Activity 1 - Why did the US lose the war?

  1. Review - Cut out and examine these cards which show the various reasons for the US defeat in the Vietnam War.
  2. Rank - Rank these 12 cards in a diamond formation with the most important reasons for defeat at the top, and the least important at the bottom. 
  3. Link - Are any of these reasons linked? Draw arrows between them to show the links between different reasons. 
  4. Discuss - Show your completed diamond formation to a partner and explain your perspective on why the US lost the Vietnam War.
  5. Write - Why was the US forced to withdraw from the Vietnam War in failure? Using your notes, write an extended paragraph summarising your perspective on this question.
  6. Extension - Many historians argue that the 1968 Tet Offensive was a key turning point in the US defeat. Read this article - to what extent do you agree with that line of argument?

Activity 2 - How have perspectives evolved?

  1. Examine - Read this article, which outlines five perspectives on whether the US lost the Vietnam War or not. Which view do you agree with the most and why? Support your view with reasons.
  2. Review - Read the three historical perspectives that can be taken on why the US lost the Vietnam War on this worksheet. Then identify key events and historical examples that could be used to support each viewpoint. Use the following sources to help you gather arguments for each perspective:
    1. How Walter Cronkite's broadcast changed the Vietnam War 
    2. Opinion | Why Vietnam Was Unwinnable
    3. What Went Wrong in Vietnam 
    4. Historians and the Vietnam War: The Conflict Over Interpretations Continues
    5. Opinion | Why the US Lost the Vietnam War 
  3. Evaluate - Which historical perspective do you agree with the most and why? Write a paragraph answer explaining your view on the historiography of the Vietnam War.
  4. Explore - Try to research and identify other perspectives on the Vietnam War. How do people view the war today? What new perspectives have emerged?

Activity 3 - How did Nixon end the war?

  1. Identify - Read pages 187-199 of Sanders, V. (2015). Access to History: The Cold War in Asia 1945-93. Make notes on the steps Nixon took between 1968-1973 to end the war in Vietnam. Use the following headings to organise your notes:
    1. Military Solutions - what military actions did Nixon take to resolve the conflict?
    2. Political Solutions - what steps did Nixon take within the US to gain support for his strategy?
    3. Diplomatic Solutions - how did Nixon use foreign policy to bring the war to an end?
  2. Review - Read pages 200-204 of Sanders, V. (2015). Access to History: The Cold War in Asia 1945-93. Make a simple table showing arguments for and against Nixon’s policies.
  3. Discuss - To what extent does Nixon’s Vietnam policy deserve condemnation?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Sanders, V. (2015). Access to History: The Cold War in Asia 1945-93, pp. 187-204
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Weist, A. (2002). Osprey Essential Histories: The Vietnam War, 1956-1975, pp. 80-84
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Hopkins, G. (2000). Historians and the Vietnam War: The Conflict Over Interpretations Continues. Studies in Popular Culture, 23(2), 99-108.
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