Vietnam War Perspectives

280D.002 Clemens, Wed 2-4, Room TBA
CCN: 39517

This seminar will examine the Vietnam War from a variety of perspectives.  We will use Marilyn Young’s, The Vietnam Wars, to provide an overall continuity from 1945 to 1990, Eric Bergerud’s Red Thunder, Tropic Lightning : The World of a Combat Division in Vietnam to examine oral histories and their nature as they cover one unit in the American escalation and intervention, Fredrik Logevall’s Choosing War: The Last Chance for Peace and the Escalation of War in Vietnam to experience research in depth covering the national and transnational diplomacy of  President Lyndon Johnson during the critical years, 1963-65, and the recent Inside the Pentagon Papers (edited by John Prados and  Margaret Pratt  Porter) to look at one of the most sensational , significant, and enduring episodes within the US relating to the Vietnam War.  On line resources (for example Richard Jensen’s excellent site at  http://tigger.uic.edu/~rjensen/vietnam.html) and specified volumes on the graduate reserve will help strengthen and diversify seminar reports and  papers.  Course requirements will consist of discussion of texts and in class verbal reports.  A total of approximately 25 pages of written work may be satisfied by a course term paper, or by shorter written reports such as book/article reviews and/or via research with on-line materials.