Three Vietnam Readings

A Dubious Crusade

Dubious (adjective) - questionable or doubtful
Crusade (noun) - a war or agressive movement

The passage is titled "A Dubious Crusade" because the Vietnam War made America question its role as a world superpower. Warren is saying the the Vietnam War was a questionable or doubtful war. This may come up later in our study of Vietnam when we learn about protests against the war, and the effect it had on America's status in the world.

History

The overall theme of the poem is the history of the Vietnam War, and how the whole crusade was simply a giant, pointless killing spree.

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The main thesis of the essay is that the incident which started the Vietnam War is very controversial. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was an approval made by congress to defend United States interests in the area of the Golf of Tonkin. It was made after a US Navy destroyer, the Maddox, was attacked suddenly by North Vietnamese boats. The decision is controversial because President Johnson is suspected to have lied about the attack on the Maddox. This links to the first reading, "A Dubious Crusade," because it shows how overall, the war may have been very pointless.