Vietnam War An introduction…

Finding Vietnam Click on Google Earth (website on right). Once there, click Launch Google Earth. Takes a few moments to load Click the search bar and type in Vietnam. Take a few moments and look around: Discuss with your partner… What countries are above, next to and around it? How might the geography affect their lifestyle in terms of occupations, etc?

A Google Expedition…

Directions: For the next few minutes, we are going to take some time to get an overview of the Vietnam War. In order for this to be the most effective learning experience, it is important that you follow a few rules… Make sure you are on the student wi-fi for Central Bucks. You will be asked to join Jessica Weaver’s expedition. Be sure to join under Explorer Mode. Once directed, place your phone into the Cardboard viewer. When I instruct you to pause, put your viewer down until I give you the next set of directions.

The United States in Vietnam To contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, the United States used its military to support South Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1964-1973). U.S. troops advised and fought with South Vietnamese troops against communist North Vietnam, which was supported by the Soviet Union and China and fought to unify North and South Vietnam under communist rule. While U.S. troops had superior weapons and equipment, Vietnam’s jungle terrain and the enemies guerilla tactics soon turned the war into a frustrating stalemate.

U.S. Soldiers The average age of an American soldier serving in the Vietnam War was just 19. U.S. troops often conducted search and destroy missions, moving suddenly into hostile territory to find enemy forces, attack them, and then quickly withdraw.

Huey Helicopters The Vietnam War is sometimes called the Helicopter War because helicopters played a key role. Huey helicopters like this one were equipped with aerial rocket launchers and rapid firing machine guns, They moved soldiers around, transported supplies and targeted enemy troops

B-52 Bombers The United States used B-52 bombers for air strikes against the enemy, These bombers flew thousands of missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. B-52s took part in Operation Rolling Thunder, which targeted roads, railroads and bridges in North Vietnam.

Tropical Environment Vietnam’s tropical environment made fighting difficult. Soldiers suffered from the intense heat and humidity, mosquito bites and tropical diseases as they patrolled rural villages and waded through rice paddies.

Mid Point

Mid Point

Mid Point

Stream of Consciousness Expression of thoughts as they occur, rather than in a structured way. Suddenly, it enters your thoughts and streams throughout your mind; you begin to think, you are in a stream of consciousness. You are in your own world of random words and sentences, amounting to nothing, and at times making all the sense in your world, a world that only exists within your mind. Charles Bohner and Dean Dougherty (1216). Narrative representation of "random" thoughts which follow in a freely-flowing style.

Stream of Consciousness Examples… Image Example Stream of Consciousness Reflection Heavy, wading through mire, exhausted with no relief, looking off into the distance…pain?death? survival? What do I see, tiny drops bringing pellets of pain and longing for home

Directions For the next 10 slides, you will see various images depicting the Vietnam War. As you view each slide, enter your stream of consciousness thoughts. Keep writing until the slide shifts to the next one.

Vietnam Visual Introduction Image #1

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Predict the answers based on our activity: Why did the American government get and stay involved in Vietnam? Why did public support for the war slowly erode and how did citizens express their opposition to Vietnam. How did America’s involvement in Vietnam come to an end? What is the legacy of the Vietnam war and why is it relevant today?