1. Agenda
Objectives
Military Industrial Complex recap
Intro to War in Vietnam
Prediction
Mini lecture
Expert Groups
Task
What is the Vietnamese/ American narrative of the War in Vietnam?

2. Military Industrial Complex

3. Vietnam: part of “Indochina”

4. War in Vietnam The Cold War gets hot
longest war in US history
US and South Vietnam v North Vietnam (supported by USSR and China)

5. Prediction: Do you think the US was justified in fighting the war in Vietnam? Why or why not?

6. Vietnam War: origins
French imperialism of Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam): 1850’s -1940
1945: Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam’s independence- nationalism
The Allies disagree, but in 1950 China and USSR recognize Vietnam’s independence
Context: Korean war
US decides to help France with their claim to Vietnam  escalation

7. US Troop levels in Vietnam

8. Narratives “There are two sides to every story”
Imagine a student getting in trouble with a teacher: Teacher’s narrative and student’s narrative
Different narratives we have seen so far in US history?
The beginning of the Cold war (NATO v USSR/ Warsaw Pact) and the Korean war
The New Deal’s success (conservative v liberal)
Slavery as an institution (North v South)

9. What is the Vietnamese/ American narrative of the War in Vietnam?
Vietnamese narrative experts: documents 1-3
American narrative experts: documents 4- 6

10. Memorial Images: How do we remember war?
Rank the images in order of most desirable according to your narrative to least desirable.
As you discuss, use these words:
Vietnamese narrative: Nationalism, independence, freedom, self-determination
American narrative: Containment, Communism, freedom, danger
Sentence starters:
This image depicts….
This image privileges/ marginalizes our narrative because…

11. Discuss your rankings with the experts on the other side’s narrative.
Goal- learn about the other side’s narrative: What are the key aspects of their narrative?

12. Exit Ticket
Compare and contrast the American and Vietnamese narratives of the War in Vietnam.
What do you find credible about each narrative? What do you think is not credible about each narrative?