The Vietnam War in Film INAF 458 C H1 (90823) Instructor: Robert L. Moore CSS 106/Ext. 2626 [email protected] Course Description This course covers the basic history of the Vietnam War especially as it reflects conflicting cultural values between and within Vietnam and the U.S. The American points of view will be analyzed largely through major films about this war. The cinematic features and styles of these major films will also be analyzed. This is not a course that focuses on combat, and most of these films do not include extended combat scenes (though some do, e.g., Platoon and Full Metal Jacket). In addition to the cultural conflicts and misunderstandings that lay behind this war, we will also consider Vietnamese culture and what I hope will be a fresh look at some aspects of American culture. Another focal point will be the differences between events, as the most reliable history available to us describes them, and the perceptions of those events by Americans and Vietnamese. This course is applicable to the Critical Media Studies major and a crucial issue for us will be the causes of slippage between "reality" (insofar as we can grasp it) and the portrayal of reality in the media of the US and other countries. This course can count as a seminar in International Affairs (Holt) and in Anthropology. For it to count as a seminar in Anthropology, the seminar paper should be cast in a cultural context with reference to culture as it is understood in one or more anthropological traditions. A number of short papers (one to two pages) will be required early in the course, but assignments in the second half of the course will be dedicated mainly to the development of a final seminar paper. This will take place via a series of increasingly lengthy and detailed drafts, culminating in a final paper of a minimum of 12 pages. GRADES Grades will be based on two exams (20% each), the second of which will be the final exam; quizzes, short writing assignments and attendance (20%); and a final paper (40%). (After two unexcused absences, ½ point per absence will be deducted from your final average.) Grading scale: 93-100 A 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 0-59 F 90-92 A- 83-86 B 73-76 C 63-66 D 80-82 B- 70-72 C- 60-62 D- TEXTS: Novel without a Name by Duong Tu Huong Lessons in Disaster by Gordon M. Goldstein They Marched into Sunlight by David Maraniss FILMS - The following films will be viewed, some in their entirety others in part: Documentaries: Vietnam: A Television History (1983, PBS production) First Kill (Coco Shrijber, 2001) American Experience: Two Days in October (2004 PBS production, directed by Robert Kenner) Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (Bill Couturie, 1987) The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (Errol Morris, 2003) My Lai (Barak Goodman 2010) The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith 2009) Feature Films: The Green Berets (Ray Kellogg 1968) Rambo: First Blood Part II (George P. Cosmatos, 1985) We Were Soldiers (Randall Wallace, 2002) The Quiet American (Phillip Noyce, 2002) The Quiet American (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1958) A Bright Shining Lie (Terry George, 1998) Full Metal Jacket (Stanley Kubrick, 1987) Platoon (Oliver Stone, 1986) Apocalypse Now Redux (Francis Coppola, 1979/2001) The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino, 1978) Heaven and Earth (Oliver Stone, 1993) Good Morning, Vietnam (Barry Levinson, 1987) Born on the Fourth of July (Oliver Stone, 1989) Path to War (John Frankenheimer, 2002) Academic Standards, Attendance and Participation: You should expect that class assignments will require two to three hours outside of class for every hour in class. Budget your time accordingly. Attendance is crucial for success in this course. Come to class prepared. Don’t be shy about taking the initiative to help move the class discussion along. Raise points that you think are worth special attention and ask questions on points that are unclear. More voices make things more interesting, and everyone should have an opinion about the key issues in the material covered. Don’t let unexpected circumstances such as illnesses throw you off. Prepare ahead in completing your assignments so that even if personal or other issues cut into your schedule, you will be able to hand everything in on time. It is important to complete the reading assignment before each class period and arrive ready to discuss it. Regarding class discussions, thoughtful and well-argued dissent is always encouraged. This course is available on Blackboard where information will be posted periodically. Be sure to refer to your Rollins email address regularly since assignments and other information will be sent to you at that address. Plagiarism: You must distinguish clearly between your work and the work of others. To do otherwise may constitute plagiarism. The formal policy is: “If you fail to acknowledge borrowed material, then you are plagiarizing. Plagiarism is literary theft. When you copy the words of another, put those words inside quotation marks, and acknowledge the source with a footnote. When you paraphrase another’s words, use your own words and your own sentence structure, and be sure to use a footnote giving the source of the idea. A plagiarist often merely changes a few words or simply rearranges the words in the source.” (Harbrace College Handbook, p. 407) THE ACADEMIC HONOR CODE Membership in the student body of Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires commitment to act with honor in all things. Because academic integrity is fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and is the heart of the academic life of Rollins College, it is the responsibility of all members of the College community to practice it and to report apparent violations. The following pledge is a binding commitment by the students of Rollins College: The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my academic endeavors and by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others. This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add to all papers, quizzes, tests, lab reports, etc., the following handwritten abbreviated pledge followed by their signature: “On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.” Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge: submission implies signing the pledge. Video and Test Make-ups: Video and test make-ups are available with excused absences. You are responsible to contact Mrs. Byrd ([email protected] or extension 2670) to schedule your missed video. Semester Schedule: The schedule on the following page provides a general outline for the items to be covered, the reading assignments and the exams for this semester. Changes in specific dates may occur and it is the student's responsibility to keep up with any changes by attending class regularly. Films underlined and in boldface (e.g., Path to War) you are required to view in their entirety previous to Tuesday of the following week. (So, Path to War should be viewed before 5:15 pm on September 14). Quizzes may be given on any Monday to test your knowledge of the previous week’s assigned film. Quizzes on assigned readings may also be given at any time. Duong, Goldstein & Maraniss are the assigned texts; other readings are on Blackboard or Electronic Reserve. COURSE OUTLINE: DATES TOPIC READING Aug. 24/26 Introduction; The Enemy & “the Other” Stoessinger Rambo; We Were Soldiers The Quiet American Ag. 31/Sep. 2 Cultural Triangle: Vietnam, France & the U.S. Duong: pp. 1-94 Vietnam: A Television History Sept. 7/9 American doubts; A Bright Shining Lie “America’s Mandarin” Path to War From Karnow’s Vietnam… Sept. 14/16 Getting Close to Death; First Kill Duong: pp. 94-182 Platoon Sept. 21/23 America’s Counterculture & the War Duong: pp. 182 - 289 Good Morning, Vietnam Sept. 28/30 Values in Conflict: Patriotism & Compassion Goldstein: pp. 1 - 96 My Lai Oct. 5/7 Cultural Myths: Green Berets, The Deer Hunter Exam I: Oct. 10 Oct. 12/14 Manliness and Warrior Values Goldstein: pp. 151-248 Full Metal Jacket Oct. 19/21 Vietnamese Culture: Response to the War Goldstein: pp. 249-356 Heaven and Earth Oct. 26/28 Soldiers’ Stories Maraniss: pp. 1-138 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Nov. 2/4 America: Fighting on Two Fronts Maraniss: pp. 139-329 Two Days in October Nov. 9/11 The Primitive and the Savage Maraniss: pp. 330-528 Apocalypse Now Nov. 16/18 The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Nov. 23 Vietnam, Iraq and the Prism of Colonialism Nixon & Kissinger THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY -- Nov. 24-26 Nov. 30 Review Final Paper Due (Nov. 30) December 9 Final Exam 5:15-6:30, Thursday, Dec. 10 .