Day 1: Building Background Knowledge

We will begin our unit on Tim O'Brien's Vietnam inspired fiction with an excerpt from a non-fiction reading: Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

Howard Zinn (1922-2010) was a historian, author, and social activist. He joined the Army Air Force during WWII, serving as a member of the 490th Bombardment Group. His wartime experiences shaped his strong anti-war sentiments. 

Pictured: Zinn during WWII

In 1980, he published A People's History of the United States. The book is Zinn's attempt to retell the story of America's history from the perspective of the common people, not through the voices of the political elite.

Before reading the book's chapter on Vietnam, it is relevant to note that this is history written with a political agenda. Keep that in mind as you read.

Click the link below.

A People's History of the United States: Chapter 18: "The Impossible Victory: Vietnam"

Your Assignment: 

• Post a comment on this blog entry in which you identify 5 interesting facts. In a sentence or two, explain why you found each entry interesting.
• Select and explain 1 example from the chapter in which you feel Howard Zinn is demonstrating his political bias.

Something to consider: In order for me to give you credit for completing your blog post comments, I must be able to identify you. Thus, you need to begin each post by identifying yourself or create a blogger account with a picture.