Introduction
Known as the longest war in U.S history, the Vietnam war was one of the most tiring wars. American soldiers of the war had to deal with a plethora of hardships, many they're still facing today. Former pilot for the U.S military, Robert Carson has stated that he is on disability and had a quintuple bypass due to Agent Orange. With around 58,000 deaths, the American perspective of the Vietnam war is brutal and exhausting. Even through all of the misfortune, American soldiers are still able to strive for the many years after. One soldier by the name of Peter Matthews was even able to learn something from a diary he found while out in the battlefield.
Task
Throughout this WebQuest, you will learn about the American experience throughout the Vietnam war and the countless amounts of journeys faced.
Process
-Day 1: James T Davis-
James T. Davis was an American soldier who took part in the Vietnam war that killed about 59,000 Americans at the time. What made him different from the other soldiers was that he was the very first American soldier to lose his life in the war. In the history.net article titled He Was the First U.S Soldier Killed in Ground Combat in Vietnam, the author goes into depth telling a story about James Davis.
https://www.historynet.com/first-us-soldier-killed-vietnam/
1. Where is James Davis from?
2. Who was a part of Davis’ team?
3. Where was Davis’ team headed?
4. How did Davis die? Who survived?
5. What Radio research Unit was named after Davis?
-Day 2: U.S Veterans Going Back to Live in Vietnam-
More than 40 years after the end of the Vietnam war, dozens of aging former American soldiers have gone back to the country to live. Some had difficulty adapting to civilian life in the US. Others have gone back in the hope of atoning for wrongs they believe were committed during the war.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36363537
1. When did the first American troops arrive in Da Nang?
2. When did David Clark marry his wife?
3. What did David Clark think about Vietnamese before getting to know the place?
4. How many years did Clark take to come back to Vietnam?
5. Why did Vetter come to Da Nang in November 2012?
-Day 3: The Lost Diary-
As a result of the Vietnam war, many family soldiers are left unknown, and families are left wondering. Peter Matthews was a man who could end the endless wondering for one Vietnamese family. At the end of the war, Matthews found the diary, but figured that it was too beautiful to just hand over. So, he kept it stashed away for 50 years. In this article, we learn about how this diary was able to make its way back home and give a family closure.
1. When did Huy My’s uncle die in the war?
2. Why did Peter Matthew’s keep the diary for so long?
3. What did people call the diary that Matthew’s let them see?
4. How did Matthews get the word around about the diary?
-Day 4: The Mike Troyer Story-
Many perspectives of the Vietnam war are left unheard and untold. Fortunately, the perspectives that we have access to are able to capture the rough and rewarding adventures. The goal of this site is to share the story of an American soldier who fought in the war. The webpage goes into detail about the battle and frustrations Troyer faced while out at war.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/two-days-in-october-enlisted-men-vietnam/
1. What year was Mike Troyer drafted in?
2. Why did Troyer not question/care that he was getting drafted?
3. What is black lions battalion?
-Day 5: Differing Sides-
Because of the many groups that were involved in the war, there were many different views. It is greatly important to learn the information of both sides. Although both sides fought in the war on the very same days, each side is tremendously different. Written by MacKenzie Sigalos CNN news interview titled The Vietnam War: How they saw it from both sides of the divide goes into depth by asking interviewees about their separate experiences with the war on the same day.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/asia/america-vietnam-view-vietnam-war/index.html
1. What is the name of the American soldier who was a pilot in the Vietnam war?
2. How do the feelings of both soldiers differ once the war ended?
3. What did the American soldier experience once the war was over?
4. What health problems is Caron currently facing as a result of the war?
5. From Can’s perspective, how has Vietnam improved?