Brady D C Block

Vietnam Times

April,1970

Soldier’s prepping to fight in tanks

BY: BRADY DOUGLAS

PREVIEW

B Block

- Soldiers Experience - Tools of the trade - The Enemy [1]

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Table of Contents • Cover •Opening

1

•Soldiers experience •Tools of the trade

4

3 5 6

•The Enemy •Letter home

7 8-11

•Lexicon •Bibliography

12

[2]

Images

COMING HOME

Pictured on the left is a group of soldiers getting on a plane to go home

Pictured below is a map of where Vietnam is located

The Vietnam War in a nut shell imagine a year of pain, confusion,

Fighting in the Vietnam war was no

violence, and misery... War. The Vietnam war was a long, bloody, and tactical based war between Communists (NVA) and noncommunists ( South Vietnam, USA ).

easy task, especially for the Most soldiers served for 12 months in the war

soldiers. THE conditions were very harsh while in the jungle.

It was rough terrain, with moist, humid, and thick conditions. Not

to mention grueling heat. (A1) EVENTS OUTSIDE OF WAR

JFK IS ELECTED ON NOVEMBER 1960

THE ESCAPE OF ALCATRAZ JAIL 1962

NELSON MANDELA 1964

FIRST SUPER BOWL 1967

JFK wins election, a democrat from Massachusetts.

The famous escape of Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin, and John Anglin from Alcatraz.

Nelson Mandela, a civil rights activist and spokesperson, is sentenced to life in jail.

The first super bowl is played between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

[3]

HELL ON EARTH April, 1970

Family The soldiers were able to communicate with their families rarely, but when they did, they wrote letters.

A young soldier writes home in his free time

LIFE OF A SOLDIER AT WAR Soldiers told stories of seeing the beautiful land scape of Vietnam, at the top of a mountain. It truly was a beautiful place, but it had been torn apart by war.

Soldiers Experience

new soldiers that they should

(A1) Not only were the

not make any companions,

conditions rough, but the mental capacity it took for a 19 year old man to be in the war was extreme. The soldiers had to be away from their families, and have their buddies next to them die. In fact death was so common, that it was told to

because they could die any day.

Soldiers tried to keep a positive attitude in the hell like environments, they would go to small bars near the platoons when they had time. “We are the best soldiers in the world... our spirit is indomitable.�

-Corporal John. T

[4]

Image Above: Above is a line of soldiers being led into warfare in Vietnam.

loading ammo. The M-16 was made of aluminum which was very tactically, and weapon wise in the persistent against the weather.

The M-60 machine gun was war compared to the North similar to the M-16, but it packed a Vietnamese serious punch for a light weight gun. The M-60 could shoot up to Even though the USA did not 1,200 yards, or 12 football fields. technically speaking, they did dominate the war with their tactics You wouldn’t wanna be on the wrong side of that bullet. It was and weapons. Some of the most similar to the M-16 by being very commonly used, and most portable in the jungle, and very effective weapons were the M-16 common amongst soldiers. machine gun, the M-60 machine Now for the real king of the gun, and the AH-1G Cobra gunship. They almost had so much jungle. The AH-1G Cobra gunship.

The Cobra’s would go in strafe new technology, they didn’t even runs, protecting the ground use it. soldiers and giving them a view. It The M-16 was mostly used in sprayed bullets down, from a mini the first part of the war. It was an gun. And to add to the vicious fire extremely popular gun for most soldiers. It was a light weight gun, power, were some stacked up grenade launchers. with magazine clips, easy for re The USA was very strong

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Images

Above are the M-16 machine gun, the M-60, and the Cobra.

A present day soldier with a M-16

[5]

in the world. Minh then traveled back to his home country, Vietnam, which was still at war against the The main leader of the North Vietnamese, the communists, was French. After this war Vietnam spilt Ho Chi Minh. Minh was born into a into North and South. The Viet Minh was the controlling force of communist family on May 19, the North, along with the Vietcong 1890. French was ruling Vietnam Guerrillas . Minh was the leader of which was where he lived, so these groups, the communists. naturally he was against the By 1965 the USA began to take French. And this was where the fire action. The South Vietnamese were started to catch. being attacked by the North When Minh grew older he profusely, and the South was going began to travel around the world, to become communist, uniting mostly for experience. While in Vietnam once again, now under China he created a communist Communist rule. The USA did not party, called the Viet Minh, which want Vietnam to become came to be the enemy vs the communist, because then South Vietnamese and the USA. communism could spread into After creating this communist other places like China. The USA party Minh traveled to Moscow, preventing communism was the Russia to learn about becoming a leader in the communist movement major motive to fight in the war.

The Enemy, Ho Chi Minh and the North Vietnamese

COMMUNISTS

A North Vietnamese Soldier

Images Pictured above are symbols of the North Vietnam and Communism. Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh City, and the communist flag are all pictured here.

The Vietnam War was a very horrible time. Technically the USA did not win the war either, leaving some to argue that maybe it was pointless, wasting all of that time and moeney. Sadly, soldiers returning from was were mistreated terribly when they got home, from hell. This magazine article is a tribute to the fallen soldiers of the Vietnam War. Nobody should have to suffer like this.

[6]

RICKS LETTER HOME

friends, says we are all Gods son, but that we are serving our country. I try to think that my life is in Dear Mom, danger, and I should fight My time in war has been for my life. But they have a tough, I was not expecting family just like me, a mom, it to be so mentally and dad. I keep second exhausting. I have broken guessing my self, I say down crying to many times, what the tough guys want am I really a man? And to to hear, but deep down tell you the truth mother, I inside I don’t know what I killed a man. I wouldn’t say should feel. So mom I ask I’m proud of it like it’s a you, is killing a man trophy, I do not know what wrong? to feel. Kent, one of my

Ricks Mom’s response:

Dear Rick, I’m glad to hear you are alive. And honestly I’m having a hard time picturing you killing someone, but it is a part of war. Stay strong, and protect yourself and your fellow soldiers. Let your training kick in, and fight for your country. In reality people die everyday. Killing a man is pretty much your job. Soldiers are trained to do it. Stay safe- Mom

Lexicon Organizer ​

Vietnam War

Choose 20 words from your bookmark that BEST REFLECT the historical time period in which your book takes plac ORGANIZE the words in ​ALPHABETICAL ORDER​!!!

Word

Part of Speech (noun, verb, adj)

Definition (in context with the story)

Sentence from book & Page #

1. Bien Hoa

Noun

A town in Vietnam

2. Cobra

noun

A Cobra was an Guns of War attack helicopter that was loaded with guns.

The Cobra was a deadly attack helicopt that was used in straf runs, mowing down enemies, while providing a view for fo soldiers. It was very popular in the Vietnam War.

3. Communists Noun

A political group in North Vietnam.

“ The Communists shouldn’t be coming in there and taking over everything” (28)

Communism and Anticommunism were the main causes of th war, North vs South.

4. Charlie Rangers

The Charlie Rangers “The North Vietnamese liked to was the group Rick set up ambushes like the was in, it was the Charlie Rangers.” (88) special task force that Rick chose to

The Charlie Rangers were an actual group the Vietnam War, Ric is in it in the story

noun

“Rick’s bus passed through a ramshackle town called Bien Hoa.” (65)

How is this wor meaningful to th time period of you book? Explain.

Bien Hoa was one of the many run down, dirty towns in Vietnam

Lexicon Organizer ​

Vietnam Wa

Choose 20 words from your bookmark that BEST REFLECT the historical time period in which your book takes ORGANIZE the words in ​ALPHABETICAL ORDER​!!! be in. A group of 6 men 5. Fort Ord

noun

A training camp that “The time at Fort Ord was attended while in the challenging in one way.” (50) army.

6. French

Noun

The country that is helping South Vietnam as well as the states.

“ They’ve been fighting us, and the French forever, they won’t stop.” (79)

The French playe role in the beginn the war, first to he South.

7. “Gooks”

Noun

The term used by soldiers for Vietnamese people from the North, kind of racist term.

“ And we’ll kill gooks till the streets run with blood,” (30)

The Vietnamese p were disliked by t American soldiers came up with the term.

8. “High and tight”

Adjective

The description for a “His hair was cut “high and stereotypical soldier, tight” like Rick had seen in the their hair was high movies” (26) and tight.

This shows the cu of the army, very professional.

9. “Homo”

adjective/noun

The drill sergeants were very hard and rude to the trainees, cussing a lot.

This slur was rele the time period be it showed how thi have changed, no politically correct

10. Ho Chi Minh

noun

Ho Chi Minh was the http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/his

“accusing him of looking like a homo” (50)

Ho Chi Minh led t

Lexicon Organizer ​

Vietnam War

Choose 20 words from your bookmark that BEST REFLECT the historical time period in which your book takes place.

ORGANIZE the words in ​ALPHABETICAL ORDER​!!!

man who led the communists against South Vietnam.

toric_figures/ho_chi_minh.shtml communists, he was born into being against non-­communism and the French by his father.

Born 1890-­ died 1969

11. “I wrote her”

verb

People wrote to one another back then, especially in the army.

“I wrote her the other day, but she didn’t write back” (58)

Rick had broken up with Judy, and he missed her. Also, the way he says “I wrote her” is not like English we use today, it is old fashion.

12. Lyndon Johnson

noun

A president during the war

http://thevietnamwar.info/us-­pre Johnson sent the first sidents-­during-­the-­vietnam-­war/ combat troops to war, and also made the airstrike Rolling Thunder. Also created the draft for war.

13. M-­60 machine gun

noun

The M-­60 machine gun was one of the most common hand held weapons in this day and age, Rick uses a M-­60

“ The helicopter gunner, part of the helicopter team, was also readying his M-­60 machine gun.” (85)

The M-­60 was a very commonly used gun in the Vietnam War.

14. platoon

noun

The subdivision that Rick was in, commanded by a lieutenant, with other

“Some of these guys in our platoon are pretty crazy-­ you know really ​into​ what we do in the jungle.” (79-­80)

This was part of an army, in Vietnam. It was the people you may have gotten to know

Lexicon Organizer ​

Vietnam War

Choose 20 words from your bookmark that BEST REFLECT the historical time period in which your book takes place.

ORGANIZE the words in ​ALPHABETICAL ORDER​!!! groups of soldiers.

15.Richard Nixon

noun

A president during the war

while fighting. http://thevietnamwar.info/us-­pre Nixon moved the war sidents-­during-­the-­vietnam-­war/ Laos and Cambodia, trying to weaken the enemy by taking away food supply, weapons ect. He also pretty much ended the war, and didn’t get the NVA to sign a peace treaty. He resigned.

16. “ Search and verb Destroy”

This was what Ricks “We kill them if we can, it’s team did, they called Search and Destroy.” searched for targets, (78) and then killed them.

This was relevant to Rick being in the Vietnam war, it was one of the tactics/jobs.

17. Sergeant

Sergeant Zeller is Ricks leader in his camp, he takes orders from him, things like that.

“ All right, sergeant.” (95)

Sergeants were apart of all camps in any war, in Vietnam they gave commands, and had worked their way up on the food chain.

18. Tet Offensive noun

This was a very bloody battle and famous one that was fought in the Vietnam War.

“But since the Tet Offensive-­ The Tet Offensive is a and the all the withdrawal big, famous battle in the plans-­ men just worry about the Vietnam War. problem right in front of them.”

(79)

19. Ton Son

The airfield that Rick “When Rick stepped off the

noun

noun

This is still an actual

Lexicon Organizer ​

Vietnam War

Choose 20 words from your bookmark that BEST REFLECT the historical time period in which your book takes place.

ORGANIZE the words in ​ALPHABETICAL ORDER​!!!

Nhut Airfield

20. Vietnam

noun

landed in when he arrived in Vietnam.

plane at Ton Son Nhut airfield in Vietnam, he experienced a wave of heat unlike anything he’d ever experienced before” (65)

airport in Vietnam. Goes to show that there are real facts and people in Search and Destroy​.

The country that was divided and where the war is fought mainly.

“Maybe I should go to Vietnam” (25)

Vietnam is the country that caused the war, which the Americans came to help in.

Works Cited BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"History Rocks: Vietnam Soldier Video." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Hughes, Dean. Search and Destroy. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Rosenberg, Jennifer. "A Detailed History Timeline of the 1960s." N.p., n.d.

Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"Soldier+writing+a+letter+home+vietnam - Google Search." Soldier+writing +a+letter+home+vietnam - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Weapons of War. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2000. Print.