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AnnotatedBibliography

Doyle,EdwardLipsman,SamuelWeiss,Stephen.
TheVietnamExperience:SettingTheStage.
Boston:BostonPublishingCompany,1981.Print.

TheVietnamExperience
wasabookthatoutlinedthehistoryanddevelopmentof
Vietnam,includingthecontextsurroundingtheVietnamWarandAmericasinvolvement.
ThemainpurposeofthepieceistopresentthehistoryofVietnam,especially
surroundingitsrelationtoneighboringandforeigncountries,andthecontext
surroundingseveralinfluentialeventsinitshistoryleadingtotheindependenceof
Vietnam.ThesectionthatwasfocusedonwasfromtheendofWorldWarIItoVietnams
independenceasthisfocusedonwhatoccurredleadingupto,during,andthroughout
theColdWarandeventsthatwereespeciallyinfluentialinthestateofworldpeace.The
goalofthebookisnottopersuadeacertainfeelingfromtheaudience,buttoshowthe
struggleoftheVietnamesetobecomeindependentfromforeigninfluences.Thepiece
detailedAmericasinvolvementintheVietnamWarandprovidedinformationonhowit
affectedthegovernment,aswellasthepublic.
Thesourceisreliableasitwaspublishedthroughawellknownpublishingcompany,but
alsorequiredseveraldifferenthistorianstowritethebook,whichpresentstheideathat
theinformationpresentedinthebookhasbeencheckedandresearchedthoroughlyby
severalpeople.Beingpresentedinthisparticularbookalsocreatesasenseofcredibility
asthepieceisnotbiasedorattemptingtopersuadetheaudienceofacertainviewon
theVietnamWar,butissimplypresentinginformationontheissuetoeducatethepublic.
Inaddition,thebookwasrecommendedthroughtheschoollibrary,whichensuresthat


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itsinformationiscurrentforhighschoolersandwasseenasreliabletobepresentedto
students.
Thispiececouldbeusedtosupportthethesisasnotonlydoesitprovidecontextual
informationontheVietnamWar,butitshowshowAmericabecameinvolvedandhowit
waspoliticallyanddomesticallyaffectedbythewar.Thispieceisabletosupportthe
thesisasitgivesgreatdetailoftheethicallyquestionableactionstakenbytheU.S
duringthistimeandhowitaffectednotonlyVietnam,buthowthoseimagesandstories
impactedtheU.Sdomesticallyandcreatedimmenseguiltamongthepublicasthe
methodsusedonsoldiersandciviliansalikewerebrutalandobscene.Imagesofthese
actionstakenbytheU.Swerecapturedthroughthemediaandwerespreadthroughout
AmericatoreflectonwhatwashappeninginVietnam.Thepiecedetailedhowsuch
imagescreateddistrustedanddisapprovalofAmericascontinuedmilitaryinvolvementin
notonlyVietnam,butinthefutureofAmericanforeignpolicywhichsupportsthe
presentedthesisthatsuchimagesandacknowledgementofimmoralactionstakenby
theU.SinfluencedhowAmericainteractedwithothernationsinthefuture.

Ennis,LisaA."VietnamSyndrome."
DictionaryofAmericanHistory.
Ed.StanleyI.Kutler.3rd
ed.Vol.8.NewYork:CharlesScribner'sSons,2003.328329.
U.S.HistoryinContext
.
Web.5May2016.

ThispieceexaminesthetermVietnamSyndromeanditsrelationtonotonlythe
military,butalsotopastandcurrentforeignpolicy.Thepassagestatesthatthe
syndromereferstotheU.Ssreluctancetobecomeinvolvedinforeignaffairstodothe
traumaexperiencedduringtheVietnamWar.Thepiecestatesthatthiswasaresultofa


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combinationofAmericasguiltoverthemorallyquestionableactionstakenbytheU.Sin
Vietnam,whichcouldbeviewedeasilyduetothedevelopmentoftechnologyandmedia,
andthemilitarylossinVietnamdespitetheU.Ssmilitarysuperiority.Theauthorclaims
thathissyndromehascreatedapolitical,social,andmilitaryenvironmentwheretheU.S
isunwillingtoriskthedevelopmentofanotherVietnambyengaginginanothernation's
militaryorsocialaffairs.Inaddition,theauthoranalyzeshowtheVietnamsyndromehas
affectedAmericacollectively,througheventssuchasthePersianGulfCrisis,butalso
howitimpactedindividualsoldiers.Soldierswereheavilyaffectedbytheeventsofthe
Vietnamwar,as...posttraumaticstressdisorderwasfoundin2060percentof
Vietnamveterans.ThispieceisattemptingtoanalyzetheeffectsoftheVietnamWaron
thepublicanditsviewofforeignpolicyaftertheU.Shadwithdrawn.
Thispieceisreliableasitwaspublishedinabook,DictionaryofAmericanHistory,and
suchareoftenresearchedanddevelopedcarefullytoensurethatthefactspresented
trulyreflectonAmericashistory.BybeingpublishedinabookaboutU.Shistory,the
piecerevealsthatitspurposeistonotpersuadetheaudienceofacertainposition,but
onlypresentsoundinformationonatermresultingfromU.SHistoryanditsrelationto
theVietnamWar.Inaddition,thepieceiscredibleasitwasretrievedusingtheHistoryIn
Contextdatabasewhichisrecommendedthroughtheschool,andisknowntoprovide
resourcefulandusefulsourcesonsubjectsspecificallyregardingU.Shistory.
Thepiecewouldbeeffectiveinthethesisasitdirectlysupportstheideathatthe
VietnamWarnotonlyhadaninfluenceoverfutureforeignpolicy,butitwasnegativedue
totheactionstakenbytheU.Sandthedisapprovalofthepublic.Thispiecemakes
directconnectionsbetweenfutureforeignpolicysuchasthePersianGulfCrisis,andthe
stancesoftheadministrationsbetweenNixonandBillClinton's,andtheVietnamWarby


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citingthatthecombinationofthemilitarylossinVietnamandthepublicguiltoverthe
imagesspreadthroughthemediacreatedasocietywheretheU.Swasextremely
cautiousofbecominginvolvedinforeignaffairs.Thepiecehasshapedthe
understandingofthethesisasithasallowedtheaudiencetoidentifyinstanceswhere
theVietnamWarhaddirectinfluenceovertheactionsoftheU.Sinforeignaffairsor
militaryconflicts,aswellasidentifywhatduringtheVietnamWarcausedthisshiftinthe
attitudeofthepublic

"HenryKissinger."
EncyclopediaoftheVietnamWar.
Ed.StanleyI.Kutler.NewYork:Charles
Scribner'sSons,1996.
U.S.HistoryinContext.
Web.12May2016.

ThispieceprovidesadescriptionoftheworkcompletedbyHenryKissingerduringthe
VietnamWar,ashewasanextremelyinfluentialininternationalrelationsandworked
closelywithNixononeffortstoendAmericasinvolvementinVietnam.Thepiece
presentsseveralaspectsofhowKissingerwasinvolvedwithendingtheVietnamWaras
hecontributedtothenegotiationsbetweentheU.Sandseveralothernationsincluding
ChinaandNorthVietnam.KissingersforeignpolicyduringtheVietnamWarisanalyzed
suchashisinvolvementinthenegotiationsbetweentheU.S.S.R,China,andNorth
Vietnam,leadingtotheAccordwhichcreatedaceasefirebetweenNorthandSouth
Vietnam.However,thepiecealsosuggeststhatKissingerwasoneofthefactorsleading
towidespreaddistrustofthegovernmentamongthepublic,asKissingeroftenliedtothe
publiconthestateofreachingaresolutioninVietnam,andthemajorityofnegotiations
betweenChinaandNorthVietnamweredoneinsecret.Kissingercreatedtheprofileof
adiplomatthatsimplywantedtoendthewar,butintruthwaspushingNixontotake


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furtheraggressivemilitaryactionsinVietnam.Furthermore,whenfightingresumedin
VietnamKissingerattemptedtopersuadePresidentFordtoreenterthewar,despite
howFordwasabletodeterminethattheideawasimmenselyunpopularamongthe
public.ThepiececlaimsthatthepoliciesimplementedbyKissingerduringtheVietnam
Warnotonlyworsenedtheoutcome,butcreateddistrustamongthepublicasheoften
ignoredthewishesofthepublicandinsteadworkedinsecretandencouragedNixon
andFordtocontinueAmericaninvolvementintheU.S.
TheinformationpresentedinthispieceiscredibleasitwasfoundintheEncyclopediaof
theVietnamWar,whichshowsthatitwascheckedbybothhistoriansandeditorsbefore
beingpublished.Inaddition,thesourcewasfoundthroughtheU.SInHistoryand
ContextdatabasewhichwasrecommendedtostudentsthroughtheBaconAcademy
library.Thereisnobiasinthispieceasthereislittleroomfortheviewoftheauthorto
affectinformationasitispresentedforthepurposeofeducation,ratherthanasan
opinionpiece.Aswell,thegoalofthepieceistoanalyzeKissingersforeignpolicies
duringtheVietnamWarfromapurelyeducationview,whichhelpstokeepthepiece
objective.
Thispiececouldbeeffectivelyusedtosupportthepresentedthesisasitexaminesthe
policiesadoptedbytheU.SduringtheVietnamWar,andhowtheactionsoftheU.S
governmentcreateddistrustbetweenitandthepublicduetohowitpracticallyignored
thewishesofthepublictowithdrawfromtheVietnamWar,largelyasaresultofthe
encouragementofKissingerandhisinfluenceoverforeignpolicyduringthewar.
Kissingerconductedhispoliciesinsecret,throughmeetingwiththeSovietUnionand
NorthVietnam,andoftencontinuedtosupportmilitaryaggressioninVietnam,despite
howheassuredthepublicthattheU.Swasreducingthelevelofitsmilitaryengagement.


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TheactionstakenbyKissingerreflectonhowthegovernmentallowedforsuchmethods,
despitehowtheywereoftengoingagainstthewishesofthepublicandwaskept
confidential.Thissupportsthethesisasitshowssomeoftheunethicalactionsthatwere
takendomesticallyintheU.Swhichcreateddistrustbetweenthegovernmentandthe
publicregardingforeignpolicy.

Johnson,LyndonB."MeetingwithWiseMen,March26,1968."
TheVietnamEra
.Woodbridge,
CT:PrimarySourceMedia,1999.AmericanJourney.
U.S.HistoryinContext
.Web.17
May2016.

LyndonB.Johnsonoftenconsultedagroupofolder,prominentestablishmentfigures,
calledtheWiseMen,onmajorforeignpolicyissues.Thispiecedepictsatranscript
fromthemeetingoftheWiseMeninMarchof1968,aftertheTetOffensivelaunchedby
theNorthVietnamesearmyoccurringinFebruaryof1968.Thispieceshowshowthe
brutalityoftheVietnamWaraffectedthefutureofforeignpolicyasayearbeforetheTet
OffensivehadbeenlaunchedtheWiseMenhadallacceptedandendorsedthe
administrationpoliciespresentedbyJohnsonwhichcontinuedthemilitaryinvolvementof
AmericainVietnam.However,afteralmostayear,themajorityofthemenhadswitched
theirpositionandfavoredthattheU.SwithdrawfromVietnamratherthancontinue
fighting.ThemajorityofthemenfeltthattherewouldbenomilitaryresolutioniftheU.S
continuedtobeengagedwithVietnam,andmanycitedthattheyunderstoodthepublic
wastiredofthefighting.Thepurposeofthispiecewastoshowhowtheviewofthe
vietnamwardrasticallychangedthroughoutitsdurationandthatasitcontinuedthe


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publicbecamemoreinsistentonendingtheirinvolvementasitseemedastheU.Scould
notbringamilitaryresolution.
Theinformationpresentedinthepieceisfactualandaccurateasitisaprimarysource
thatcamedirectlyfromthenotestakeninthemeetingJohnsoncalledfortheWiseMen.
Aswell,thenoteswerepublishedintheahistorytextbookwhichensuresthatiswas
checkedforhistoricalaccuracybytheauthorandlikelyaneditor.Thepieceisquite
objectiveratherthanbiasedasitsimplyatranscriptofameetingheldbyPresident
Johnson,andsothereisnoroomforanauthortomanipulateinformationorwordingto
createbiasinapiece.Theobjectofthepieceissimplytoexaminetheviewofthose
influentialinforeignpolicyintheU.Saftertheyhadreachedtheagreementthata
militaryresolutioncouldnotbebroughttoVietnam.
Thispiecewouldsupportthethesisasitexamineshowtheviewofforeignpolicy
changedasaresultoftheU.SsinabilitytoendtheVietnamWar.Duetounderstanding
thattheywillbeunabletoresolvethewar,eventhosewhohadoriginallyendorsedthe
continuationofAmericaninvolvementinthewar,becamecautiousandcalledfor
Americatowithdraw.By1968,thepublichadalreadyacknowledgedthattheU.Swas
noteffectivelybringinganendtothewar,andwouldlikelynotinthefutureand
expressedthroughprotestsanddemonstrationstheneedtoendAmericaninvolvement.
WhenpolicymakersintheU.Sbegantorealizethattheywouldnotbeabletobringan
endtothewar,theirpoliciesbecamemorecautiousandfocusedlessonentering
conflictsandinsteadavoidingthem,asinthepiecetheWiseMenstresstheimportance
oflesseningthebombingsoverNorthVietnam.Thecautiousapproachtoforeignpolicy
wasaresultoftheVietnamWar,duemainlytohowitwasthefirstwarwheretheU.S
wasforcedtoacknowledgethattheycouldnotbringamilitaryresolutionandmust


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withdraw.ThisconnectstothethesisasitshowshowaftertheeventsoftheVietnam
War,theU.Sbecamemorewithdrawnregardingforeignpolicy,whichaffectedtheir
futureinteractionswithothernationsandshiftedthefocusofforeignpolicyawayfrom
militaryinvolvement.

Kennan,GeorgeF."GeorgeF.KennanCriticizestheAmericanMilitaryCommitment."
TheCold
War
.Ed.WalterHixson.Woodbridge,CT:PrimarySourceMedia,2000.American
Journey.
U.S.HistoryinContext.
Web.12May2016.

ThispieceexaminesthereasoningofmanycitizensastowhyAmericashouldnothave
becomeinvolvedintheVietnamWar.GeorgeF.Kennan,aprominentfigureinforeign
policyespeciallyduringtheearlyyearsoftheCivilWar,presentedthelogicalargument
againstenteringawarinVietnaminanattempttonotonlypersuadethemajorityofthe
publictonotsupportsuchaneffort,buttoalsoconvincethepolicymakersinthe
governmenttodevelopanewwayofdealingwiththeissuespresentedwithIndochina
andthespreadofcommunismthroughoutNorthernVietnam.Kennanbeginsby
dismissingthefearthatVietnamwillsuccumbtocommunistinfluenceashereinforces
theknowledgethattheideologyofVietnamisnotsimilartoChina,andanestablished
communistregimewouldnotactasapuppetfortheregimeinChina.Kennanstresses
theimportanceofendingAmericaninvolvementinVietnam,especiallySouthVietnam,
asitcoulddamagethestabilityoftheU.SnotonlyinVietnam,butinAsia.However,he
alsoacknowledgesthatamessywithdrawalwouldhurttheU.SandthestateofWorld
Peacemorethaniftheyhadnotbeeninvolvedinthefirstplace.Inaddition,Kennan
presentstheideathatAmericashouldwithdrawtheirinvolvementasitisunlikelythat


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theywouldgetasuccessfulvictory,asintroducingnewpolicyagainstthecommunists
inNorthVietnamwouldnottrulypreventthemfromspreadingtheirinfluence,butwould
simplydrivethemundergroundtocontinueworking.Kennaneffectivelyrepresentsa
portionoftheAmericanpopulationthatdislikedtheU.SsinitialinvolvementinVietnam,
andbypresentingthereasoningastowhytheU.Sshouldwithdrawratherthanengage
inmilitaryconflict,heishopingtoinfluencetheviewofpolicymakersinthecongressand
thegeneralpublictopreventthestartofawar.
ThereasoningissummarizedbyGeorgeF.Kennan,whohadbeenaleadcontainment
strategistsduringtheearlyperiodoftheColdWar.Hewasintenselyinvolvedinforeign
policyandwaswellrespectedonthesubjectthroughoutthenationashebecamea
chairmanoftheSenateForeignRelationsCommittee.Thepiecewasbiasedinthe
sensethatKennanfavoredtheideaofAmericanotengaginginmilitaryconflictin
Vietnam,buthewaseffectiveinaddressingtheopposingargumentandrefutingtheir
ideaswhichpresentstheideathatKennanknowsthesubjectwellandhasputextensive
thoughtandresearchintohisargument.Inaddition,thesourceisreliableasitcame
fromtheU.SHistoryInContextdatabase,whichisrecommendedthroughBacon
Academy.Thesourceispresentedasaprimarysourcewhichimpliesthatitwastaken
directlyfromKennansaddressandensuresthatthesupportiscredibleasitwasnot
changedormodifiedtoreflectacertainbelieforhighlightonlyoneareaofhisargument.
ThispiececouldbeusedinaprojectexaminingtheeffectoftheVietnamWaronforeign
policyandthetrustbetweentheU.Spublicandthegovernmentasitisessentialin
analyzingthereasoningbehindthepublicinwhythedidnotwanttosupportthewar.
Thispieceimpliesthatatleastaninfluentialportionofthepublic,asevenimportant
foreignpolicymakerssuchasGeorgeKennanwerebecominginvolved,initially


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understoodtheeffectsofawarinVietnamandwantedtopreventitfromoccurringas
theybelieveditwasnotonlyunfoundedonreasoningthatdidnotaffecttheU.S,but
wouldonlyenduphurtingitsstabilityinAsia,butthatitwouldnotactuallybeeffective
andwouldonlycausecasualtiesandawasteofresourcesfortheU.SThispieceis
necessarytounderstandhowdistrustwascreatedbetweenthepublicandthe
governmentasaresultofthewarinVietnam,asalargeportionofthepublicdidnot
supporttheirinvolvementandengagement,andwouldcontinuetodisagreewiththe
actionstakenbytheU.Sthroughoutthewar.Thisshowshowdistrustwithforeignpolicy
inthefuturecouldlikelybeadirectresultofthegovernmentfailingtoheedthecautions
ofthepublictonotbecomeinvolved,andthenenduringsuchgraphicactsthatwere
committedbytheU.Swhichwassupportedmainlybythegovernmentandnotthe
people.

Nixon,RichardM."TheGreatSilentMajority."
Government,Politics,andProtest:Essential
PrimarySources
.Ed.K.LeeLerner,BrendaWilmothLerner,andAdrienneWilmoth
Lerner.Detroit:Gale,2006.142146.
U.S.HistoryinContext.
Web.17May2016.

ThepiecepresentedwasaspeechbyPresidentNixonhegavewhenaddressinghow
hehadplannedtoreacharesolutioninVietnam.Themainpurposeofthespeechwas
toaddressseveralcomplaintsaboutAmericasinvolvementintheVietnamWarto
explainthereasoningastowhyengagementwasnecessaryandtopersuadethe
AmericanpublictofurthersupportthemilitaryeffortsinVietnam.Nixonclaimsthat
withdrawingthetroopsfromVietnamandendingtheirmissiontherewouldonlyhurtthe


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U.Sasitcouldhurttheirreputation.HeusestheideathattheNorthVietnameseis
spreadingcommunismthroughouttheSouthtogainthesupportofthegeneralpublic,as
theyareenduringtheColdWaratthistime.Nixonaswell,disputestheopposing
argumentthroughclaimingthatbecominginvolvedinVietnamwasnecessaryto
preserveworldpeace,andwithdrawingatthistimewouldonlycausetheU.Stolook
weak.ThemainobjectiveofNixonsspeechistogainsupportforthecontinuationof
AmericanmilitaryengagementinVietnam,asitwillallowthemtocontinuetonegotiate,
andsimplycallingthetroopsbacktotheU.SwouldruintheU.Smoralsuperiorityand
wouldcausetheU.Stolookweakinfrontoftheirallies.
Thespeechisareliablesourceasitnotonlycomesfromthebook
Government,Politics,
andProtest:EssentialPrimarySources
whichfocusesonmajorsocialissuesinthe
nineteenthand20thcentury.However,thesourceisalsoknowntobecredibleasitisa
primarysource,meaningitdirectlycamefromtheNixonandwasnotmodifiedtoreflect
anyviewsexceptthoseheexpressed.Aswell,thesourcewasfoundthroughtheU.S
HistoryInContext,whichisareliabledatabasethatwasrecommendedthroughthe
school.
Thisspeechcouldbeeffectivelyusedtosupportthehypothesisasitwouldhelpto
shapetheideasexpressedinthethesisandthecredibilityoftheproject.Thespeech
presentsseveralcounterargumentsastohowtheVietnamWarwasnotonlynecessary
tomaintainthestatusoftheU.Sasaworldpower,butbenefitedtheVietnameseasa
resultoftheU.Ssmilitaryinvolvement.Itispossibletoincorporatecounterarguments,
suchasthosepresentedinthispiece,throughouttheprojectinordertoretortthemand
strengthenthedefenseoftheargument.TheargumentpresentedbyNixoninthispiece
willaffectthethesisasthecounterargumentpresentedinthebeginningofthethesiswill


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bereplacedwiththeaccurateviewsofthosewhosupportedthecontinuationof
AmericaninvolvementintheVietnamWar.Thispiecedirectlyconnectstothethesisasit
presentstheideologyofNixonsadministrationandthereasoningbehindsupporting
AmericasengagementintheVietnamWarandeffectivelyshowshowthegovernment
wasattemptingtoconvincethepublictosupporttheVietnamWar,despitehowthe
governmenthadaddressedtherisingpopularityofantiwarprotestsintheU.S.This
primarysourcenotonlyshowsthegovernmentsbeliefsregardingforeignpolicyduring
theheightofAmericasinvolvementintheVietnamWar,butdisplaysdistrustwas
createdbetweenthegovernmentandpublic,asthegovernmentcontinuedtodismiss
andignoretheprotestsofcitizenscallingforanendtotheU.Ssengagementinthewar.

Sitkoff,Harvard.ThePostwarImpactofVietnam.
ModernAmericanPoetry.U
niversityof
Illinois,1999.Web.13May,2016.
<http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/postwar.htm>

ThisarticleexaminesthepostwarpoliticalandsocialimpactoftheVietnamWaronthe
Americanpublic.ThepieceanalyzeshowtheentirepublicfeltguiltovertheVietnam
Warandattemptedtoignoreit,untilitbecamepopularinmainstreamcultureinthe
1980s.Inadditiontothesocialimpact,thepieceidentifieshowtheVietnamWar
weakenedpublicfaithinthegovernmentandtheabilityofelectedofficialstoeffectively
lead.Thepublicdevelopedissueswithanyformofauthorityandforatimethemilitary
wasespeciallydiscredited.Thepiecealsoclaimsthatthepublicbecamewearyofletting
thegovernmentinterveneabroadandbipartisancooperationendedasdemocratsbegan
toquestiontheneedforAmericatostopthespreadofcommunismeverywhere.This


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piecealsoshowedhowthenewviewofforeignpolicyaffectedseveraladministrations
includingReagan,Bush,andClintons.Thepurposeofthepiecewastoexaminethe
immenseeffectthattheVietnamWarhadonAmericansocietyandforeignpolicy.
Theinformationpresentedinthispieceisknowntobereliableasitwaspresentedbya
wellknownprofessoratHarvardwhohasbeenpublishedseveraltimesonthetopicof
theVietnamWar.Thearticlewaslikelycreatedforacourseandsothemainpurposeof
thepieceistobeeducational.Thepieceisnotbiasedasitissimplyexaminingatime
periodafterthevietnamwarandisnotpresentingawayinwhichthestudentshould
formopinionsabouttheinformation,itisonlyprovidingitsothestudentmaylearn.
Thispiecewouldbeextremelyeffectiveinsupportingthethesisasitcompletely
analyzestheeffectthattheVietnamWarhadonthefutureofAmericanforeignpolicy,as
wellashowitimpactedtherelationshipbetweenthepublicandtheU.Sgovernment.
ThepiececoncludesthattherewasalonglastingeffectonAmericanforeignpolicyfrom
theVietnamWar,asthedistrustbetweenthepublicandthegovernmentmadeitdifficult
forthecitizenstotrustgovernmentofficialswhohadliedorignoredtheirviewsduring
thewar,tocontinueleadingthecountryeffectively.Aswell,thepublicdidnotallow
governmentofficialsbecomeinvolvedwiththeaffairsofforeignnations,especiallynot
withthemilitary,astheynotonlydistrustedthem,butwerebeginningtoquestionthe
needforAmericatoactasaglobalpolicemanandbecomesoinvolvedinothernations
affairs,aswhentheU.SattemptedtodothatinVietnamitwasnoteffectiveandresulted
inAmericabeingdamaged.Thispiecesupportsthethesisasitshowsthattheeffectsof
theVietnamWarcausedtheforeignpolicyoftheU.Stofocuslessheavilyonthemilitary
andbecomelessinvolvedinforeignaffairs.Aswell,thepiecealsosupportsthethesis


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asitprovidessupportfortheclaimthatthepublicbegantodistrustthegovernmentasa
resultoftheunethicalactionsdonebythegovernmentduringthewar.

"TheWarinVietnam."
TheSixtiesinAmericaReferenceLibrary.
Ed.SaraPendergastandTom
Pendergast.Vol.3:PrimarySources.Detroit:UXL,2005.105109.
U.S.Historyin
Context
.Web.12May2016.

ThispiecedirectlyexamineshowAmericawasaffecteddomesticallyduetotheactions
takenbytheU.SmilitaryinVietnamandhowitcreatedasenseoffearandguiltinthe
public,asimagesandinformationwereeasilyspreadthroughoutthemediawiththe
developmentoftechnology.Theargumentofthispieceisthatthereasoningbehindthe
U.SengaginginVietnamwasnotjustifiableincreatingtheresultingwar,whichcaused
thedeathsofthousandsofAmericansoldiersandmorethantwomillionVietnamese
soldiersandcivilians.Inaddition,duringtheVietnamWartheU.Sparticipatedinseveral
unethicalmethodstogaintheupperhand,whichincludedthreateningtohurtcivilians,
mainlyinfarmingvillages,inanattempttogaincontrolovertheNorthVietnamesearmy.
ThemainargumentofthepieceisthattheU.Susedquestionablepracticesduringthe
VietnamWarwhichnotonlyimpactedthesoldiersthatweresentoverseasand
Vietnamesecivilians,butcalledintoquestionthemoralsuperiorityoftheU.Sandlead
thepublictobecomesuspiciousofthemethodsthegovernmentencouragedduring
militaryengagement.
TheinformationonthemilitarymethodsusedbytheU.SinVietnamandtheirdomestic
effectpresentedinthispiecearecredibleasthesourceistheVietnamWarReference
Library,isawellrespectedalmanacwiththeobjectiveofeducatingstudentsonthe


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VietnamWarasawhole.Bothoftheauthorsofthebooksarehistorians,whichensures
thattheinformationisreliableandhasbeencheckedforaccuracy.Whilethemain
objectiveofthebooksasawholearetoeducatestudentsontheeventsoftheVietnam
War,thisparticularpassageisexaminingtheparticularcontroversyoftheunethical
methodsusedduringthewarandwhatreactionthatcausedthroughoutthepublic.The
pieceisslightlybiasedasitclearlysupportstheideathattheAmericanmilitary
involvementinVietnamwasnotworthhowitaffectedthesoldiersorVietnamese
civiliansandusesevidencethathighlightshowimmorallytheU.Sacted.
Thispiecewouldbeusefulinsupportingthethesisasitrelatestocreatingdistrust
betweenthepublicandthegovernmentintheareaofforeignaffairs.Thepublicwasnot
supportiveofthemethodsusedtogaincontrolovertheNorthVietnamesearmy,
particularlywhenitthreatenedthesafetyofcivilians.Themajorityofthepublicbecame
disappointedwhentheyheardofmilitaryconflictastheybelieveditwouldresultin
elongatingthewarevenfurther,andeventhesoldiersinVietnamthemselveswere
strugglingtofindmotivationastheybelievedtheywereriskingtheirlivesforapointless
cause.Thoughdistrustbetweenthegovernmentandthepubliciscreatedthroughthis
situationasthegovernmentiscontinuingtoincreasemilitaryaggressionandbeginning
tousemoreextrememethodstoattempttogainanadvantage,howeverthepublicof
theU.SisbecomingmorewearyoftheircontinuedinvolvementinVietnamandwould
evenpreferifitended.However,despitetheviewofthepublic,andeventhosein
service,thegovernmentcontinuedtomakemilitarydecisionsinVietnamthatwould
resultinhorrificconsequences,suchastargetinganentirefishingvillage.This
miscommunicationbetweenthegovernmentandpublicwillleadthepublictobecome
cautiousoffuturemilitaryengagementinanynationaffairs.


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