Name: ____________________
Refighting Vietnam in the History Books: The Historiography of the War
Assignment:
A. Vietnam War Background  Read: The Vietnam War – Cold War Build-up packet or a chronology of the war
& Vietnam section in Cold War Textbook (Pearson) pp. 127-128
a. Documentary more your speed? Cold War 11 - Vietnam 1954-1968 on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyMv6U4Ld0
B. Read: Catton’s “Refighting Vietnam in the History Books: The Historiography of the War” (attached):
Philip E. Catton is an assistant professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University.
He is the author of Diem's Final Failure: Prelude to America's War in Vietnam (2002).
C. Define the Key Concepts (see back page):
a. Orthodox interpretation, "Quagmire" thesis, Pentagon Papers: 1971, “Stalemate machine" explanation,
Radical historians, Reagan Era Revisionism/conservative revisionism, "Big battle" approach, People's
Republic of China and the former Soviet Union Archives, and Vietnamese-language sources
D. Answer the following (see next page):
1. How do Orthodox interpretations of the Vietnam War differ from Orthodox interpretations of the Korean
War?
2. H.R. McMaster argued in his revisionist based book, Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert
McNamara, the Joints Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam that the war in Vietnam was lost in
Washington, D.C., long before Americans realized the country was at war and assumed the sole responsibility
for the fighting in1965.1 To what extent do you agree with this interpretation? (support with evidence)
3. Michael Lind’s revisionist book, The Necessary War: A Reinterpretation of America’s Most Disastrous
Military Conflict, describes the United States’ involvement as a proper response to communist aggression and
a need to assert America’s strength.2 To what extent do you agree with this interpretation? (support with
evidence)
E. Political Carton Analysis: Practice Paper 1, Question 1b skills (see back of next page):
a. Provide 2 meanings for EACH image
1
Shidler, Derek. “Vietnam’s Changing Historiography: Ngo Dinh Diem and America’s Leadership” Eastern Illinois University.
http://castle.eiu.edu/historia/archives/2009/Historia2009Shidler.pdf
2
IBID
Name: ___________________________
Historiography of Vietnam: Key Concepts

Orthodox interpretation:

"Quagmire" thesis:

Pentagon Papers,1971:

“Stalemate machine" explanation:

Radical historians:

Reagan Era Revisionism/conservative revisionism:

"Big battle" approach:

People's Republic of China and the former Soviet Union Archives:

Vietnamese-language sources:
Name: ___________________________
Historiography of Questions:
1. How do Orthodox interpretations of the Vietnam War differ from Orthodox interpretations of the Korean War?
*Remember Orthodox = 1st view of an event, 1st version of historiography
2. H.R. McMaster argued in his, Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joints Chiefs of Staff,
and the Lies That Led to Vietnam (1997) that the war in Vietnam was lost in Washington, D.C., long before
Americans realized the country was at war and assumed the sole responsibility for the fighting in1965.3 To
what extent do you agree with this interpretation? (support with evidence)
3. In Michael Lind’s book, The Necessary War: A Reinterpretation of America’s Most Disastrous Military Conflict
(2002), he described the United States’ involvement as a proper response to communist aggression and a need to
assert America’s strength.4 To what extent do you agree with this interpretation? (support with evidence)
3
Shidler, Derek. “Vietnam’s Changing Historiography: Ngo Dinh Diem and America’s Leadership” Eastern Illinois University.
http://castle.eiu.edu/historia/archives/2009/Historia2009Shidler.pdf
4
IBID
Name: ___________________________
Vietnam Political Cartoons:
Find 2 meanings for EACH