Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic, Stop the Sun by Gary Paulsen and To Heal a Nation by Joel L. Swerdlow

Dear the men and women on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,

I would like the thank you for your great service to your country and the freedom you brought. You all did such a great job and served everyone very proud. You have fulfilled your duties to a great extent that everyone appreciates.

With great love,

Amanda

Farmer Nguyen by W.D. Ehrhart, Massacre at My Lai by Hugh Thompson and A Nun at Ninh Hoa by Jan Barry

What do these two poems and the article say about the impact of the war on the native Vietnamese?

It really hurt the people, it made them live in fear and hatred. It killed many of the people inculding family and friends.

Can you think of any other ways in which the war will impact the native Vietnamese?

Jobs will be lost, houses destroyed, people killed and loss of everything.

I Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die Rag by Joe McDonald

This song by Country Joe and the Fish became one of the first protest songs of the Vietnam Era. Read the lyrics to the song, and then respond to the following:

What is the song asking the “big strong men to do”?

Join the army and fight

… the “generals” to do?

To fight, get glory and kill the communist.

… “Wall Street” to do?

Report and make money and drop a bomb.

… “mothers” to do?

Send their boys and husbands off to war.

Write down four specific lines from the song that display sarcasm, cynicism, or anti-war sentiment.

What are we fighting for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

To have your boy come home in a box.

Jack Smith by Ron Steinman

What challenges does Jack Smith face as a soldier in Vietnam? (a bulleted list is fine)

• He had little or no experience
• Not well trained
• Hard ground (couldn't sleep or dig a good fox hole)
• Goof-off privates
• Loud bullet noises
• Fear of death and loss
• Suprise attacks
• Wounds

How does Smith’s attitude toward war change?

He decides that he hates the idea of war and that he is angry at anyone involved in it because of the killing. The killing really hit him hard and he is angry and sad because he lost friends and others.

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution … by Goldberg

What is the main thesis of the essay?

That the people of the US thought that the president was a liar and went againt the public.

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

Firing on a US ship after the patriotic fever died down.

What evidence does the author give to support his thesis?

Many say now that Johnson just maginified it to get people to enlist to fight.

How does this link to the theme of the first reading, “A Dubious Crusade”?

That not everyone agreed and they feel that they were lied to.

History by Thuong Vuong-Riddick

What is the overall theme of Vuong-Riddick's poem?

The theme was death and escape. It was a shortened version of some of the history going on in that region and the places occuping it.

A Dubious Crusade by James A. Warren

Look up both words in the title of the short essay. What do they mean?

Dubious- doubtful

Crusade- any vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of any idea

Relate the title to the reading.

The title relates to the reading because the writer believes that the people did not understand and the Americans did not trust the gov. because no definied answers were given.

What is Warren saying?

He is saying that the killings of the people were wrong and the people of the US did not support the gov. in its decision to fight.

How do you think this will relate to the rest of our study of Vietnam?

It will show us how the war affected many people and how people reacted.