The USA and the Vietnam War

Module code: HS3634

The USA’s involvement in the Vietnam War was a formative moment for the identity of the USA, and its impact was far greater than anyone could have predicted on both sides. You’ll be looking at the motivations behind America going to war, and the escalation of American troops and fire power in Vietnam from 1945-1975.

The Political upheaval between North and South Vietnam will also be tracked over this period, and various method of resistance used against the USA will be considered. Contextualising Vietnam’s history and relationship to French colonialism is also important to understanding Vietnamese methods of resistance.

How the US state presented the war to American civilians will be central, as well as the way it calculated the ‘successes’ of the war through propaganda. Many people became politicised over the course of the war, as the peace movement grew ever stronger when information leaked through to the American people. You’ll be examining these conflicting aspects, and understanding the motivations and intentions of various groups and individuals over the course of the war.