HIST 250 - The Vietnam War

Credits: 5
Traces the background of the Vietnam War to the eventual direct involvement of the United States, Russia and China in the revolt of the Vietnamese against French colonialism in Indo-China. A major portion of the course deals with the period from the defeat of the French at Dienbienphu in 1954 to the defeat of South Vietnam by the North in April 1975. Examines recent historical interpretations and debates over the war.

Enrollment Requirement: Eligible for ENGL& 101 or instructor consent.

Satisfies Requirement: Social Science
Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Understand the geographical and cultural complexity within the region.
Learn both short and long range cause and effect of the historical forces at work upon the Vietnamese in particular.
Learn the cause and effect of the first and second Vietnam War.
Learn the sequence of major historical events during the wars.
Study various historical interpretations of the war and the debate over legacies of the wars.

Program Outcomes

Analyze how historical developments have various effects on people based on one or more of the following areas: geographical location, race, ethnicity, cultural traditions, gender and class.
Distinguish between opinions, facts, and evidence-based interpretations.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning - Quantitative Reasoning encompasses abilities necessary for a student to become literate in today’s technological world. Quantitative reasoning begins with basic skills and extends to problem solving.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.