Syllabus This syllabus is designed for a one-­‐semester course that places the veteran experience at the center of the approach to Vietnam. Using music as a way of foregrounding the experience of veterans, rather than the political controversies surrounding Vietnam (which can be introduced in connection with their impact on veterans), the class introduces students to the historical contexts of the war, it isn't a history class as such. To reinforce the emphasis on the lived reality of the Vietnam, the syllabus incorporates two works of fiction, one focusing on the experience of soldiers in the field, the other on the experience of those who served in the rear. In addition, it includes contemporary journalism from the collection Reporting Vietnam in the Library of America series. For teachers wanting to include more history, we recommend Marilyn Young's The Vietnam Wars and Christian Appy's Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides. This version of the syllabus features a Vietnam-­‐related film series, which is not intrinsic to the class design. When we teach our course on Vietnam, we require students to accumulate a number of "enrichment" points that can be earned by attending film showings, relevant lectures or community events, etc. If they're unable to attend the group showings, they can watch the films on their own and submit a brief review. We've included the films on the syllabus at the point where we screen them, but the class doesn't rely on their inclusion. "Music, Media and the Vietnam Era" “I couldn't have lived without music over there. Every night.” -­‐ Jeff Dahlstrom, U.S. Army, Tan Son Nhut, Oct. 1970-­‐Sept. 1971 “That was when Doc and the Professor started signing ‘Yellow Submarine.’ I’m not sure
why that song and what it had to do with anything. Maybe it was on account of we were
all feeling submerged somehow, both by the rain and the mud, and by the Army and
Vietnam, too.”
- Doug Bradley, DEROS Vietnam
Required Texts: Doug Bradley and Craig Werner, We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried Doug Bradley, DEROS: Dispatches from the Air-­Conditioned Jungle The Library of America, Reporting Vietnam: American Journalism 1958-­1975 Unit 1: "We Gotta Get Out of This Place": Backgrounds and Contexts two weeks Objective: This unit provides students with the basic concepts they need to understand the Vietnam war and to foreground the importance of music as a way of reaching the human truth obscured by myths of Vietnam as a "noble cause" or a "quagmire." During the unit, students will get a sense of the historical contexts of the war: 1) the Vietnamese struggles for independence from China and France; against Chinese and French domination; and 2) American history of the 1960s and early 1970s (the Cold War; the Civil Rights Movement; changing ideas of gender). A primary goal is to make sure students understand that there is no single Vietnam veteran experience. Rather, an individual's experience depended on the "3 Ws"-­‐-­‐
when a soldier was there, where he or she served-­‐-­‐especially the difference between the experience in the field and in the rear-­‐-­‐, and what he or she did. The music included in this unit provides an overview of the ways soldiers made songs their own: focusing on particular images (boots, smoke); themes (primarily the desire to go home, and missing wives/girlfriends); and emotional experiences (confusion, fear). Readings: We Gotta Get Out of This Place, introduction, pp. 1-­‐19; Homer Bigart A "Very Real War" in Reporting Vietnam; Malcolm W. Browne "He Was Sitting in the Center of a Column of Flame" Suicide in Saigon: June 1963 in Reporting Vietnam; Stanley Karnow "The Fall of the House of Ngo Dinh" in Reporting Vietnam Songs: The Animals, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place"; The Kingston Trio, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"; Nancy Sinatra, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"; Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Purple Haze"; Martha and the Vandellas, "Nowhere to Run," The Doors, "Riders on the Storm"; Johnny Cash, "Ring of Fire"; Bobby Bare, "Detroit City"; Peter, Paul & Mary, "Leaving on a Jet Plane"; Otis Redding, "(Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay"; The Temptations, "My Girl." Film: The Quiet American (2002 version) Web links: Montage of music and Vietnam film footage: wggootp.com Unit 2: "Eve of Destruction": JFK's War two weeks Objective: This unit introduces the factors that led to the escalating American involvement in Vietnam. The most important of these involve the Cold War: the Berlin Wall, the Cuban missile crisis, the and the "Domino Theory." The unit links the idea of "containment culture" to ideas of patriotism and masculinity. Placing Vietnam in the larger context of decolonization, the unit traces the origins of the anti-­‐war movement to the Civil Rights and nuclear disarmament movements. The music considered during the unit includes both the early pro-­‐war music that resembled the music of World War II; popular songs expressing the separation of soldiers from their families, especially girlfriends and wives; and the folk music that gave voice to early protests. Reading: We Gotta Get Out of This Place, chapter 1 (pp. 20-­‐21); David Halberstam "They Can Win a War If Someone Shows Them How Profile of John Paul Vann: 1962-­‐
1964" in Reporting Vietnam Songs: Pat Boone, "Love Letters in the Sand"; Tony Bennett, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"; The Kingston Trio, "The M.T.A."; The Shirelles, "Soldier Boy"; Bobby Vinton, "Mr. Lonely"; Lesley Gore, "It's My Party"; Surfaris, "Wipe Out"; Johnnie Wright, "Hello Vietnam"; Bob Dylan, "Masters of War"; Barry Sadler, "The Ballad of the Green Berets"; Sam Cooke, "Another Saturday Night" Film: Born on the Fourth of July Web links: Kennedy inaugural address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4phB-­‐rRjYQw Conclusion of The Green Berets movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iECZmJPiYdM Unit 3: "Bad Moon Rising": LBJ's War four weeks Objective: This unit tracks the factors that led to the full-­‐scale war in Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, while stressing the dizzying pace of change in the years of the Johnson presidency. Students will be introduced to the ways young men entered the service, via the draft or enlistment (sometimes as an alternative to being drafted), and emphasizes the difference between the experience of soldiers who served in combat units and those who served in the rear. Placing the war in relation to home front events (the Great Society, the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power, the emergence of the anti-­‐war movement and the counterculture), the unit emphasizes the confusion and loneliness soldiers experienced both in Vietnam and when they returned to an unfamiliar world. The unit concludes with a consideration of the impact of Tet and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., on the war. The music in this unit focuses on both major artists who defined the Vietnam soundtrack (Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater, etc.) as well as songs that took on special meaning to soldiers. Recognizing the subcultures that came together around country music, soul music and various styles of rock in Vietnam, the unit uses music as a way of approaching the conflict between "hawks" and "doves" on the home front. Reading: We Gotta Get Out of This Place, chapter 2 (pp. 42-­‐90); chapter 4 (pp. 145-­‐
184); Specialist 4/C Jack P. Smith "Death in the Ia Drang Valley: Men All Around Me Were Screaming: November 1965" in Reporting Vietnam; Neil Sheehan "Not a Dove, But No Longer a Hawk Veteran Reporter Reassesses the War: October 1966" in Reporting Vietnam; Tom Wolfe "The Truest Sport: Jousting with Sam and Charlie Air War Over North Vietnam: December 1967" in Reporting Vietnam; Wallace Terry "Black Power in Viet Nam Racial Tensions in the Military: September 1969" in Reporting Vietnam Songs: Country Joe and the Fish, "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die' Rag"'; The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Are You Experienced?", "All Along the Watchtower"; Barry McGuire, "Eve of Destruction"; Beatles, "A Little Help from My Friends"; Rolling Stones, "Paint It Black"; Bob Dylan, "Like a Rolling Stone"; Temptations, "My Girl"; Aretha Franklin, "Chain of Fools", "Respect"; Chambers Brothers, "Time Has Come Today"; Jefferson Airplane, "White Rabbit"; Beatles, "Magical Mystery Tour"; Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Bad Moon Rising", "Fortunate Son"; ; Four Tops, "Shake Me, Wake Me"; James Brown, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"; Simon and Garfunkel, "Homeward Bound"; The Box Tops, "The Letter"; Beach Boys, "Sloop John B"; Loretta Lynn, "Dear Uncle Sam"; Dave Dudley, "What We're Fighting For"; Turtles, "It Ain't Me Babe"; Sam and Dave, "Hold on I'm Coming"; Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "The Tracks of My Tears"; Jim Reeves, "Distant Drums"; Glenn Campbell, "Wichita Lineman"; Buck Owens, "Together Again" Unit 3: "Bad Moon Rising": LBJ's War -­ continued four weeks Films: We Were Soldiers Then...And Young; The Fog of War; Good Morning, Vietnam Web links: Walter Cronkite on the state of the war: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4w-­‐ud-­‐TyE "Who's in charge?" scene from Apocalypse Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeDq_tCCj3o Unit 4: "Chain of Fools": Nixon's War three weeks Objectives: Beginning with Richard Nixon's election, this unit emphasizes the frustration and confusion that characterized the final years of the war. Placing events in Vietnam in relation to the polarized political landscape at home, it considers divisive events such as the emergence of the Black Panthers, My Lai and Kent State. Examining the impact of the elimination of the student draft deferment, the unit looks at the changing nature of GI experience in Vietnam, particularly the military's decision to provide soldiers outside combat areas with an increased level of material comfort, including sound systems and access to a wider range of music on AFVN radio. The music included in the unit reflects the increasing racial tensions in the military; the radicalization of the anti-­‐war movement. In addition, students will consider the anti-­‐war movement at home and it's relationship to the GI anti-­‐war movement; the increase in racial tensions in the military following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and the impact of the counterculture, especially its anti-­‐
authoritarian stance and the widespread use of drugs. Reading: We Gotta Get Out of This Place, chapter 3 (pp. 91-­‐144); Doug Bradley, DEROS; Michael Herr, "Breathing In" and "Khe Sahn" in Reporting Vietnam; Seymour M. Hersh "The My Lai Massacre An Atrocity is Uncovered: November 1969" in Reporting Vietnam; James A. Michener, "Kent State: What Happened and Why" in Reporting Vietnam; Hunter S. Thompson, "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 Protests at the Republican Convention" in Reporting Vietnam Songs: Marmalade, "Reflections of My Life; Glenn Campbell, "Galveston"; Merle Haggard, "The Fighting Side of Me"; Steppenwolf, "Magic Carpet Ride"; Blood Sweat and Tears, "And When I Die"; James Taylor, "Fire and Rain"; Simon and Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water"; Carole King, "It's Too Late"; Crosby, Still, Nash & Young, "Ohio"; Archie Bell and the Drells, "Tighten Up"; Jerry Butler, "Only the Strong Survive"; Santana, "Black Magic Woman"; Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Run Through the Jungle"; James Brown, "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" Film: Apocalypse Now!; Platoon Web links: Country Joe at Woodstock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-­‐
7Y0ekr-­‐3So Dewey Canyon III (Vietnam vets returning medals): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P1zXcQ3ZGw Unit 5: "What's Going On": The Long Roads Home two weeks Objectives: The final unit focuses on the role of music in the experience of veterans struggling for survival and healing after their return home. It begins by acknowledging the feelings of alienation that sometimes led to drug or alcohol abuse, PTSD, silence, and suicide. A primary goal of the unit is to familiarize students with the role of music in helping heal PTSD. The unit presents the opportunity to address issues including the role myths of Vietnam (as "noble cause" or "quagmire") have played in post-­‐Vietnam America; and to consider the comparison between the experience of Vietnam vets and those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The music included in the unit includes songs by veteran musicians alongside songs that directly address veterans' experiences. Reading: We Gotta Get Out of This Place, chapter 5 (pp. 185-­‐223) Songs: Bruce Springsteen, "Born in the U.S.A.", "Shut Out the Light"; Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On?", "Inner City Blues"; Johnny Cash, "Drive On"; Bill Withers, "I Can't Write Left Handed"; John Prine, "Sam Stone". Quicksilver Messenger Service, "What About Me?"; Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Who'll Stop the Rain?"; Beatles, "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"; Sam Cooke, "A Change Is Gonna Come"; Charlie Daniels Band, "Still in Saigon"; Lem Genovese, "Elegy for the Fallen"; Billy Bang, "Tunnel Rat"; Martin and Holiday, "Time To Lay It Down"; Jim Wachtendonk, "Claymore Polka" Film: Dear America Web links: Bobby Muller and Bruce Springsteen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OszxgUxrk2c George Jones, "The Wall" with film of the Wall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ_1VPK_PeE Notes on Veteran Involvement When we teach our class on Vietnam at the University of Wisconsin-­‐Madison, one of our goals is to have our students hear from Vietnam vets, typically 7 or 8 each semester. When vets visit the class, we always invite them to choose songs to open and close the session and talk a bit about the choice. While we highly encourage contacting local veterans' organizations to set up visits, this syllabus doesn't assume such visits will be possible. For teachers who don't have access to veteran visits, but who wish to incorporate veteran voices, we recommend the DVD of Wisconsin War Stories: Vietnam, which tells the story of the war entirely through on-­‐screen testimony of an exceptionally diverse group of veterans. http://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-­‐Vietnam-­‐Stories-­‐
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