is still the only flag, other than the American flag, to be displayed within the rotunda.

#8125 Exploring History—Vietnam Conflict 60 ©Teacher Created Materials, Inc. Using Primary Sources POW/MIA Symbol

Name______To Always Remember

Background Information Beginning with Everett Alvarez, the first navy aviator shot down over North Vietnam, Americans first heard the terms Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA). It would take six more years for concerned groups to actively publicize these issues. Carol Brown’s VIVA group would begin to sell bracelets advertising the names of POWs and MIAs. Persons were asked to wear the bracelets until the servicemen were either found or released from prison. Mary Hoff, the wife of an MIA, publicized the issue by creating a flag to represent both POWs and MIAs. The black and white POW/MIA flag still flies proudly over many government installations and private venues. The flag has become a symbol for the country to never forget the tremendous sacrifice given by men who have yet to return home.

Activity Directions: Read the background information page and look closely at the reproduction of the POW/MIA flag. 1. What are some new symbols that could represent these missing and imprisoned men and women? Write or sketch your new symbols. ______2. How do these compare to the original ones? ______3. What is a possible new slogan for your flag? ______4. How does the new slogan compare to the original? ______5. After groups have shared their new flags, which one do you feel best displays the concern for remembering the lost servicemen or women? On another sheet of paper, include a description of the flag and your reasons for choosing it as the best.

Challenge Find someone who still has a POW/MIA bracelet. Interview him or her to find the reason for obtaining and keeping the bracelet. Also ask if he or she knows what happened to the serviceman or woman on his or her bracelet.

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#8125 Exploring History—Vietnam Conflict 62 ©Teacher Created Materials, Inc. Document Based Assessments

Name______Vietnam Guidebook

Department of Defense

1. Identify some of the visual symbols of Vietnam as shown on the guide. ______2. This guide was given to new service personnel. Why would this picture be chosen for the front cover? ______3. Why do you think that the military leaders felt it was necessary to give men entering Vietnam a guidebook? ______

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