Vietnam War

Course Description

The Vietnam War is a microcosm of the forces that have shaped the 20th century world: colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, revolution, modernization, nation building, Third World development, capitalism, communism, the cold war, and more. It was a defining moment for both Americans and Vietnamese, although the peoples of neither nation can agree on what precisely it defined. For the United States, the loss of the war produced a crisis of national identity. For Vietnam, the victory meant the culmination of thirty years of revolutionary struggle. To the present day both suffer from the failure to resolve problems inherent in these outcomes. This course is designed to emphasize the war as a problem for both Americans and Vietnamese. The question will be why almost complete strangers prior to World War II became such bitter enemies so soon thereafter, and as a consequence engaged in mortal combat for more than a decade. The strategy will be to explore the social, political, economic, military, and diplomatic dimensions and ramifications from the perspective of each. Note: This course is cross-listed with American Studies 2217 and Asian Studies 2217. Students may only receive credit once for these courses: AMST 2217, ASST 2217, or HIST 2217.

Code

HIST 2217

Credits

3

Subject

HIST

Programs That Include This Course

• Bachelor's Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies
• Bachelor's Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs
• Bachelor's Bachelor of Science in Education: Middle Grades Education with Social Studies Concentration
• Minor Minor in Global Studies
• Undergraduate Certificate Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership and Military Science