English III: The Things They Carried
Sample Resources
For this project, you must gather information about an aspect of the Vietnam War or the 1960s and investigate how it was depicted during its time and how it has come to be viewed in contemporary times.
In order to complete this assignment, you will need to look at both primary and secondary sources. Below you will find sample resources that demonstrate the types of materials required.
SAMPLE TOPIC: The Vietnam Draft
PRIMARY SOURCES
Fortunate Son: Song & Lyrics
By: John Fogarty
Date: 1969
Source: Creedence Clearwater Revival. "Fortunate Son." Willy and the Poorboys. Jondora Music, 1969.
About the Author: John Fogarty founded Creedence Clearwater Revival, the leading American rock band from 1969 to 1971. The album Willy and the Poor Boys with the song, "Fortunate Son," came out in November 1969 and quickly became platinum-selling.
Fortunate SonPresident Johnson Increases Troop Numbers
British PatheDate: 1965In a major escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that the military was sending 50,000 additional troops to the country, forming a total force of 125,000 soldiers. Draft notices were also increased from 17,000 to 35,000 a month. The draft buildup contributed to a growing antiwar movement on college campuses across the country.
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LIFE Magazine Archive
Google Books
Date: Various
Be sure to check out the LIFE Magazine archives available through Google Books. You can search on the left side by typing in keywords for your topic and checking the box to "Search all issues."
For the Vietnam Draft, articles are available in the following issues:
August 20, 1965
December 9, 1966
Click the logo to access the archive
A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH...
Draft Card Burning ProtestDraft Card Burning Protest
Be sure to look out for these resources with a little of both primary and secondary source information! The beginning of this article provides secondary source information for context and the end is a document published during the war.
SECONDARY SOURCES
Anti-communist fervor prompted American involvement in Vietnam. Kennedy and Johnson committed young men to the cause via the draft — and public opinion initially supported the drums of war. But anti-war protestors gradually gained support as rising draft numbers made it impossible to ignore the reality of combat.
In the tumult of the Vietnam War protests, Congress declared destroying draft cards a federal crime. Tom Cornell and David McReynolds took their chances with civil disobedience, and were among the organizers of a legendary draft card burning in Union Square. Protestors and counter-protestors clashed as draft cards went up in flames.
McNamaras_Folly.PDF"McNamara's Folly"
DESPERATE FOR TROOPS TO SEND TO VIETNAM, DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT MACNAMARA HAD A PLAN TO LOWER ENLISTMENT STANDARDS. HIS PLAN BACKFIRED.
Gregory, Hamilton. "McNamara's Folly." Vietnam, vol. 30, no. 1, June 2017, pp. 50+. Gale AcademicOneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A490622610/AONE?u=maine&sid=AONE.&xid=0d8afb24.Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.