why did the USA go to war in Vietnam and why they lost, what did the civil rights movements of the 1950s, 60s and 1970s achieve into the 1980s, and how do we understand the Right Turn of the 1980s

You are expected to make arguments, which requires that all ideas are logically coherent and are supported with evidence. Without evidence you are only making assertions, which cannot be properly evaluated. Without logic and coherence, you are simply rambling. Any argument will be considered, as long it is coherent and supported by specific historical evidence. Deal with one topic per paragraph, use topic sentences and the active voice. See below for guidance: ​ 

http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk5.html 

 You are expected to review all of the sources and all sections of the textbook in order to understand the issues, although for analytic clarity you will focus on some sections and but a few sources. The most successful essays will use sources from BOTH Yawp/Boyer AND Cobbs. 

 That said, the greatest emphasis should be on the primary sources and interpretive essays from Major Problems. No matter what, you are primarily answering the central question of the essay. This assignment will answer why did the USA go to war in Vietnam and why they lost, what did the civil rights movements of the 1950s, 60s and 1970s achieve into the 1980s, and how do we understand the Right Turn of the 1980s, providing specific historical evidence. 

 Cold War II Cobbs and Gjerde, “Vietnam (3d ed)” Cobbs and Gjerde, “Sixties and Vietnam (4th ed)” “Introduction, Ho Chi Minh, Eisenhower, Ball (3d ed)” “Introduction, Farmer, Draftee, “Country Joe” (4th ed)” Lind, “Necessary War,” and Lawrence, “Mistake (3d ed) Logevall, “Flawed Decisions, Terrible Consequences (4th ed)” 

 IF YAWP Chapter 27 “The Sixties” sections on “Kennedy and Cuba” and “Origins of the Vietnam War” Chapter 28 “The Unraveling” sections on “The Strain of Vietnam” IF BOYER Boyer, “Vietnam,” 

1. Why did the USA go to war in Vietnam? How did North Vietnam win? (30%) 

 What were the arguments made by US leaders for the war in Vietnam? What was the reality? For examples why did Truman ignore Ho Chi Minh and reject the proposed 1956 elections? What went wrong? How did the North Vietnamese win? As with the Cold War essay above EXPLICITLY address the “rhetoric versus reality” or “words versus actions” of US policymakers. 

 Extra Credit There are many explanations or theories regarding what went wrong in Vietnam: (3d ed) Mark Lawrence argues that it was errors by the Western allies overall, and not simply the USA. Lind does not dispute that the USA lost the war, but argues that they were “forced” to wage the war to maintain credibility. Where does he see the problems with Vietnam? What errors does he acknowledge? Which argument is more convincing? (4th ed) Frederik Logevall argues that the poor decisions of LBJ and many other policymakers were decisive, and that it as the “path of least resistance.” Explain. 

 Affluence and Civil Rights (40%) ​

 IF YAWP ​Chapter 26 “The Affluent Society” Chapter 27 “The Sixties” especially sections on “The Civil Rights Movement Continues,” “Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society” and “Beyond Civil Rights” Chapter 28 “The Unraveling” especially sections on “Racial, Social and Cultural Anxieties,” and “Politics of Love, Sex and Gender” Chapter 29 “The Triumph of the Right” especially “African American Life in Reagan’s America” Chapter 30 “The Recent Past” especially “Great Recession” and “New Horizons” ​

IF BOYER Boyer, Chapter 27, “Midcentury,” ​Boyer, Chapter 28, “Liberalism” (esp. “The Continuing Struggle for Black Equality”) ​Boyer, Chapter 29, “Upheaval” (esp. “Divided Nation, Crises at Home”) Boyer, Chapter 30, “End of the Cold War” (esp. “Divided Nation, Crises at Home”) Boyer, Chapter 31, “Changing Nation” (esp. “Divided Nation, Crises at Home”) Cobbs and Gjerde, “Affluence” “Intro, Fourth of July, College Women, Perfect Wife, Other America, Friedan” Coontz, “Way We Never Were (3d ed)” “Intro, Security Risks, Perfect Wife, Harlem Disc Jockey, Friedan” May, “Nuclear Cocoon (4th ed)” ​Cobbs and Gjerde, “Civil Rights” “Introduction, Brown v Board, Rosa Parks, Self-Defense, Equality, la Raza, Alcatraz (3d ed)” “Introduction, Segregation, Fanon, Brown v Board, Southern Congressmen, Church Bombing, Freedom of Marriage, Alcatraz, Chicanas (4th ed)” Cobbs and Gjerde, “New Right” “Introduction, Brown v Board, Rosa Parks, Self-Defense, Equality, la Raza, Alcatraz (3d ed)” “Introduction, Schlafly (3d and 4th ed)” Carter, “The Politics of Race and the New Right,” (3d ed) 

 2. What did the civil rights movements of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s achieve? What was life like for African Americans in the 1980s? Why did these profoundly positive (in terms of equality, freedom and democracy) social changes of the 1950s to 1970s generate SO MUCH anxiety and resistance? Have me moved backwards or stalled on racial equity in the 1970s and 1980s? (40%) 

 The U.S. experienced unprecedented prosperity in the generation after WWII, and in this context oppressed groups fought and struggled to improve their lives and force the nation to protect their rights. Others resisted these changes and, as in the 1920s, many of the struggles were over race and sex. What were the realities of life in the 1950s for black and white families, as well as women, Latinos, Native Americans and “homosexuals?” Discuss the foundations of the Civil Rights Movements for oppressed racial and ethnic groups and for women. Why was black power, defined broadly, so popular among blacks, and so unpopular among whites (including some of those who supported black rights overall)? Why was feminism so resisted by many, including white women? Finally, how did rising economic inequality from the 1980s, mass incarceration from the 1990s, the 2000s financial crisis, etc affect the realities of lives of the poor, including those of color. The primary sources reflect a wide variety of movements and issues. Integrate them into the analysis—to do that, feel free to adapt the essay accordingly. Feel free to delve deeper into issues in which you are particularly interested. 

 3. What did Conservatives (and others) believe went wrong during the 1960s and 1970s? How do we understand the rise of the New Right into the 1980s (30%)? 

 IF YAWP Chapter 28 “The Unraveling” Chapter 29 “The Triumph of the Right”

IF BOYER Boyer, Chapter 30, “Conservative Revival” Disenchantment with the real and apparent failures of the 70s led to the “Right Turn” which at heart rejected much of what defined the era of the 1960s and 1970s. What happened? 

Despite the very real successes noted above, the 1960s and 1970s also saw failures and even the positive changes generated anxieties, as in prior times of social change (like the 1920s or the 1950s). What were these real and perceived issues or problems? Be sure to distinguish between the real and perceived failures of the era. For example, some of the anxieties and fears might have been over changes that were on sum positive but disturbed some people (such as women in the workplace or upward mobility for black people). And some of the failures were obviously real, such as inflation and government deficits. Or of course the defeat in Vietnam. 

Assess the primary merits and successes of the movement, but also note some of the issues. For instance, discuss the Southern Strategy (Boyer) which is analyzed by Carter (Cobbs 3d ed), or Boyer’s emphasis on Evangelical Conservatism (Cobbs, 4th ed). You can follow up with why the Reagan administration was a not able to fulfill some of the promises. For instance, government spending and deficits (Boyer) increased throughout the decade, despite the rhetorical emphasis on “small government,” and economic inequality increased dramatically. 

Whatever the reasons, the New Right transformed US society and culture. Explain some of the outcomes, both positive and negative, as you see them being sure to discuss religion (Falwell, Reagan and Boyer 4th ed, Falwell 3d ed), anti-Government sentiment (Californians Revolt, Reagan and Schulman, 3d ed, Californians,Sierra Club, and Brands, 4th ed), the economy (growth but deficits and downsizing) and foreign policy (end of the Cold War—Graebner et al and Lundestad, 4th ed)

 Readings:

REQUIRED

Cobbs Hoffman, Elizabeth and Jon Gjerde. Major Problems in American History, vol.

II, Since 1865, Fourth Edition. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin)

ISBN-10: 1305585305 (Fourth, 2016)

 

American Yawp, eds. Joseph Locke and Ben Wright (Stanford, CA: Stanford

University Press, 2018) NOTE THIS IS A FREE OPEN SOURCE DIGITAL RESOURCE

 

Boyer, Paul et al. The Enduring Vision, vol II, Since 1865, Advantage Edition, Eighth

Edition. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin, 2014.  

ISBN-13: 978-1285193403