Write a research paper explaining why it was so hard for the US to accomplish its objectives in Vietnam.

Write a research paper explaining why it was so hard for the US to accomplish its objectives in Vietnam.Approaching the question: Need to identify the key factors that prevented America from achieving its goals in Vietnam, explaining why these aspects are the most important. Avoid writing a general narrative history of the Vietnam War, and instead focus on some of the key reasons that prevented US progress. The best answers will consider a combination of political and military factors, including those from within Vietnam, recognising the agency of Vietnamese people, and also perspectives from Washington DC. Excellent essays could also look at the role that outside states, including People’s Republic of China and the USSR, played in the Vietcong war effort. This could recognise misalignment between military and political outcomes in the war, such as the flawed assumption that military success could be defined by greater numbers of casualties of Vietcong fighters rather than US soldiers, or that some aspects of the US military effort such as indiscriminate bombing and strategic hamlets were politically counter productive. Students can also consider the protracted American diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end, explaining why these took so long to have effect. Structure: Introduction This explains how the essay will address the question and sets out your argument succinctly. This will typically be about 10% of your essay, ie about 150 words in a 1,500 essay – perhaps 1-2 paragraphs. Body This is a series of paragraphs containing evidence that supports your argument. Each paragraph should advance a single ‘idea.’ Ideally, the opening sentence of the paragraph will be a statement or premise, and the subsequent sentences contain evidence that supports that statement. The body should be about 80% of the entire essay. The paragraphs should be roughly equal in length and not too long – perhaps around 100-200 words each. If the question has two or more elements, you should spend approximately the same number of paragraphs addressing each. Conclusion The conclusion summarises your argument, concisely bringing together the key evidence in one place. This should be approximately 10% of the total essay. Readings for this question that should be referred to in the essay: Best et al, International History in the Twentieth Century and Beyond, pages 315- 329. LOGEVALL, F. 2010. The Indochina Wars and the Cold War, 1945-1975. In: LEFFLER, M. P. & WESTAD, O. A. (eds.) The Cambridge History of the Cold War, Volume II: Crises and Détente. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press ANDERSON, D. L. 1989. Why Vietnam? Postrevisionist Answers and a Neorealist Suggestion. Diplomatic History, 13, 419-29 ALL REFERECES ARE ATTACHED + use at least other 3 sources to support your points. A maximum length of 1,500 words (including references, but not a bibliography). Bibliography: For a 1,500 word essay, you probably want to read at least five articles or book chapters. The bibliography does not count towards word limit, but you will be marked down if you do not include one. The bibliography should take the following format in alphabetical order (by author last name): Authorlastname, Authorfirstname, Book Title Underlined or in Italics (Place, year). Authorlastname, Authorfirstname, ‘Article Title Between Single Quotation Marks’, Journal Title Underlined or in Italics volume:issue [e.g. 17:4] (year), pp. – [inclusive pages of article] Page 4 of 5 What this looks like in practice: Bartov, Omer, Hitler’s Army: Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich (Oxford, 1992). Overy, Richard, Why the Allies Won (London, 1995). Trachtenberg, Marc, ‘Versailles After Sixty Years’, Journal of Contemporary History 27:3 (1982), pp. 487-506 Referencing: This should take the following form: Author’s first name, Author’s last name, Book title, (Place: year), page number(s). What this looks like in practice: 1 David C. Engerman, ‘Ideology and the origins of the Cold War, 1917-1962,’ in M.P. Leffler and O.A. Westad (eds), The Cambridge History of the Cold War, Volume I: Origins (Cambridge, 2010), p.21 2 Valerie Bunce, ‘The empire strikes back: the evolution of the Eastern bloc from a Soviet asset to a Soviet liability.’ International Organization, 39, 1985, pp.45-46 Plagiarism The Turnitin process includes detection of plagiarism. It is not acceptable to copy directly from sources (primary or secondary) without due acknowledgement.

Last Completed Projects