Writer: Stephen Beckett
Released August 2006
Context
This unit covers the experience of New Zealanders during the Vietnam War. These experiences include those of engineers, medical support personnel, troops, political leaders, protest leaders, protesters and those who supported the war.
It focuses on the wide-ranging and often conflicting viewpoints held about the war, and how these changed as the war progressed.
The unit relates directly to the Level One topic, New Zealand’s Search for security 1945-1985, and less directly to the Vietnam topic studied at Level Two
As well as strengthening students’ general awareness of the often divergent perspectives held by the groups mentioned (not formally examined for this topic at Level One), the footage is also valuable for exploring concepts of bias, usefulness and reliability of sources.
The material is also useful in providing the basis for a practice essay on the New Zealand Search for Security topic.
Outline
The unit begins with students interpreting the views of those speaking on the documentary. It then moves into ideas of reliability, bias and limitation in relation to the views expressed on the documentary.
Students are then given the opportunity to practise a typical examination style essay on Vietnam.
The final section involves the completion of an historical investigation at NCEA Level 1.
Learning intentions
- To introduce the various perspectives held on the Vietnam War and how these have changed over time
- To explore the concepts of reliability, bias and limitation in relation to historical sources as shown and expressed on the film.
- To reinforce the concepts of primary and secondary sources.
- To learn the details of New Zealand’s experience in Vietnam and to communicate relevant historical ideas in the form of an essay.
- To be able to successfully use the film footage, together with further research, as the basis of an historical investigation on New Zealand’s experience during the Vietnam War
Achievement Criteria
This unit provides formative assessment tasks for the external NCEA achievement standards (See Appendices One and Two)
The unit may also provide the basis for an historical investigation as referred to in Appendices Three and Four.
Time Frame
Approximately 3 weeks.With an additional 3-4 weeks for internal assessment tasks.
Resources for this Unit
- NZ archive DVD: Vietnam: New Zealand and the Vietnam War 1962-75
- Year 11 History texts, for example, Bowen, George, Defending New Zealand. Murdoch, Tony et al, New Zealand’s Search for Security.
- Various internet sites, a selection of which are outlined in Appendix five.
Selected Vocabulary
Communism, patriotism, escalation, domino effect, Cold War, bias, propaganda, veteran, allies.
Prior knowledge
It is expected that students will have already been taught the background to the New Zealand Search for Security topic and have a general idea of where New Zealand stood in relation to the US, Britain, Australia, Asia and the Pacific in 1965. A knowledge of ANZUS and SEATO is also useful before beginning this unit.
Teacher Notes
Timing
Although this unit is designed for a period of 3-4 weeks, it is appreciated that this amount of time is not generally spent on looking at Vietnam within the Search for Security topic. It is therefore expected that not all of the activities will be used during the normal course of teaching. As such, wherever possible, each lesson and set of activities have been written to be undertaken successfully as stand alone tasks.
If this unit is undertaken with the view to complete one of the NCEA internal assessment achievement tasks, a more full teaching of the unit would be more worthwhile and much of the footage itself could be included as quotes or student notes within the students’ assignment.
The internet links in appendix five may be of use for students conducting such an assignment.
Revision quiz starter questions
These are usually simple factual questions not intended with any degree of analysis or evaluation in mind, but rather to get students thinking about what they have seen in the previous lesson’s video footage. They can also be helpful in getting students to watch the film closely, taking note of some of the detail. This is especially the case when the students or groups are given points for answering the questions correctly…
Use at Level Two
This footage is less directly related to the curriculum at NCEA Level Two, focussing as it does on the New Zealand experience during the Vietnam conflict. It could, however, be adapted to use as an internal assessment for either achievement standard 90209 (History 2.1), 90210 (History 2.2) or 90468 (History 2.4). The unit would also be useful in supporting external assessment work for 90467 (history 2.3) and 90469 (History 2.5). See the internet links and possible tasks in the appendices which follow.
Related External NCEA Assessment; Level One
90211, Interpret Historical Sources:
(Although this standard is not based on any particular topic studied, the material on the Vietnam video would be useful in practising the skills for this examination task. For example, looking at possible bias in the views expressed, reliability of evidence and the usefulness that the primary evidence seen within the footage provides.)
90213, Describe an Historical Development in an Essay
NB. 90212, Examine the Perspectives of People in an Historical Setting, may not be used with the New Zealand Search for Security Topic which includes Vietnam.
Specifications for these assessments can be found at:
http://nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?
query=history&view=achievements&level=01
Previous years’ examination material can be found at:
http://nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?
query=history&view=exams&level=01
Related External NCEA Assessment; Level Two
90467, Examine Evidence in Historical Sources: (Although this standard is not based on any particular topic studied, the material on the Vietnam video would be useful in practising the skills for this examination task. For example, looking at possible bias in the views expressed, reliability of evidence and the usefulness that the primary evidence seen within the footage provides.)
90469, Examine how a Force or Movement in an Historical Setting Iinfluenced People’s Lives, in an Essay (For this essay it would be possible to look at the force as ‘great power rivalry’ with Vietnam as the setting. The video footage is useful in looking at the Cold War context, although its perspective is quite different, and therefore inadequate on its own for completing an essay on this topic.)
Specifications for these assessments can be found at:
http://nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?
query=history&view=achievements&level=02
Previous years’ examination material can be found at:
http://nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?
query=history&view=exams&level=02
Possible Summative Internal Assessment Activities; NCEA Level One
“Case study of a crisis”
“Read all about it: Newspaper front page”
Possible Summative Internal Assessment Activities; NCEA Level Two
“Propaganda in the Vietnam War”
- Achievement Standard 90468 version 2 (Hist 2.4)
Examine perspectives and responses of, and demonstrate empathy for, people in an historical setting (Version 2)
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/
hist2_4Ev2_3feb05.doc
NB. This assessment, although on Vietnam, does not focus on the New Zealand context as the film does. It may however be worthwhile adapting the task to include the perspectives of some of the people covered within the film footage. For example the views of Holyoake, Marshall, Kirk and LB Johnson. The perspectives of a New Zealand soldiers or protesters could also be used in this activity.
“Bringing Him Back to Life”
- Achievement Standard 90465 version 2 (Hist 2.1)
Plan and carry out an historical inquiry
and
- Achievement Standard 90466 version 2 (Hist 2.2)
Communicate historical ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/
hist2_1_2_2Tv4_10jan05.doc
NB. As it stands on TKI this assessment has the context of World War I but could easily be adapted and used for the Vietnam topic.
