Vietnam War

Catalog description

Examines the history of American involvement in Vietnam, the experience of Americans and Vietnamese who fought the Second Indochina War (1954-1975), and the impact of the war on American society. The course begins with a brief exploration of pre-colonial Vietnamese history and culture, French colonial dominance from the late 19th century through the 1930s, and the growing Vietnamese nationalist resistance that led to the First Indochina War (1945-1954). A further examination will be spent on the diplomatic and political course of the American war in Vietnam as well as the domestic consequences it wrought in both the United States and Vietnam. Students will seek an understanding of the Vietnam experience through the lives of those who experienced it. Finally, the course will end with a discussion of the legacy of the Vietnam War and its lingering presence in American life. The seminar shall comprise an inquiry of period literature. Note: Offered as required.