Thursday, November 30, 2006
The Peace Symbol originated in Britain during the 1950's anti-nuclear weapons protests
One of the most widely known symbols in the world, in Britain it is recognised as standing for nuclear disarmament – and in particular as the logo of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). In the United States and much of the rest of the world it is known more broadly as the peace symbol. It was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a professional designer and artist and a graduate of the Royal College of Arts.
This background, from a site with the UC Berkely library , also says:
The symbol almost at once crossed the Atlantic. Bayard Rustin, a close associate of Martin Luther King had come over from the US in order to take part in that first Aldermaston March. He took the symbol back to the United States where it was used on civil rights marches. Later it appeared on anti-Vietnam War demonstrations and was even seen daubed in protest on their helmets by American GIs. Simpler to draw than the Picasso peace dove, it became known, first in the US and then round the world as the peace symbol. It appeared on the walls of Prague when the Soviet tanks invaded in 1968, on the Berlin Wall, in Sarajevo and Belgrade, on the graves of the victims of military dictators from the Greek Colonels to the Argentinian junta, and most recently in East Timor.
What happened to the US in Vietnam: an essay due Tues, Dec 5
This week we will culminate our study of Vietnam and the Vietnam conflict by composing a brief essay. Due Tues, the essay will be based on the 5 presidents Timeline and other notes.
Please attend to ...
- Snammy title.
- explanatory subtitle.
- colorful opening.
- logical order.
- specific examples (ie, "It was the longest war in US history." Make sure you add "US troops were involved on Vietnamese soil from 1954 to 1975."
- documentation: use "according to ..." in first paragraph.
In class we will write an outline and draft. At home students will be expected to write and type the 1-page essay.
15 pts.
Please attend to ...
- Snammy title.
- explanatory subtitle.
- colorful opening.
- logical order.
- specific examples (ie, "It was the longest war in US history." Make sure you add "US troops were involved on Vietnamese soil from 1954 to 1975."
- documentation: use "according to ..." in first paragraph.
In class we will write an outline and draft. At home students will be expected to write and type the 1-page essay.
15 pts.
A laptop for Christmas? I recommend it for your strongest consideration
Not all parents will understand or agree with my recommendation of a laptop-type computer for Xmas, but you might hear me out.
1) The mobility of a laptop means you can take your work with you on errands and trips and while waiting. Many CMHS students sit beside the building and use the Caddo wireless signal before and after school.
2) I believe that students who use them in the classroom may get more out of the class period. Students can use them to take notes, compose essays, keep their assignments and aid the teacher by researching impromptu definitions and background info. The teacher will monitor their use by visually checking the student screen. If students go off task regularly the teacher may ask the student to forego laptop use for a certain amount of time.
3) Portable computers allow the family to work together. If Dad is making supper, the student can do homework in the kitchen. If Mom is relaxing with a magazine, the student can pursue their work nearby. Parental overview is one of the keys to success.
4) A wireless router, about $50, is a key to round-the-house laptop usability.
5) Laptops have fallen in price. The computer market is becoming saturated and computer companies have to be aggressively competitive.
6) Laptops can give parents a bargaining tool. The leverage point can become, "If you do this much work, I'll allow you this much personal computer time."
The idea is certainly worth investigating and debating.
Looking at an alternative student present? A digital camera with 512 mb memory card will be most useful at school and home.
1) The mobility of a laptop means you can take your work with you on errands and trips and while waiting. Many CMHS students sit beside the building and use the Caddo wireless signal before and after school.
2) I believe that students who use them in the classroom may get more out of the class period. Students can use them to take notes, compose essays, keep their assignments and aid the teacher by researching impromptu definitions and background info. The teacher will monitor their use by visually checking the student screen. If students go off task regularly the teacher may ask the student to forego laptop use for a certain amount of time.
3) Portable computers allow the family to work together. If Dad is making supper, the student can do homework in the kitchen. If Mom is relaxing with a magazine, the student can pursue their work nearby. Parental overview is one of the keys to success.
4) A wireless router, about $50, is a key to round-the-house laptop usability.
5) Laptops have fallen in price. The computer market is becoming saturated and computer companies have to be aggressively competitive.
6) Laptops can give parents a bargaining tool. The leverage point can become, "If you do this much work, I'll allow you this much personal computer time."
The idea is certainly worth investigating and debating.
Looking at an alternative student present? A digital camera with 512 mb memory card will be most useful at school and home.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Class of 2010 talent Show
Please enjoy the show on Fri, Dec 1, 7 pm, PAC at CMHS. bring your friends. $5.
The significant stimulation of a tiny shot of espresso
Espresso (Italian) is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing very hot, but not boiling, water under high pressure through coffee that has been ground to a consistency between extremely fine and powder. It was invented and has undergone development in Milan, Italy since the beginning of the 20th century, but up until the mid 1940s it was a beverage produced solely with steam pressure. The invention of the spring piston lever machine and its subsequent commercial success changed espresso into the beverage we know of today, produced with between 9 and 10 atmospheres of pressure.
Wikipedia.com
Wikipedia.com
The global peregrinations of the potable known as Qahwah, or Coffee
An outline of the history of the spread of coffee (qahwah, Arabic):
1. Ethiopian origins.
2. Mocha, Yemen.
3. Arabian peninsula and nearby nations such as Turkey & Egypt.
4. Europeans
- coffee houses in London, Amsterdam, Vienna & Paris were centers for writers and thinkers in 1700's.
5. Spread of coffee cultivation via the European colonies.
6. Java, Indonesia and other Asian nations, such as India and Vietnam.
7. East Africa, ex. Kenya.
8. Brazil (largest crop in the world) and other South American nations such as Colombia.
9. Caribbean nations such as Jamaica.
Italian terms:
- espresso
- cappucino
- latte
- barista
French:
- frappe
- demi-tasse
- cafe au lait
Spanish:
cafe con leche
1. Ethiopian origins.
2. Mocha, Yemen.
3. Arabian peninsula and nearby nations such as Turkey & Egypt.
4. Europeans
- coffee houses in London, Amsterdam, Vienna & Paris were centers for writers and thinkers in 1700's.
5. Spread of coffee cultivation via the European colonies.
6. Java, Indonesia and other Asian nations, such as India and Vietnam.
7. East Africa, ex. Kenya.
8. Brazil (largest crop in the world) and other South American nations such as Colombia.
9. Caribbean nations such as Jamaica.
Italian terms:
- espresso
- cappucino
- latte
- barista
French:
- frappe
- demi-tasse
- cafe au lait
Spanish:
cafe con leche
5 presidents timeline project to be followed by Veteran Interview
Most students have done a terrific job of summarizing the bios of the 5 presidents associated with the Vietnam conflict. Most have succesfully integrated terms from general knowledge of the army and war, such as guerilla warfare (French: guerre, "war, therefore, guerilla, "little war").
Truman: inherited the presidency and the decision of whether to drop the A bomb. Reasoned that it would ultimately save lives by bringing a quicker end to the war.
Eisenhower: 5-star general whose strategy helped defeat Hitler. As president, defined the Cold War as a mostly covert struggle against communism and communism's Domino Effect.
JFK: was able to out-poll the experienced leader Richard Nixon by virtue of his youthful good looks in the first televised presidential debate, 1960. Very slim margin of victory, reminding us of the Bush Vs. Gore election. JFK assassinated in 1963.
Lyndon Johnson: became president upon JFK's death. Used Gulf of Tonkin Resolution to make war against the North Viet communists.
Continually raised troop strength over several year period but could not produce a victory. His team thoroughly underestimated the enemy (sound familiar, as in Iraq?).
Using the draft to fill the ranks of the Army, incurred the wrath of the student protest movement. Demonstrations against the war - doves vs. hawks - grew from campus activity to large-scale marching in cities. Culminated with March on Washington (250,000 participants) in 1968.
Troop deployment in Vietnam peaks in '68 at some 500,000. The NVA & VC make a dramatic victory in '68 by a large-scale, surprise attack against our strongholds. Called the Tet Offensive, it marks a turning point in the war.
Richard Nixon: determined to best the communists Nixon used heavy bombing of North Vietnam to gain an advantage. Somehow, Ho Chi Minh's forces held out. Overall, Nixon managed the US exit from 'Nam. he also won praise by opening trade with communist China, at the time a backwards nation and "sleeping giant."
Nixon resigned in '74 due to the Watergate Scandal.
He and his aides had denied involvement in various "dirty tricks" against the Democrats in the election of '68. Journalists kept the inquiry alive and after several years of determined reporting, found the evidence that Nixon had known about the chicanery of his re-election team. When the US public learned that the president had lied about his involvement, Nixon lost the nation's support. he resigned rather than face impeachment.
Truman: inherited the presidency and the decision of whether to drop the A bomb. Reasoned that it would ultimately save lives by bringing a quicker end to the war.
Eisenhower: 5-star general whose strategy helped defeat Hitler. As president, defined the Cold War as a mostly covert struggle against communism and communism's Domino Effect.
JFK: was able to out-poll the experienced leader Richard Nixon by virtue of his youthful good looks in the first televised presidential debate, 1960. Very slim margin of victory, reminding us of the Bush Vs. Gore election. JFK assassinated in 1963.
Lyndon Johnson: became president upon JFK's death. Used Gulf of Tonkin Resolution to make war against the North Viet communists.
Continually raised troop strength over several year period but could not produce a victory. His team thoroughly underestimated the enemy (sound familiar, as in Iraq?).
Using the draft to fill the ranks of the Army, incurred the wrath of the student protest movement. Demonstrations against the war - doves vs. hawks - grew from campus activity to large-scale marching in cities. Culminated with March on Washington (250,000 participants) in 1968.
Troop deployment in Vietnam peaks in '68 at some 500,000. The NVA & VC make a dramatic victory in '68 by a large-scale, surprise attack against our strongholds. Called the Tet Offensive, it marks a turning point in the war.
Richard Nixon: determined to best the communists Nixon used heavy bombing of North Vietnam to gain an advantage. Somehow, Ho Chi Minh's forces held out. Overall, Nixon managed the US exit from 'Nam. he also won praise by opening trade with communist China, at the time a backwards nation and "sleeping giant."
Nixon resigned in '74 due to the Watergate Scandal.
He and his aides had denied involvement in various "dirty tricks" against the Democrats in the election of '68. Journalists kept the inquiry alive and after several years of determined reporting, found the evidence that Nixon had known about the chicanery of his re-election team. When the US public learned that the president had lied about his involvement, Nixon lost the nation's support. he resigned rather than face impeachment.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Soldier interview: it is history and you are a historian in the Viet vet project
Hello Mr. T.
Hope you are having a great break. Can you tell me what I need to do for the interview? I think I should summarize what the veteran said for each question and my mom won't let me. She is making me quote him for the whole thing.
This guy talked for about 2 hours or more. This project would take more than 5 hours to do my mom's way. She said I can take out the portions where he got long winded but she wants me to include all of the other stuff.
I want to summarize any interesting stories he told but not quote him. Which do you want me to do?
Thanks for the help. Hope you can save me some time!
J,
Thanks for asking! That's the mark of an intelligent writer.
My guideline is Treat your interview like History. It is. It's a primary source. The value in it is the interviewee's actual words.
There's nothing academically wrong with summarizing as long as you have first transcribed verbatim. The guideline on our web site says to write out the Q & A, which means the actual words. I agree that some of his longwindedness might be omitted.
Who knows when you'll go back to this material - perhaps years from now - on some project. You'll be happy to see the actual transcript.
RT
Friday, November 24, 2006
Viet vet interview: substituting a Korean War vet or WWII in Pacific vet
If the problems in finding a Vietnam war veteran seem too great, you may substitute:
* Korean War vet - please see World Book or another source for background before conducting the interview.
* WWII in the Pacific vet - please see an encyclopedia or other summary before the interview. The vet will - rightly - expect you to kow something about this war!
* Korean War vet - please see World Book or another source for background before conducting the interview.
* WWII in the Pacific vet - please see an encyclopedia or other summary before the interview. The vet will - rightly - expect you to kow something about this war!
Vietnam is cool: Jolie & Pitt jazz around Ho Chi Minh City on scooter
HANOI (Reuters) - Hollywood superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to Vietnam, cruising the streets of commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City on a motorbike.
Photos of the couples on a grey scooter appeared on the front pages of state-run newspapers on Friday, puzzling some Vietnamese who had never heard of them before.
"I saw the pictures in the newspaper but still have no idea why the fuss about these Westerners," Nguyen Van Thu, a construction worker in Hanoi, said. "But now maybe I will watch their movies to know why."
Pitt and Jolie arrived in Vietnam on Thursday during what appeared to be a break from filming "A Mighty Heart" in India, where they have been mobbed by fans and stirred a media frenzy.
The film stars Jolie as the wife of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, who was abducted and murdered by Islamic militants in Pakistan in 2002. Pitt is the producer.
State newspapers said the couple flew into Vietnam on Thursday from Cambodia, the birthplace of their adopted son Maddox. They were seen dining at a Vietnamese restaurant undisturbed and were due to return to Cambodia on Friday.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Five Presidents, the Cold War and Vietnam
Informal timeline project
- 10 pts.
- brief notes.
- due Tues, Nov 28
- on paper or via digital presentation.
Include -
5 presidents' images, dates & brief bios
and brief descriptions of 5 of the following (between the presidents entries):
Geneva Accord
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Ho Chi Minh
guerilla warfare
Anti-war protest movement
NVA & VC in Tet Offensive
Counterculture movement
My Lai village massacre
Vietnamese refugees: "boat people"
Mekong River
Armaments of the conflict
My students may make creative decisions regarding the style and format of presenting these facts. The goal is to give you an overview before you meet your veteran for the primary source interview.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Viet map project: All eyes on 'Nam, 1950 - 1975
All Eyes on 'Nam, 1950 - 1975
On a sketch of world map (see pp 2 - 3) please
a) put a rim of color around the following nations, all involved in the Vietnam conflict.
b) draw arrows from the nations to Vietnam
c) along the arrow/line add a brief explanation of that nation's role in the war.
d) add an original title.
5 pt. project
France - controlled Indochina from 1840's to 1954
NYC - HQ of the United Nations; UN splits Vietnam into 2 nations, North and South, in 1954.
USA - Fights against spread of communism by N Vietnam.
Australia - ally of US that sends troops.
New Zealand - ally who sends troops.
Canada - ally who sends troops to 'Nam.
China - guns & money to N Vietnam
Russia - guns & money to N Viets
On a sketch of world map (see pp 2 - 3) please
a) put a rim of color around the following nations, all involved in the Vietnam conflict.
b) draw arrows from the nations to Vietnam
c) along the arrow/line add a brief explanation of that nation's role in the war.
d) add an original title.
5 pt. project
France - controlled Indochina from 1840's to 1954
NYC - HQ of the United Nations; UN splits Vietnam into 2 nations, North and South, in 1954.
USA - Fights against spread of communism by N Vietnam.
Australia - ally of US that sends troops.
New Zealand - ally who sends troops.
Canada - ally who sends troops to 'Nam.
China - guns & money to N Vietnam
Russia - guns & money to N Viets
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Why photos of Vietnam soldiers look the way they do . . .
Things to remember as you view photos of Vietnam in the 1960's:
a) Soldiers were not trained as photographers.
b) Photos fade with the decades.
c) 'Nam is in the Tropics; look at the latitude. It also rained a lot.
d) Soldiers were often 18 - 20 years old. They were proud of their Army-toughened physique.
e) Cigarettes' relationship to heart disease and cancer was not clear.
f) Soldiers were marooned in Oz. Life in war was mysterious and brutal. Soldiers often responded by acting goofy.
g) Vietnam has denuded by war and revamped by the construction of large US installations.
h) Entertainment technology: record players. There were also reel-to-reel tape recorders. No TV.
i) Dear John letters were common. That means your wife back in the states has decided to ask for a separation or divorce.
j) In the states there was a youth revolution occuring. College kids were tripping out. At least in 'Nam there was plenty of beer, cheap dope and hooch girls.
k) By 1970 almost everyone began to have serious doubts about our course of action.
a) Soldiers were not trained as photographers.
b) Photos fade with the decades.
c) 'Nam is in the Tropics; look at the latitude. It also rained a lot.
d) Soldiers were often 18 - 20 years old. They were proud of their Army-toughened physique.
e) Cigarettes' relationship to heart disease and cancer was not clear.
f) Soldiers were marooned in Oz. Life in war was mysterious and brutal. Soldiers often responded by acting goofy.
g) Vietnam has denuded by war and revamped by the construction of large US installations.
h) Entertainment technology: record players. There were also reel-to-reel tape recorders. No TV.
i) Dear John letters were common. That means your wife back in the states has decided to ask for a separation or divorce.
j) In the states there was a youth revolution occuring. College kids were tripping out. At least in 'Nam there was plenty of beer, cheap dope and hooch girls.
k) By 1970 almost everyone began to have serious doubts about our course of action.
Questions for Vietnam Veteran Interview Project - response paper due Th, Nov 30
These Vietnam veteran questions are designed to create a low-stress interview. The primary reason for this interview is to give you experience in using a Primary Source. The material you gather will not come from a book or online entry; it will come from a person who was an eye witness. You will be gathering a bit of evidence as a student historian.
The paper must be typed but may be written in a simple Q and A style.
1. Name and your service branch?
2. Year(s) you served in Vietnam?
3. Your responsibilities in the service while in ‘Nam.
4. Locations you visited in Vietnam. In which place did you stay the longest?
5. The geography of the Vietnam you observed.
6. Climate?
7. Describe the people of Vietnam, both physically & psychologically.
8. Changes in your attitude toward the US in Vietnam. (optional)
9. What should teens learn about the conflict?
10. Your favorite movie or book about ‘Nam? (optional)
You may have the flexibility to use some 8 of the questions as you see fit. if the vet declines to interview an item, it's OK. Simply record his reason. If the vet seems talkative, please ask additional questions. This project becomes a part of history. It might be valuable in the future in American History class or another project.
Recording the interview electronically is a good idea. If you try to write down the responses both you and the interviewee might be frustrated. It is not easy to write down all the words that flow in the average interview.
Possibilities:
* A cassette recorder.
* Using a mic and simple software program to record into your computer.
* Record via your videocamera. If the vet does not want to be on camera, put on the lens cap. The voice will still be recorded.
Guidelines:
* Stop the interview and test the recording after a minute. It is easy to get weak sound and be frustrated later.
* Place the mic as close to the person's mouth as possible.
The paper must be typed but may be written in a simple Q and A style.
1. Name and your service branch?
2. Year(s) you served in Vietnam?
3. Your responsibilities in the service while in ‘Nam.
4. Locations you visited in Vietnam. In which place did you stay the longest?
5. The geography of the Vietnam you observed.
6. Climate?
7. Describe the people of Vietnam, both physically & psychologically.
8. Changes in your attitude toward the US in Vietnam. (optional)
9. What should teens learn about the conflict?
10. Your favorite movie or book about ‘Nam? (optional)
You may have the flexibility to use some 8 of the questions as you see fit. if the vet declines to interview an item, it's OK. Simply record his reason. If the vet seems talkative, please ask additional questions. This project becomes a part of history. It might be valuable in the future in American History class or another project.
Recording the interview electronically is a good idea. If you try to write down the responses both you and the interviewee might be frustrated. It is not easy to write down all the words that flow in the average interview.
Possibilities:
* A cassette recorder.
* Using a mic and simple software program to record into your computer.
* Record via your videocamera. If the vet does not want to be on camera, put on the lens cap. The voice will still be recorded.
Guidelines:
* Stop the interview and test the recording after a minute. It is easy to get weak sound and be frustrated later.
* Place the mic as close to the person's mouth as possible.
Vietnam map & open notes quiz Fri, Nov 17
The person who posted this photo wrote, " Regardless of their education and background, women in Asia generally work extremely hard for their living, often juggling bread-and-butter issues with family concerns and being entitled to less in life than their male counterparts. While times are changing, the case for women remains fraught with obvious poverty, inequality and lack of power in society. Yet, they continue to accept their stations in life and seem emotionally and spiritually fulfilled, a stark contrast against modern women in more developed communities."
More class notes -
Viet map (you need 8 items for the quiz):
Hanoi
Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon)
South China Sea
Cambodia
Laos
China
Philippines
Thailand
Da Nang
Vietnam conflict - 5 presidents involved -
Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon
Indochina - region between India and China: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Cambodia.
Angkor Wat temple - Hindu, then Buddhist
Vietnam - Buddhist, then Catholic under the French.
Literature ...
Award-winning collection of short stories about Vietnamese people living in Louisiana: A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain (R.O. Butler)
Independent work:
Comparing the gemstones mined in India and those of S. E. Asia.
More class notes -
Viet map (you need 8 items for the quiz):
Hanoi
Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon)
South China Sea
Cambodia
Laos
China
Philippines
Thailand
Da Nang
Vietnam conflict - 5 presidents involved -
Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon
Indochina - region between India and China: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Cambodia.
Angkor Wat temple - Hindu, then Buddhist
Vietnam - Buddhist, then Catholic under the French.
Literature ...
Award-winning collection of short stories about Vietnamese people living in Louisiana: A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain (R.O. Butler)
Independent work:
Comparing the gemstones mined in India and those of S. E. Asia.
Indochina was the name for the nations of South East Asia in the 1800's and early 1900's
The French reigned in this region - excluding Thailand - from the mid-1800's to mid-1900's. They brought capitalism, technology, the Roman Catholic religion, French-style government and their language. Saigon was known as Little Paris for the beauty of its boulevards.
The French explolited the labor, gems, silk and wood of the region. One of their profit-making enterprises was rubber plantations.
The French were expelled by Ho Chi Minh's army in 1954.
The French explolited the labor, gems, silk and wood of the region. One of their profit-making enterprises was rubber plantations.
The French were expelled by Ho Chi Minh's army in 1954.
India once had many diamond mines and also mined sapphires, rubies & emeralds
From the book, The Gems of Pre-British India by Manikant Shah
"Before the British came, India was a rich country and the fame of its wealth attracted both travelers and invaders. Minerals and Metals in Pre-Modern India by A.K. Biswas (2001) does give us a dazzling glimpse of this wealth, especially of the gemstones. The riches of India were mind-boggling indeed and Biswas tries to give a fair idea of its wealth. The British claimed that they came to 'civilise' India, but the reality was that they came to plunder its fabulous wealth and resources.
By the time of Shah Jahan, the treasury had a huge stock of diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, ruby (some inscribed), sapphire and also rosary, necklace and ornaments studded with them."
"Before the British came, India was a rich country and the fame of its wealth attracted both travelers and invaders. Minerals and Metals in Pre-Modern India by A.K. Biswas (2001) does give us a dazzling glimpse of this wealth, especially of the gemstones. The riches of India were mind-boggling indeed and Biswas tries to give a fair idea of its wealth. The British claimed that they came to 'civilise' India, but the reality was that they came to plunder its fabulous wealth and resources.
By the time of Shah Jahan, the treasury had a huge stock of diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, ruby (some inscribed), sapphire and also rosary, necklace and ornaments studded with them."
Traditional entertainment of India: a snake charmer
Many geo students have presented reports on the cobra. Those reports help us accord more respect for the snake charmer of India.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Guerilla warfare as practiced by Ho Chi Minh's troops: an extensive network of tunnels
The guerilla warfare of the Viet Cong and Northern Vietnamese Army (NVA) initially flummoxed the US forces. The communist forces had been digging an underground transportation system for a decade or more. The passages moved troops and provided clandestine sites for printing presses and temporary medical services.
Independent work:
Research & compare the guerilla tactics used in Vietnam and Iraq.
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