Vietnam and Iraq War: Uncomfortable Parallels?
The Evergreen State College, Spring 2006
Faculty:
Office
Peter Bohmer Lab 2, 2271
Steve Niva
Lab1, 1005
Mailbox
Lab 2
Lab1
Phone
X6431
X5612
Email
bohmerp
nivas
Office Hours
Tu, 4-5:30
Tu 4-5
Weekly Schedule:
Tuesday
10-12:30
1:30- 4
Wednesday 10-1
Wednesday 7-9
Friday
10-12:30
1:30-4
Lecture/Presentation
A1107
Seminar
Lab 2, 2211(Peter), Sem 2, A3109(Steve)
Workshop
A1105
Film Series
B1105
Lecture/Presentation
A1107
Seminar
B2107(P), B2109(S)
Description:
Many critics of the current United State’s war in Iraq claim a strong parallel to the
Vietnam war: that the government lied about the causes and nature of the war; that the
war is illegal; that it is increasingly unpopular; that it is undermining democracy in the
United States; and that it is not winnable. By contrast, supporters of the Iraq war deny
these charges and contend that this war bears no resemblance to Vietnam.
Because the analogy between Iraq and Vietnam is so often discussed, this program will
seek to compare and contrast the Vietnam and Iraq war to determine if there is any
basis to the comparison and if so, in what ways. To do so, it will examine the political
economic and cultural context of both wars and their causes, the nature of the wars and
their consequences for soldiers and for Vietnamese, Iraqi, and American societies. We
will also study the strategy and goals of those fighting the United States and the nature
of the anti-war movements in the United States in both wars. We will also address the
ways in which these wars have shaped American culture, particularly through films.
There will be readings, films and guest speakers from diverse perspectives including
Iraqi and Vietnamese sources. There will be individual and group assignments; some of
which will be aimed at sharing our learning with the broader Evergreen and Olympia
community.
Required Books: (in order of use)
(available at Evergreen Bookstore)
Marilyn B. Young. The Vietnam Wars 1945-1990
Philip Caputo, A Rumor of War
Bao Ninh, The Sorrow of War
Dick Cluster They Should Have Served that Cup of Coffee: Seven Radicals Remember
the ’60s
Brian Glick, War At Home: Covert Action Against U.S. Activists and What We Can Do
About It
Jerry Lembcke, Spitting Image: Myth, Memory and the Legacy of Vietnam
Rashid Khalidi, Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America's Perilous Path in
the Middle East
The Research Unit for Political Economy, Behind The Invasion of Iraq
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Riverbend, Baghdad Burning, Girl Blog From Iraq
David Cole, Enemy Aliens
Carol Brightman, Total Insecurity: The Myth of American Omnipotence
Additional Readings: There will be augmenting readings; articles or book chapters.
These will be sent out on the listserv or handed out in class. The first set of readings will
come from Gettleman, et al, Vietnam and America: Selected Readings.
Film Series: There will be an optional student-led film night (each Wednesday at 7:00)
for films about the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
ASSIGNMENTS & DUE DATES: (Assignments must be typed, double-spaced.)
Current Events Analysis (Weekly)
Students will work in small groups to present a half-hour briefing/analysis of current
events and media coverage to the class. The task will be to summarize key
developments, provide analysis and discuss media coverage using a wide variety of
mainstream and alternative sources.
Research Project: Comparing the Wars (Due: 6/6—Tuesday, Week 10)
Students will choose a single topic early in the quarter that they will compare across the
two wars and conduct scholarly research (the majority of sources from books or journals
rather than internet) in order to develop a thesis regarding the similarities and
differences in each case. The final project could be either a major thesis-driven
research paper (10-15 pages) or a more imaginative piece of written work (length
variable) that could be a dialogue, play, short story or screenplay. In the latter case,
students will be required to write up a 4-page synopsis of their thesis and provide a
bibliography.
 Choose topic: 4/19 (Wed, Week 3)
 Present Draft of Thesis Argument 5/24 (Wed, Week 8)
 Hand in final project 6/6 (Tues, Week 10)
Historical Assessment, Vietnam War (Due: 4/21—Friday, Week 3)
Students will be given a handout with identification and short answer questions
regarding the history and context of the Vietnam War. Students will compare answers in
a small group workshop (Due: 4/19) and then hand in a final written version.
Analytical Essay: Lessons of the Vietnam War (Due: 5/3—Wed, WK 5)
Students will write a 5-page essay that develops a thesis regarding the primary lessons
of the Vietnam War, based on readings and other material presented in class. The
essay must address different viewpoints on the lessons of the war.
Film Review: Framing Vietnam (Due: 5/12—Fri, Week 6)
Students will watch and write a 3-4 page film review of two films that have a Vietnam
War theme.
Historical Assessment, Iraq War (Due: 5/19—Fri, Week 7)
Students will be given a handout with identification and short answer questions
regarding the history and context of the Iraq War. Students will compare answers in a
small group workshop (Due: 5/17) and then hand in a final written version.
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Position Paper: Debating Withdrawal (Due: 6/2—Fri, Week 9)
Students will write a 5-page position paper that formulates a plan and strategy for the
future of the American presence in Iraq. Develop a thesis regarding the current debate
over withdrawal from Iraq and address different points of view regarding this issue.
Credit: Full Credit will be earned by doing all of the following:
 Reading assigned texts in advance of class.
 Participating in class activities (participation is active listening, speaking and
thinking.)
 Attending class (as attendance is a precondition of participation, absences will
diminish your ability to earn full credit.)
 Completing all assignments by the date due.
 Writing a narrative self-evaluation for your transcript and an evaluation of your
faculty seminar leader.
 Attending an evaluation conference at the end of the quarter.
If you do all of the above at the passing level, you will earn 16 credits. The quality of the
work you accomplish will be described in a narrative evaluation.
Evaluation: Faculty will evaluate students on their ability and effort to:
 Follow and discuss current events that relate to program themes by reading daily
newspaper and/or listening to radio news programs.
 Continually work to improve your reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking
skills.
 Be able to critically assess different perspectives regarding the history and
lessons of the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
 Develop a perspective on the usefulness and importance of historical analogies
in international affairs and war.
 Develop a comprehensive comparative analysis of the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
Weekly Schedule:
Week One: Historical Analogies
April 4-7
Reading
Young, The Vietnam Wars, Ch’s 1-6
Handout Articles: Selected Documents
4/4 Tuesday Lecture
4/4 Tuesday Seminar
4/5 Wed Workshop
4/7 Friday Lecture
4/7 Friday Seminar
Program Aims and Syllabus
Discussion: Comparing the Wars
Introductions, Discussion of Seminar Process
Media Assignment and Video: “Year of the Pig”
Analyzing Wars, Contextualizing American Policy
Young, Ch’s 1-6; Selected Documents
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Week Two: Contextualizing the Vietnam War
April 11-14
Reading
Young, The Vietnam Wars, 7-Finish
Selected Documents
4/11 Tuesday Lecture
4/11 Tuesday Seminar
4/12 Wed Workshop
4/12 Wed Film Series
4/14 Friday Lecture
4/14 Friday Seminar
Why Vietnam? Why War?
Young, 7-11; Selected Documents
Video: Hearts and Minds
“Apocalypse Now”
How/Why the War Ended
Young, 12-Epilogue; Selected Documents
Week Three: The Vietnam War
April 18-21
Reading
Caputo, A Rumor of War;
Ninh, The Sorrow of War
4/18 Tuesday Lecture
4/18 Tuesday Seminar
4/19 Wed Workshop
Guest Speakers: Vietnam War Veterans
Caputo, All
Historical Assessment Workshop.
Research Project TOPIC DUE (one page)
4/19 Wed Film Series
“Full Metal Jacket”
4/21 Friday Lecture
Strategies and Tactics of the U.S. and Vietnamese
4/21 Friday Seminar
Ninh, All
Historical Assessment DUE
Week Four: The Vietnam War at Home
April 25-28
Reading
Cluster Cup of Coffee; Lifton Article
Glick, War At Home
4/25 Tuesday Lecture
4/25 Tuesday Seminar
4/26 Wed Workshop
4/26 Wed Film Series
4/28 Friday Lecture
4/28 Friday Seminar
Guest Speaker: Robert Jay Lifton: Comparing Wars
Cluster, 1-6, Lifton Article
Panel Discussion: Anti-War Activists
“Coming Home”
Guest Speaker: David Barsamian: Media Coverage
Cluster, 7-end; Glick, All
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Week Five: Interregnum: “Vietnam Syndrome”/First Gulf War
May 2-5
Reading
Lembcke, Spitting Image
Niva, Jeffords, Baudrillard Articles
5/2 Tuesday Lecture
5/2 Tuesday Seminar
5/3 Wed Workshop
“Vietnam Syndrome” and US Culture/Foreign Policy
Lembcke, All; Jeffords’ Article
Guest Speaker: Jennifer Harbury/Torture;
Writing a Film Review, Assignment
Lessons of Vietnam War paper due
5/3 Wed Film Series
“Rambo: First Blood, Part II”
5/5 Friday Lecture
Virtual War in the Gulf
5/5 Friday Seminar
Niva, Baudrillard Articles
Week Six: Contextualizing the Iraq War
May 9-12
Reading
Khalidi, Resurrecting Empire;
Research Unit, Behind The Invasion
Handout Articles
5/9 Tuesday Lecture
5/9 Tuesday Seminar
5/10 Wed Workshop
5/10 Wed Film Series
5/12 Friday Lecture
5/12 Friday Seminar
Film Review DUE
Western Intervention in the Middle East
Khalidi, Ch’s 1-3;
Video/Discussion: The Oil Factor
Why Iraq? Why War?
Khalidi, Ch’s 4-end; Research Unit, Ch’s 1-2
Week Seven: The Iraq War
May 16-19
Reading
Riverbend, Baghdad Burning
Handout Articles
5/16 Tuesday Lecture
5/16 Tuesday Seminar
5/17 Wed Workshop
Guest Speaker: retired military officer, Floyd Churchill, and
Pierce College instructor on Vietnam/Iraq war, The case for
the Wars
Riverbend, pp.s 1-111; Research Unit, Ch’s 3-4
Historical Assessment Workshop;
Video: “Control Room”
5/17 Wed Film Series
5/19 Friday Lecture
Guest Speakers: Iraq War Veterans
5/19 Friday Seminar
Riverbend, 111-end
Historical Assessment DUE
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Week Eight: Comparing the Wars
May 23-26
Reading
Brightman, Total Insecurity
Naomi Klein Article (“Year Zero”)
5/23 Tuesday Lecture
5/23 Tuesday Seminar
5/24 Wed Workshop
5/24 Wed Film Series
5/26 Friday Lecture
5/26 Friday Seminar
Comparing the Wars
Brightman, 1-6; Klein Article
Research Project Workshop (Thesis DUE)
Guest Speakers Anti-War Activism and Strategy
Brightman, 7-end
Week Nine: Iraq War at Home
May 30-June 2
Reading
Cole, Enemy Aliens
Arnove and other articles, Withdrawal from Iraq?
5/30 Tuesday Lecture Guest Speakers: Immigrants, Patriot Act and Civil Liberties
5/30 Tuesday Seminar Cole, Parts 1-2
5/31 Wed Workshop
Debating Withdrawal Workshop
5/31 Wed Film Series
6/2 Friday Lecture
New Global Disjuncture
6/2 Friday Seminar
Cole, Parts 3-4
Withdrawal Paper DUE
Week Ten: Final Presentations and Conclusion
June 6-9
6/6 Tuesday Presentations
6/6 Tuesday Seminar
6/7 Wed Presentations
6/9 Friday Presentations
6/9 Friday Presentations
Evaluation Week:
June 12-16
Don’t make travel plans until you’ve spoken with your seminar leader about scheduling
an evaluation meeting.
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