Vietnam War - Zinn Education Project

The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990

Book — Non-fiction. By Marilyn B. Young. 1991. 448 pages.
A detailed history of the Vietnam War.

The Untold History of the United States: Young Readers Editions, Vols 1 (1898-1945) & 2 (1945-1962)

Book — Non-fiction. By Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick. Adapted by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Eric S. Singer. Vol 1. 2014. 400 pages. Vol 2. 2019. 320 pages.
These are two volumes of illustrated histories, adapted for students from a documentary book and film of the same name.

We the Resistance (Book cover) published by City Lights 2019

We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States

Book — Non-fiction. Edited by Michael G. Long, foreword by Chris Hedges, afterword by Dolores Huerta. 2019. 610 pages.
Encounter the voices of activists sharing instructive stories through narrative and primary documents.

Aug. 7, 1964: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed without a single dissent in the House of Representatives, and only two no votes in the Senate, leading to increased U.S. aggression in Vietnam.

Voices From the Plain of Jars: Life Under an Air War

Book — Non-fiction. Edited by Fred Branfman. 2013 (original edition, 1972). 196 pages.
Essays, drawings, and poems by Laotian villagers who survived almost 10 years of widespread, persistent, and devastating bombing during the Vietnam War in a covert operation in Laos.

Pentagon Papers collage | Zinn Education Project

Camouflaging the Vietnam War: How Textbooks Continue to Keep the Pentagon Papers a Secret

Article. By Bill Bigelow. 2013. If We Knew Our History Series. While new U.S. history textbooks mention the Pentagon Papers, none grapples with the actual import of the Pentagon Papers.

Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow

Howard Zinn on War

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. Introduction by Marilyn B. Young. 2011. 272 pages.
Essays spanning 1962 to 2006 that examine specific wars, wartime incidents, and the force of non-violence to move beyond war, if we are to survive.

Teaching Activity by Howard Zinn

Vietnam: An Antiwar Comic Book

Book — Non-fiction. By Julian Bond and illustrated by T. G. Lewis. 1967. 19 pages.
This "graphic novel" from the 1960s was written to provide a critical analysis of the Vietnam War in an easy to read format.

The War You Don’t See

Film. By John Pilger. 2010. 97 minutes.
Documentary on how the media has reported war, from the WWI to the present day.

Hearts and Minds

Film. Directed by Peter Davis. 1974. 112 minutes.
Documentary about the Vietnam War.

A Peoples History of the United States Book | Zinn Education Project

A People’s History of the United States: 1492 – Present

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2005, with a new introduction by Anthony Arnove in 2015. 784 pages.
Howard Zinn's groundbreaking work on U.S. history. This book details lives and facts rarely included in textbooks—an indispensable teacher and student resource.

Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 1967; republished in 2013. 131 pages.
One of the earliest and most influential antiwar books.

Teaching the Vietnam War: A Critical Examination of School Texts and an Interpretive Comparative History Utilizing the Pentagon Papers and Other Documents

Book — Non-fiction. By William Griffen and John Marciano. 1979. 83 pages.
Critique of the frameworks of U.S. history texts and engaging alternative history of the war.

Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers

Book — Non-fiction. By Daniel Ellsberg. 2003. 512 pages.
A riveting behind-the-scenes account of Ellsberg's decade of disillusionment leading up to Nixon's resignation.

Teaching the Vietnam War: Beyond the Headlines

Teaching Activity. By the Zinn Education Project. 100 pages.
Eight lessons about the Vietnam War, Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers, and whistleblowing.

Whitewashing War: Historical Myth, Corporate Textbooks, and Possibilities for Democratic Education

Book — Non-fiction. By Christopher R. Leahey. 2010. 145 pages.
A critical analysis of how textbooks represent U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

A Revolution of Values

Teaching Activity. By Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 3 pages.
Text of speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the Vietnam War, followed by three teaching ideas.

Sir! No Sir!

Film. By David Zeiger. 2005. 84 minutes.
This award-winning film demonstrates the role soldiers and veterans played in the anti-Vietnam War movement.

History Textbooks: “Theirs” and “Ours”: A Rebellion or a War of Independence?

Teaching Activity. By John DeRose. Rethinking Schools. 4 pages.
Analysis of textbook passages from different countries, videos and books are used to explore different perspectives about the same event in history, i.e. "Philippine-American War" vs. "War of Philippine Independence."

Empire or Humanity?: What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me about the American Empire

Article for Teachers and High School Students. By Howard Zinn. 4 pages.
An essay which raises questions about the justifications for empire building and imperialism.

Rethinking the Vietnam War | Zinn Education Project

Rethinking the Teaching of the Vietnam War

Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. Rethinking Schools. 8 pages.
A role play on the history of the Vietnam War that is left out of traditional textbooks.

Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow