AudreyMecca

U.SHistory
Ms.Guerrette

Reflection1:(5/3)

Originally,IwasgoingtoinvestigatetheeffectsoftheChallengerExplosiononthefuture
ofAmericanspaceexploration,asthetragedycreateddistrustbetweenthepublicandNASA
duetothefactorsleadingtotheaccident.However,despitemyinterestinthistopic,therewere
notenoughsourcesandinformationtoexaminetheeffectoftheincidentonAmericanhistory,
andsotodayIhadsearchedforanothertopicthatIcouldfindasubstantialamountof
informationon.IchosethetopicoftheVietnamWarmainlyduetohowIamawarethatitand
itseffectsareacontroversialsubjectintheU.S,butIgenuinelydontknowalmostanything
aboutthewarorwhyithadsuchalonglastingeffectonAmerica.FromanAsianStudies
course,whichItooklastyear,IknowthattheVietnamWarconsistedoftheU.Saidingthe
SouthVietnameseinfightingagainstNorthVietnamwhichwasundercommunistcontrol.
However,IamstillunawareoftheactionsthattheU.Shadtakenduringthewarwhicharestill
ethicallyquestionable,andhowtheextensivewaraffectedU.Scitizens,andtheirviewofforeign
policy,domestically.ToexaminethedomesticeffectsoftheVietnamWarontheU.SIwillneed
toresearchhowcitizensreactedtomajoreventsduringthewarandthestateofAmerican
culturebefore,through,andafterthewar.Bydeterminingthestateofforeignpolicyandthe
viewoftheAmericanpublicbeforethewar,Iamabletocompareitwiththestatethroughout
andafterthewarinordertodetermineitseffectonAmericadomestically.InthisprojectIam
particularlyexcitedtoseetheeffectsofAmericasmilitaryinvolvementonthecultureintheU.S,
andparticularlymovementssuchashippieswhichmainlyresultedfromthenationaldiscussion
onAmericanmilitaryandforeignpolicy.ImhopingtounderstandhowtheeffectsoftheVietnam
Warchangedthepublicsviewofmilitaryinvolvementandtheirtrustintheirgovernment,asI
understandthatmanyoftheimpactsfromtheVietnamhaveeveninfluencedourrecentforeign
policy,especiallywiththeIraqwar.BeforenextclassIhavetobeginmoreindepthresearch
andlookintofindingprimarysourcesthatwillshowthereactionoftheAmericanpublic.

DailyReflection:(5/5)

Currently,Iamfocusingonfindingsources,particularlyprimarysources,thatreflecton
thepublicsviewbeforetheU.Senteredthewaroratthebeginningoftheconflict.Iamfocusing
onthereactionoftheAmericanpublicbeforetheU.ShadmajorilyenteredthewarbecauseI
wanttobeabletocomparehowtheviewofAmericasinvolvementchangedthroughoutand
afterthewar.Makingthiscomparisonisactuallyquitenecessarytoshowhowthepublicsview
offoreignandmilitarypolicychangedduetotheWarandwhatimpactedtheAmericanpublic
thatdrasticallychangedtheirrelationshipwiththemilitary.Iwassuccessfulinfindingafew
primarysourcesthatdiscussedthepublicsviewofintensifiedAmericaninvolvementin
Vietnam,andIwassurprisedtofindthatmanyinfluentialleaderswhodealtwiththeColdWar,
hadwarnedagainsttheU.SengaginginmilitaryconflictinVietnam,astheyunderstoodthatit

couldcausefurtherproblemswithChinaandTheSovietUnion,andwouldlikelyresultinthe
deathofmanysoldiersandthewasteofAmericanresources.Thefactthattherewassomeform
ofpublicresistancetoAmericasengagementinVietnam,despitehavingareasonastheU.S
wasaidingFrenchIndochina,wassurprisingtomeasasduetothegreatamountofanti
communistsentimentintheU.SfromtheColdWar,Iwouldhavethoughtthatthepublicwould
havecompletelysupportedaidingtheSouthVietnameseinpreventingcommunistleadership.I
wasabletofindallofthesources,includingtheprimarysourceswhichareextremelyeffectivein
examiningtheviewofAmericancitizensduringtheVietnamWar,intheU.SHistoryandContext
database.ThechallengesIvefoundwhileworkingontheprojecthasbeennarrowingwhereI
amsearchingandresearching,asthoughtherearemanysourcesontheVietnamWar,itis
suchalargetopicthatIhavetoexamineonlycertainaspectsofitatatime.Havingallofthe
informationatonceontheVietnamWarcanbechaoticandconfusing,sooneofthechallenges
isunderstandingthetimelineoftheVietnamWarandwhereinformationfromsourcesfallwithin
thattimeline.Aswell,themassiveamountofinformationontheVietnamWaraffectsmytime
managementasIhavetosetasidecertaindaysandtimeswhereIamsearchingfora
particularlyaspectoftheWar,andIhavetousethateffectivelybyexamininganddrawing
conclusionsfromsources,orelseIwillnotfinishtheprojectontime.BynextclassIamhoping
toorganizeandfindadditionalsourcesonallperiodsofthewarsothatinthenextclassIam
abletoanalyzethemandfocusondevelopingmyargument.

DailyReflection:(5/9)

NowIamfocusingonunderstandingthecontextofthewarandtheeffectsthatithadon
theVietnamesepeople.Iamfindingsources,mainlybooks,whichexaminethefactorsleading
towar,andmostimportanttomythesis,thoseresultinginAmericanmilitaryinvolvement.To
analyzetheeffectsthatthewarhadonfutureforeignpolicyandfuturemilitaryinvolvement,its
necessarythatIunderstandunderwhatconditionsAmericaenteredtheVietnamWarand
eventsthatoccurredduringthewar,whichsoheavilyaffectedAmericadomestically.
Understandingthebuilduptothewar,willalsohelpmeinanalyzingtheviewoftheAmerican
publiconenteringthewarasIunderstandthereasoningforwhysomeopposedbecoming
involvedintheconflictandothersthoughtitwasnecessarytopreservealliancesandfightthe
growingstateofcommunisminVietnam.IwassurprisedtolearnofhowAmericawashesitant
tofightintheVietnameseWarbecausetheydidnotwantGermanytohavetheoptionofgaining
controloverIndochinaorotherareasofVietnam.Though,becausethereweresomanyfactors
thatcontributedtotheVietnamWarIhavenotreadthehistoryoftheentirewarorthemajor,
impactfuleventsofthewar.ItisessentialthatIexamineandunderstandthewholeofthe
VietnamWarsothatIcanbeginfocusingoncertaineventsandexploretheireffectsonfuture
foreignpolicy.So,bynextclass,ImustfindadditionalsourcesontheVietnamWarandread
abouttheentiretyofit,soIunderstandthecontextofwhatwasaffectingtheU.Sdomestically
duringthistime.Inthenextclass,Iwillbegintofocusoncertaininfluentialeventswithinthewar
whichhadaneffectonthefutureofAmericanmilitaryinvolvementinforeignaffairs.Ithasbeen
quiteeasytofindsources,evenprimary,ontheVietnamWarasitissuchaninfluentialpieceof
Americanhistory,whichallowsmetohavemanysourcesontheentiretyofthewarandits

furthereffects.However,ithasbeenchallengingtounderstandallofthecontextofthewar
becauseitdealsheavilywithalliancesandtensionbetweenseveralothercountriesintheworld,
includingJapanandChina,whichyouwouldntthinkwouldhavedirectlyimpactedVietnam.I
amattemptingtousetimemanagementbyfindingsourcesandbeginningtoanalyzethem
outsideofclass,sothatinclassIhavetheabilitytoexaminethemandstarttoformideasand
supportformythesis,whilehavingaccesstoothersourcesIdontathome,suchasthebooks.

DailyReflection:(5/11)

Absent

DailyReflection:(5/13)

CurrentlyIamworkingonexaminingmysources,mainlythroughannotated
bibliographies,andsimplyanalyzingthepassages.FrommyannotationsIamabletopiece
togethertheoutlineofmyargument,asIcandeterminewhatsubtopicsaremostcommonly
viewedasimportantthroughoutmysources,andcanidentifyevidencethatwillsupportmy
thesis.IammakingsurethatIanalyzeeachofmysourcesthoroughlyandunderstandthemby
highlightingevidenceandinformationinvaryingcolorsbasedontheirsignificancetomythesis,
aswellmakingnoteswhenIhighlightthatidentifyconnectionsoressentialinformationwithin
thereading.SimilartowhatIhadstatedinapreviousreflection,Iamverysurprisedtofindto
whatextentAmericancitizensdislikedtheideaofenteringtheVietnamWar,andhoweven
antiwarmovementsresulted.ItwassurprisingtomeasIbelievedthatthegovernmentwould
heedthewarningofthepublicmore,thansimplyactingontheirownasitappearedtohappen.I
havelearnedthroughmyresearchhowtheVietnamWarmajorilyaffectedthepublics
relationshipwiththegovernmentasessentiallyenteringVietnamwasnotsupportedbythe
Americanpublic,andyettheU.SbecameincreasinginvolvedintheyearsfollowingWorldWar
II.BeforenextclassImustfinishanalyzingallofmysourcesandidentifyingthemaintopicsof
myargument,sothatinmynextclassIcanbeginthinkingaboutinwhatformatIwouldliketo
presentmyproject.

DailyReflection:(5/17)

CurrentlyIamfocusingmoreontheformatandtechnicalpiecesoftheprojectrather
thantheproject.Suchas,Ihadfixedtheformattingoftheannotatedbibliographiesandhad
updatedthereferencepagewiththesourcesthatIhadrecentlyfoundandintendtouseinmy
project.AlongwithfinishingtheannotatedbibliographiesIamattemptingtodevelopanoutline
andunderstandwhattheformattingshouldbetobestreflectontheinformationIhavefound.It
isactuallyquitedifficulttothinkofaformatformyparticularessentialquestion,asoftenother
projectsontheVietnamWararefocusedontheactualcontentofthewar,whereasIam
focusingmoreonitssocialandpoliticaleffectsontheU.Sdomesticallyasaresultofthewar,
whichishardtophysicallyshow.However,itcontinuestobeeasytofindsources,especially
primarysourcesfromprominentfiguressuchasLyndonB.J

DailyReflection:(5/23)

Currently,Iamworkingonfinishingandclosingthecontentofmyprojectandintegrating
thatintotheformat.WhileIwasworkingonmyprojecttodayIdecidedthatIwouldalsoinclude
atrifoldposter,behindtheinteractivemapofVietnam,asitissomewhatnecessarytoprovide
contextonthevietnamwarandpresentmyconclusivethoughtsontheimpacttoforeignpolicy
andtheAmericanpublicduetoeventsthatoccurredduringthewar.Inaddition,addingaposter
wouldbehelpfulinallowingmetoshowsomeoftheimagesthatwerefamousinAmericamedia
thatcausedoutrageorchangedthepublicsviewoftheVietnamWar,andIcanalsoshowon
themapwherethepicturesweretaken.DuringthisclassperiodIworkedontheposterby
creatingavisualwhichshowedwhichinformationwillbeincludedontheposter,andwhichwill
beonthemap.Byorganizingwheretheinformationwillbe,IcanunderstandwhatIneedto
focusonandtowhatdetailshouldIdescribethekeyevents.BeforeclassIneedtofocuson
developingtheprocesssectionofmyproject,asthatwilldeterminewhetherIwaseffectivein
utilizingmytimeandcreatingthebestprojectpossiblewithmyresourcesandschedule.Ihave
determinedthatasnoneofmyproductwillbeusingtechnology,thatIwillcreateaweeblyto
showtheprocess,asIthinkitsaneffectivetoolinshowingaprocessandcanbemanipulated
easilytomatchtheformatnecessary.InthenextclassIwillcontinuetocheckovermy
information,andwilllikelybegintoformthefinaldraftofthewritingthatIwillbeusinginmy
product.Aswell,inorafterthenextclassIwillbegintoactuallycreatethephysicalproduct,to
ensurethatIhavetimetoredoorfixit,ifsomethinggoeswrongbeforeTuesday.Ihavebeen
successfulinmyproject,asinformationontheVietnamWarisabundant,whichmakesiteasier
tofinddocumentedsources,especiallyvisuales,fromthetimeperiod,aswellasinformationon
theeffectofthoseimagesontheAmericanpeople,whichmakesiteasierformetocometoa
conclusionbasedontheinformationfromalltheeventsandimages.Iampracticingmytime
managementskillsthroughoutthisprojectasIamplanningtodothemajorityofitathomeand
onlybringminimalwork,orworkthatIneedtobecheckedover,intoclass.

DailyReflection:(5/25)

InthisclassperiodIhavebeenfocusingondevelopingtheprocessportionofmy
project,whichIamcreatingwithaWeebly,becauseIamalreadyusingatrifold/posterinmy
productpresentationandwouldrathernothaveasecondposter,orhavetodevotespaceon
thatpostertotheprocessportionasIpersonallydontthinkitwouldbeeffectiveformeand
wouldlookmessy.AlthoughIhadalreadydevelopedtheoutlineoftheWeeblyandalready
foundwhereIwantedtoplaceportionsofmyinformation,todayIwasmovingtheformatto
makeitappearmoreprofessionalandappealingandwasbeginningtoaddcontenttothe
project.AswellassimplyoutliningtheprocessandanalysisIusedwhendevelopingmyfinal
product,Iamalsoincludingadditionalinformation,suchasthecontextoftheVietnamWar,and
severalothericonicphotographsthatwereinfluential,butwillnotbeusedonmyprojectdueto
spaceortimingissues.AlthoughIhadwantedtobeginbuildingmyprojectinthisclass,Ihadto
pushbackmyscheduleandsoIamhopingthatIwillbeabletoactuallybegindevelopingthe
productitselfmoreintenselybetweenthisclassandthenext,includingnotonlyfinalizingthe

information,butcreatingthemapandthecorrespondingbookthatprovidesinformationoneach
oftheindividualevents.Beforeclass,andduringthenextclass,Iwillfocusmoreheavilyonthat
processandhopefullyfinishitbeforetheweekend,soIcanworkonitfurtherifthereareany
issues.Whiledevelopingtheprocessportionofmyproject,outliningtheindividualprocessthatI
tookwasactuallyquitesimpleasIcouldreferencetheduedatesforcertainassignmentswe
hadfortheprojectandcanlookatthejournalstodeterminewhenIcompletedcertainportions.

FinalReflection:(5/27)

ThisprojecthaschangedmyconceptofmyselfbyallowingmetounderstandthatIneed
toworkonmytimemanagementskills.AlthoughIhadclaimedinmydailyreflectionsthatI
wouldcompleteacertainsectionorpieceforthefollowingclass,itoftenneveroccuredwhenit
wasthelastweekoftheproject.ThisispartlyduetootherworkthatIhadtocomplete,butalso
myinabilitytocorrectlybudgetmytimeandapproximatehowlongitwilltaketocomplete
assignments.IfIcouldcompletethisprojectagainIthinkthatIwouldchangewhatIhaddone
justslightly,whichistoresearchtheantiwarmovementthatresultedfromtheVietnamWar
ratherthantheVietnamWaritself.ThisislargelyduetothefactthatIfindtheentiresituation
surroundingtheantiwarmovementduringtheVietnamWarsofascinating,asitwasalmost
completelyignoredbygovernmentleadersandofficials.Despitehowthemovementgrewfast
andquickly,itsdemandscontinuetobegignored,asgovernmentofficialsactuallywereworking
againstwhataportionofthepublicwantedbymanipulatingthemintosupportingthewar.
Honestly,outtheentireprocessIammostproudofmyabilitytodrawaquitelargemapof
Vietnambyhand.Theaspectthatprovidedthemostamountoflearningformewasobviously
theresearchsectionasIwascompletelyunawareofwhathadoccurredduringtheVietnamWar
anditwasveryinterestingtounderstandthecontextoftheVietnamWarandwhyitissucha
controversialtopicintheU.S.ForstudentswhoarejustbeginningthisprocessIwould
recommendtoreallymanagetheirtimewell,andpickatopicthatyoueitherdontknowabout
andwouldliketolearn,oratopicthatyouenjoyandwanttoknowmoreabout.Itsreally
importantthatthestudentenjoystheprojectandfeelsliketheyveactuallylearnedsomething
theyreinterestedinbecauseotherwiseitsawasteoftimeforboththestudentandtheteacher.
ThetimeswhereIhadlostfocusonthisproject,waswhenIwascompletingotherworkthatwas
immediatelydue,aswhenIhadalotofotherhomeworkitbecameveryhardtofocuson
workingonthisprojectaswell.TheresnotmuchIcandotostopthatfromhappeningina
futureprojectexpecttopossiblypracticebettertimemanagementskills.