AMERICAN EXPERIENCE - Joyce

INTRODUCTION: As we have seen throughout the course, students reading history textbooks often are misled into believing that if we are simply presented with "the facts", conclusions about past events are simply a matter of digesting those facts and, voila, we have a conclusion that all reasonable people will agree with. The reality is often quite different and the Vietnam War is exhibit A for the fallacy of thinking that historical analysis operates that smoothly. We already have seen, in LETTERS HOME FROM VIETNAM, that perspectives can be very different even from those people who are primary sources (that is, eyewitnesses to history). When we use secondary sources (such as textbooks), perspectives can be wildly different even when the writers attempt to be objective and are convinced that their conclusions are the correct ones.

DIRECTIONS: In the packet THE VIETNAM WAR: HISTORIAN A AND HISTORIAN B, you are going to find two reputable historians who, for the most part drawing upon the same sources of information, reach startling different conclusions about the "truth" in Vietnam. Spaced throughout the two articles, you will find 26 sets of questions (A-Z) which ask you to evaluate and, at times, challenge both historians statements of "fact" and analyze critically their conclusions. The last question (Z) will ask you to give your own opinion concerning which historian you feel did the best job supporting his position.

       Use composition paper, lettering "A" through "Z", and write out detailed answers to the questions. You will have two class sessions to finish. This assignment, along with the LETTERS HOME FROM VIETNAM assignment, will be the basis for an open-note quiz at the end of the unit; you will want to use your finished product to help on the quiz, so write legibly and clearly. The packet is to be returned after each class session.