Mr. Washington's War Historian Web Quest

Introduction:    You are a celebrated historian that was hired to aid the national government with military decisions by offering historical insight.  The United States is preparing to enter a military conflict with a small nation called "Strangelandia" (a fictitious place). You are part of a large collections of historians specializing in different time periods.  The Vietnam conflict is your time period and this situations with "Strangelandia" closely resembles it.  With a partner explore the causes, tactics, successes, failures, and social repercussions of this war.  Organize your findings and  construct a  presentation for your fellow historians telling them what makes us successful in war and what we should avoid.          

 

Task:    
  • Make a list of factors of war that makes our military success and a list that cause them to unsuccessful. 
  • Collect photos or illustrations to support other aspects of the project.
  • Identify similarities and differences of the Vietnam war and The War on Terror.
  • Form an opinion on the Vietnam War and what to do about the impending "Stranglandian War" based on your previously compiled list, and alternatives or improvements that can be made.  

 

Process:   
  1. Explore the recommended websites to get a knowledge based which you will use to start your project.  (within week one)
  2. Create your lists from  your findings. (within week one)
  3. Use the books, databases and search engines  listed in the resources section to make changes  in your list and rank the items in order of most important to least important. (by week two) 
  4. Formulate an opinion. (by week three)
  5. Identify justifications for your opinion. (by week three) 
  6. Draft and complete an opinion paper and  organize a short presentation. (completed by the end of week four)

Resources:

http://www.42explore2.com/vietnam.htm

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr377.shtml

http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=6

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/vm.html

http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/

http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/coldwar/G6/default.htm

http://www.historychannel.com/speeches/archive/speech_208.html

http://www.pwc.k12.nf.ca/coldwar/plain/vietnam.html

http://www.vietnampix.com/

http://grunt.space.swri.edu/letters.htm

http://www.findarticles.com/

 

 

Learning Advice:
  • While wording your opinion be sensitive to our military.  Make sure you do not make your self sound unpatriotic.
  • Formulate a clear opinion.  Do not be ambiguous.  Even if you do not personally agree.   

 

Conclusion :

After completing this project you should be aware of  the harsh realities of war.  As you move into your adult lives you will be given the opportunity to help change the world.  Wars are apart of the reality of human existence and we should be informed about them.  the next time there is a major election think about your project, the opinion you formed, and the facts that support that  oppinion.    

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