Times of change

A Dubious Crusade by James A. Warren (2 pages - complete by Tuesday May 22)

Look up both words in the title of the short essay. What do they mean?
-It means not compitly honest, safe, relieable long attemp.
Relate the title to the reading. What is Warren saying? How do you think this will relate to the rest of our study if Vietnam?
-Vietnam war was long disput topic that still can be argued in American history. More than 57,000 man give up their lives for war that now called dubious crusade. It would realated that wietnam war was tragic, such a wast and horroble.


History by Thuong Vuong-Riddick (2 pages - complete by Tuesday May 22)

What is the overall theme of Vuong-Riddick's poem?
- Theme of death.


The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution … by Goldberg (2 pages - complete by Tuesday May 22)
What is the main thesis of the essay?

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
-Gulf of Tonkin attacked by Norh Vietnames PT boats. President argued in congrass that U.S interested in that area and the areguement became known as Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

What evidence does the author give to support his thesis?
-Fulbright's interview

How does this link to the theme of the first reading, “A Dubious Crusade”?
- Because it started with president want the land and they lost a lots of lives so, it was such a wast.

Jack Smith by Ron Steinman (9 pages - complete by Wednesday May 23)

What challenges does Jack Smith face as a soldier in Vietnam? (a bulleted list is fine)
-They didn't have any experience.
-Napalm bomb killed vietnamess but also Americans.

How does Smith’s attitude toward war change?
-He thought war and being millitary is romantic at the first time, but he turn out war is horrible and scary.


I Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die Rag by Joe McDonald (2 pages - complete by Wednesday May 23)

This song by Country Joe and the Fish became one of the first protest songs of the Vietnam Era. Read the lyrics to the song, and then respond to the following:

What is the song asking the “big strong men to do”?
- Join the army.

… the “generals” to do?
-Get rid of communists.

… “Wall Street” to do?
-Invest money.

… “mothers” to do?
-Encourage their children to join the army.

Write down four specific lines from the song that display sarcasm, cynicism, or anti-war sentiment.
-We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.
-The only good commie is one who dead.
-Be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box.
-Whoopee! We're all gonna die.


Farmer Nguyen by W.D. Ehrhart
1 page - complete by Wednesday May 26
Massacre at My Lai by Hugh Thompson
2 pages - complete by Wednesday May 26
A Nun at Ninh Hoa by Jan Barry
1 page - complete by Wednesday May 26

What do these two poems and the article say about the impact of the war on the native Vietnamese?
-For the native Vietnames, they were guilty on the both side. Because America thought that they were helping the V.C. and the V.C. thought they were helping the America.
- Americans put innocent Vietnamese in the ditch and shot them.
-Innocent civilians had no choice. One thing that they can do was hope American soldiers were decent.
-War made people hopeless.
Can you think of any other ways in which the war will impact the native Vietnamese?
-They might become a slave.
-People who got some power might loose or use it for America.


Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic
5 pages - complete on Monday May 28
Stop the Sun by Gary Paulsen
7 pages - complete on Monday May 28
To Heal a Nation by Joel L. Swerdlow
12 pages - complete on Monday May 28

For your final readings of Times of Change, I would like you to set aside some time on Monday (Memorial Day) to read the choices above. Once you are done, I would like for you to post in your blog a note to the men and women on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After what you have learned over the past few days, and what you saw when we went to D.C., what would you want to say to them?
-Even though I'm not American citizen, but I think fight for your own country is incredibly honorable. Dicide to go out war would be not easy, and that reason makes why we are really showing respect to you and thanks to you. We made memorial day, people in the nation can celebrat you and also your families who let you go and fight for America.