ROE - History of the Vietnam War

History of the Vietnam War

Rules of Engagement
(syllabus)

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Rules of Engagement (ROE): Directives issued by competent military authority which delineate the circumstances and limitations under which ... forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered.
(Joint Publication 1-02)

Contents: Overview • Readings • Grading • Attendance • Class Decorum • Student Integrity • Office Hours

Course Overview
As stated in the Objectives, "History of the Vietnam War" is intended to provide the student with a working knowledge of the issues of war in the modern era as they apply to the Vietnam War in the context of the Cold War.

This will be an intense course. There is a lot of material to be covered in 6 weeks/24 lessons, and a large portion of the knowledge to be gained from the course will come from the readings. Classes will be conducted as a combination of lecture and group discussion to emphasize key points and help you to develop a personal understanding of the subject. You will need to keep up with the readings to take maximum advantage of your class experience. You will be responsible for all the assigned material even if it is not discussed in class. Similarly, you will be held responsible for material presented in class that is not in the readings. See Class Attendance (below).

Readings
There is no textbook for this course. All of the readings will be online. There is a wealth of excellent primary and secondary sources available on the Internet, and we will take advantage of what technology has made available to us.

There is a Lessons page on this Web site that can be accessed from the top banner of every page. This is your schedule of instruction. It contains the class dates grouped by week and the topics to be covered that week. Each topic is a linked to a page for that lesson containing Lesson Objectives, Assignment, and Study Guides.

Most of the lesson pages will begin with one or more "Maxims of Moment" -- quotations of historical or cultural significance to establish the tone for the lesson. These maxims will be considered part of the course body of knowledge and will be subject to inclusion in evaluation material (quizzes and exams).

In the Assignment section for every lesson will be a subsection for Readings. These are mandatory readings and are the sources upon which the class discussions, quizzes, and other graded exercises will be based. The readings will range from excerpts of books to papers by military and academic experts to after-action reports and memoirs from actual participants in the events. Maps, timelines, or relevant images (historic and contemporary) and multimedia presentations also are provided for illustration. Some readings will be from wargamers and military re-enactors who tend to be sticklers for detail but weak on documentation. These readings are included because of the wealth of detail they provide, and I have made every effort to verify the accuracy of the material from other sources.

Most lessons will have an additional subsection for Supplemental Resources. These are provided for those who may seek additional depth on a topic and are optional reading for all.

Grading
Your grade will be based on the following weighting:
      • Attendance & Class Participation: 20%
      • Homework: 25%
      • In-class Exams: (2) 30%
      • Final Exam: 25%    (will cover the entire semester)

You can anticipate the following letter grade point distribution:
      • A: 90-100%
      • B: 80-89%
      • C: 70-79%
      • D: 60-69%
      • F: < 60%

Attendance
Class attendance is mandatory. I will be putting a lot of time into the lectures to make them a meaningful experience, and I think you will find them interesting and useful. There will be material in the presentations for which you will be responsible on examinations. I will make accommodation for bonafide emergencies, but otherwise graded material cannot be made up.

Class Decorum
We have a lot of material to cover this semester, so the classes will start promptly at the scheduled time. Out of respect to your classmates and me, please be in the classroom and ready to go at class start time.

Please get in the habit of turning off your cell phone as you enter class, again out of respect for others.

Student Integrity
You are expected to adhere to the Academic Honor Code as amplified in Section XVIII of the Georgia Tech catalog. Specifically, any material you submit for a grade must be your own. Any words, ideas or other material of others in this material must be appropriately noted and documented. You are encouraged to study with other students and discuss the issues raised in class -- this is an excellent way to enhance your understanding of the material. You also are encouraged to discuss the topics of any analytical (writing) assignments, but the work you submit must be your own writing and thoughts with appropriate documentation.

Office Hours
I will be available every day after class to discuss any questions or issues you may wish to raise. Detailed office hours will be established once the class begins, but you always can request an appointment by email (tpilsch@cc.gatech.edu) to ensure that I will be there when you come by.

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