WELLESLEY COLLEGE
POL3 227: The Vietnam War    Fall 2008
Professor William A. Joseph
PNE 232, x2201
Office hours: TF 11:10-12:30; and by appointment

The PURPOSE OF THIS COURSE is to understand and analyze the origins, development, consequences, and legacies of war and revolution in Vietnam from the early twentieth century to the present. After an introductory session, the next week or so will be spent discussing the meaning and causes of revolution, the relationship between revolution and war, and the tactics and strategies of both revolutionaries and those who want to stop them from winning power and achieving their revolutionary goals.

The remainder of the course will focus specifically on revolution and war in Vietnam and will consider topics such as: the impact of French colonialism on traditional Vietnamese society; the role of World War II in shaping nationalism and communism in Vietnam; leadership (particularly that of Ho Chi Minh), organization, and tactics of the Vietnamese revolutionary movement; the motives, stages, and strategies of American intervention in Vietnam; expansion of the conflict to Cambodia and Laos; important events such as the Tet Offensive and the My Lai Massacre; the anti-war movement in the United States; political and economic development in Vietnam since the end of the war and the reunification of the country under communist rule in the mid-1970s.; and the lessons and legacies of the Vietnam War for both Vietnam and the United States.

Requirements: The written assignments for the course, tentative due dates, and their proportion of the final course grade are as follows:
NOTE: For the three in-term assignments, you may have a total of one week (7 days) of "extensions" from the due date to use throughout the term as best fits your schedule. These extensions allow you to hand in a paper late without a grade penalty, but after your 7 days have been used up the assignment will be marked down 1/3 grade per day (or fraction of a day) late (e. g. from B+ to B).Please see the list of "Responsibilities and Expectations" for the course that is attached to this syllabus.

Required Books: The following books are available for purchase in the bookstore. They are also on reserve in the Library

  • Graham Greene, The Quiet American
  • Tim O'Brien, If I Die In a Combat Zone
  • James S. Olson and Randy Roberts, Where the Domino Fell: America and Vietnam. (5th Ed)
  • James W. Trullinger, Village at War: An Account of Revolution in a Vietnamese Village
  • Marilyn Young, et. al., The Vietnam War: A History in Documents

Video Assignments: There are both required and recommended video assignments for this course. The required videos should be taken just as seriously as the required reading. All required and recommended videos are on reserve at the library and many of them can also be borrowed from the instructor. We may try to arrange group showings of some of the videos; students are also encouraged to view the videos in groups, if possible. For a list of many of the videos on the Vietnam War available in the College Library, see the Videos on the Vietnam War at Wellesley College link on the on-line syllabus, the course conference, or the instructor's homepage (http://www.wellesley.edu/Polisci/wj/).

Internet Assignments: There are quite a few Internet assignments for this course, which can be accessed via the on-line syllabus or the FirstClass course conference. There is an extraordinary wealth of information about the Vietnam War on the Internet: some suggested sites can be found on the "Vietnam Links" on the on-line syllabus, the course conference, or the instructor's homepage (http://www.wellesley.edu/Polisci/wj/.

Photograph Books: Photographs are a particularly vivid and affecting way to try to understand the realities of the Vietnam War. The four listed below are particularly remarkable and are available in Clapp Libary. I urge you look at one of more of these books at some point during the course. Course Schedule and Assignments