Discussion Questions
October 7, 2015

1. What is the American assessment of the importance of Vietnam following WWII?  How/why does that assessment alter through time?
2. What is the American perception of itself, and of America's role, in Asia?
3. What are the differences, and what are the continuities , between Eisenhower's foreign policy and that of Kennedy with respect to Asia and to Communism?
4. Assess Kennedy's Inaugural Address for its intent and purpose.  What type of president did the U.S. elect in 1960?
5. In what sense could it be claimed that JFK was "an heir to the past"?  Is the Kennedy era indeed a new era?
6. What does the material by Rusk tell us about American foreign policy in that period?
7. How can we explain Johnson's actions to escalate the war?  What were the factors which contributed to his decision to pursue the war?
8. Johnson said that America was in Vietnam "because we have a promise to keep".  What did he mean by that?  To whom?

    Wider Theme:
    Is the president's role to lead, or to follow, the country?  Can you think of specific examples to support each side?