1. Note all of the reasons why you feel the war in Vietnam is wrong.
-It was wasting millions of lives, and billions of dollars, with no end in sight
-It was hypocritical: the U.S. was saying that they were there to remove Communism, but they were backing far more corrupt governments in South Vietnam
-Vietnamese civilians were being killed by the thousands
-Containment was clearly not a successful policy; it had not worked in the past, and it certainly was not working in Vietnam
-the U.S. was too set on looking good to the world; by the time thigns started to turn badly for them in Vietnam, they were too proud (and too far in) to back out
-It was causing unrest within the U.S.; people were being killed at protests, and the government was more hated than it had been since Hoover was in office
2. Note what you re trying to achieve with this poster. (e.g. to convince people to write to their Congressmen to get the troops out.)
This poster would be trying to convince people to let their voice be heard via peaceful protest; while they often became dangerous, they were a powerful statement, and an effective way to draw attention to the cause.
3. List possible images for your poster. Think about: background (e.g. destroyed villages); the central image (e.g. picture of a young soldier); whether you will need words to explain your image.
Images of injured Vietnamese children; images from other peace rallies; images of the effects of Agent Orange/napalm; images of the U.S. soldiers in contrast to the Vietnamese soldiers; words may be necessary, but minimalism would be best.
4. List some possible slogans for your poster.
-Rally for peace, let freedom increase
-Raising voices brings more choices
-Protest today, get out of My Lai
-Search for solutions, destroy violence
-Reason with the Vietcong, peace and love is never wrong
Showing posts with label My_Lai_Massacre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My_Lai_Massacre. Show all posts
Friday, May 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Vietnam War Turning Points
1. Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point? Explain your answer.
The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the war; while not exactly a military turning point, it was a turning point in the attitude with which Americans perceived Vietnam. After the Tet Offensive, people became very angry; it appeared that the U.S. was wasting time, money and lives in a situation where they clearly had never had the upper hand. The Offensive destroyed an ancient city; this raised more questions, such as what other precious things the war would destroy if it was allowed to continue. The Tet Offensive was not a clear victory for either the U.S. or the Viet Cong, but it was definitely a turning point within the minds of Americans.
2. Are Sources 51 and 52 making the same point about the My Lai Massacre?
Sources 51 and 52 make similar points, but not exactly the same one. Source 51 carries more remorse; it acknowledges more of the fact that they weren't meant to go to Vietnam to kill anyone, let alone civilians. There is a lot of guilt evident in Source 51; it implies that once the soldiers got to Vietnam, their view of the situation became warped and they acted without thinking. Source 52, while it also points out that the soldiers were not originally sent there to kill humans, seems to be colder about the event; it states that the soldiers saw the Vietnamese not as people, but as people who carried an evil idea that they were ordered to eradicate.
3. Why do you think it took 12 months for anyone to do anything about the massacre?
The army is often very good at covering its mistakes. The army, and the government, would not have wanted news of the massacre to get out; soldiers might have been afraid to speak up in order to avoid retribution. Also, freedom of speech is limited in times of war; everyone works to protect their country and make it look good. Soldiers may have felt that it would hinder the war effort if they let the truth out.
4. Why was the massacre so shocking to the American public?
Up until this point, Americans had not been fully aware of the bloodshed going on in Vietnam. They knew civilians were being killed, yes, but they saw it as an accident. After the My Lai massacre, the people began to turn not only against the government but against the soldiers, as well; perfectly innocent civilians had been murdered, simply because the army did not know what it was doing.
The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the war; while not exactly a military turning point, it was a turning point in the attitude with which Americans perceived Vietnam. After the Tet Offensive, people became very angry; it appeared that the U.S. was wasting time, money and lives in a situation where they clearly had never had the upper hand. The Offensive destroyed an ancient city; this raised more questions, such as what other precious things the war would destroy if it was allowed to continue. The Tet Offensive was not a clear victory for either the U.S. or the Viet Cong, but it was definitely a turning point within the minds of Americans.
2. Are Sources 51 and 52 making the same point about the My Lai Massacre?
Sources 51 and 52 make similar points, but not exactly the same one. Source 51 carries more remorse; it acknowledges more of the fact that they weren't meant to go to Vietnam to kill anyone, let alone civilians. There is a lot of guilt evident in Source 51; it implies that once the soldiers got to Vietnam, their view of the situation became warped and they acted without thinking. Source 52, while it also points out that the soldiers were not originally sent there to kill humans, seems to be colder about the event; it states that the soldiers saw the Vietnamese not as people, but as people who carried an evil idea that they were ordered to eradicate.
3. Why do you think it took 12 months for anyone to do anything about the massacre?
The army is often very good at covering its mistakes. The army, and the government, would not have wanted news of the massacre to get out; soldiers might have been afraid to speak up in order to avoid retribution. Also, freedom of speech is limited in times of war; everyone works to protect their country and make it look good. Soldiers may have felt that it would hinder the war effort if they let the truth out.
4. Why was the massacre so shocking to the American public?
Up until this point, Americans had not been fully aware of the bloodshed going on in Vietnam. They knew civilians were being killed, yes, but they saw it as an accident. After the My Lai massacre, the people began to turn not only against the government but against the soldiers, as well; perfectly innocent civilians had been murdered, simply because the army did not know what it was doing.
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