Why Didn’t I Learn About Vietnam?
March 20, 2007
Did you learn about the Vietnam war in history class in middle or high school? Did you learn about the Watergate Scandal? Maybe if we did, our generation would care more about the goings on in today’s government and better understand the importance of participation.
There have been many comparisons drawn between the situation in Iraq and the situation in Vietnam a generation ago. These comparisons speak to the similarities in the shady nature in which the conflicts were handled by the US government, the way that those that did not blindly support the war were ridiculed and negatively typecasted as weak pacifists, how so many principled politicians sat by idly as thousands of soldiers were killed in another country’s civil war, and the idea of the domino theory that once “applied” to communism now “applies” to terrorism.
One thing that characterized the US during the Vietnam War was the effectiveness of protests. There have been protests to the conflict in Iraq since before it began, and the momentum that they are building is reminiscent of those that took place in the 1960s and 70s against Vietnam. These public citizen actions were a catalyst for the Congressional action that ultimately ended the war. Prayerfully, the same will be said about Iraq protests in the very near future.
So why don’t curriculum designers teach students about their country’s activist past? Why don’t standardized tests include reading comprehension sections comprised of pieces describing Vietnam, a war that was taking place only 3 decades ago? It’s hard to believe that this is not on purpose.
What’s the solution?
Contemporary study should cover contemporary events. If you are a parent, why not lobby your school board/district to have unit(s) on Vietnam added? At least ask the question. If it can be done over the useless Intelligent Design debate, it surely can be done over a subject in which a student’s knowledge can allow them to immediately take action in the world today. If you are a student, write a compare-contrast paper on America during Vietnam and America during today’s Iraq conflict. Doing so will educate yourself, your peers, and your instructors. If you are just a concerned citizen, read up on Vietnam.
It’s important to answer questions, especially ones that are never asked.
Categories
Education
History
Politics
Foreign Policy
Iraq
So-called “War on Terror”
Comments
2 Responses to “Why Didn’t I Learn About Vietnam?”
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That’s a really good point. The call is always to learn from the past in creating and building leaders for the future. But relegating Vietnam to one of those subjects that you should take your own time and research does absolutely no justice to the importance of the conflict in American history [even if it's just showing that America may have messed up here and there]. Plus, it makes no sense to say that the same history we should be learning from is not far enough in America’s rear-view to be learned from in comparison to conflicts arising today. Sort of seems like speaking out of both sides of one’s mouth to me. A historical moment is a historical moment. I especially appreciate the call for students to do their own compare-contrast paper on the subject. There’s a wealth of knowledge that could be gained from that exercise - more than you might get by just following a couple headlines and calling yourself “educated” on the topic.
“The more things change…”
Thanks Kyle.
Maybe the issue is how history education is perceived and/or approached.
There are at least two schools of thought:
The Academic Approach
You should learn history so that you can internalize the knowlege
The Activist Approach
You should learn history so you can act on the knowledge
Depending on the context, either or both can be appropriate. I would error on the side of The Activist Approach because I think that it is more beneficial to individuals and society as a whole tho have people who not only know their history but who can use that history to effect change in the present.