HIST 465 Pacific Wars: Korea and Vietnam

Overview of Course

This course will examine the origins, course, and consequences of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In examining the origins of both wars, we will focus on the impact of World War II and how the Cold War and process of decolonization collided in Asia. As Korea is the first major “hot spot” in the Cold War, we will examine the South Korean, North Korean, American, and Chinese perspectives by examining histories, novels, first-hand accounts, memoirs, songs, films, and documentaries about combatants and civilians and the effects of the war on American and Korean society. For the Vietnam War, using similar primary and secondary sources, we will examine the U.S., South Vietnamese, North Vietnamese, and Viet Cong perspectives, with particular attention focused on the period of direct American involvement. Finally, we will consider the legacy of the Vietnam War and its meaning in American and Vietnamese memory as well as its global ramifications through our field experience in Ho Chi Minh City, including visits to the War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace.

Learning outcomes include understanding how the Cold War and process of decolonization led to the outbreak of hostilities in both countries and the extent to which the conflicts were civil wars and/or proxy wars. Students will also assess how the wars affected American, Korean, and Vietnamese soldiers and civilians. Students will analyze how the Korean and Vietnam Wars ended, taking a comparative approach of the global consequences of both wars, including refugee flows, a permanent demilitarized zone at the 38th parallel in Korea, peace and reconciliation in Vietnam, the long-term effects of Agent Orange, and current U.S.-Chinese relations.