HIST 458(S) The Vietnam War and American Life, 1961-75 (Same as Leadership Studies 458)

This course will examine the Vietnam war on two fronts: the actual war, an unsuccessful attempt to stop the spread of Communism into South Vietnam that became the most controversial conflict since the Civil War, and the broader, simultaneous changes in American society to which it made such a profound and lasting contribution. The first half of the course will examine the decisions that led the United States into the war, the course of the fighting, the strategy of the enemy, and the reasons for our departure. The second half will begin with a look at the United States in 1961 and show how the war, combined with the advent of the Boom generation, transformed virtually every aspect of American life over the following fifteen years, and laid the foundation for the political conflicts that have dominated American society ever since.
Format: seminar. Evaluation will be based on class participation and a major research paper (20- to 25-pages) based at least partly on primary documents.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 15 (expected: 15). Preference given to History majors and Leadership Studies concentrators.
Group A

Hour: KAISER