Week 13

Week 13

Vietnam and Rebellion at Home

Monday: The Counter-Culture
Wednesday: The Origins of the Vietnam War
Friday: The Vietnam War

DISCUSSION SECTIONS: Vietnam

READINGS:

1.Levy, The Debate Over Vietnam
2.Richard Rogin, "Joe Kelly Has Reached His Boiling Point."
3.Documents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Domino Theory (1954); Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964); Lyndon
Johnson, "Why We Are in Vietnam (1965); J. William Fulbright, "The Arrogance of Power" (1966); Martin
Luther King, Jr. "Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam" (1967); "A Call to Resist Illegitimate
Authority" (1966); War Powers Act of 1973.

ADDITIONAL INTERNET RESOURCES:

1. The Diggers Archives OnLine: http://www.diggers.org/
2. Watergate OnLine: http://vcepolitics.com/wgate.htm

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: After you complete this week's readings, your written assignment is to write a one-page outline that you could use in a debate on what America's policy to Vietnam should have been. Your outline should cover the main periods of contention. Should we have committed troops in the first place? Should we have escalated our involvement in 1965-8? At what point, if any should we have withdrawn? What was the responsibility of Americans individuals who supported and/or opposed the war? How should dissent have been treated? Your outline should support one position, but be cognizant of arguments on the other side.

created: February 10, 2000
last updated: February 23, 2000