Homework due 5/23

Jack Smith

What challenges does Jack Smith face as a soldier in Vietnam? (a bulleted list is fine)

• no experience in combat
• don't know what to expect
• had to make their own base camp
  
• walked straight into an ambush
• had to act dead all day to aviod being actually killed
• saw all his friends get killed

How does Smith’s attitude toward war change?
At the beginning of the war, he didn't know what to expect, but he did seek adventure He arrived on the shore of Vietnam and finally realized reality: he was in war. As his experiences progressed, he learned what combat fighting was all about. He first-handedly experienced being shot at by hundreds of machine guns, and saw his friends die in front of him. As he was acting dead, he heard the North Vietnamese killing wounded enemies. Jack felt terrible as those were his fellow Americans, friends. As the Americans were going through getting revenge by killing the wounded North Vietnamese, Jack told them not to. He gained sympathy for them, as he experienced the same as they were. His attitude went from wanting adventure, to hating of war and merciless killing through his experiences.

I Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die Rag

This song by Country Joe and the Fish became one of the first protest songs of the Vietnam Era. Read the lyrics to the song, and then respond to the following:

What is the song asking the “big strong men to do”?
They are asked to fight to get Uncle Sam (the US) out of a problem it got itself into.

… the “generals” to do? They are asked to kill all the Communists.

… “Wall Street” to do? They are asked to supply the army with supplies so they can fight, and to pray that they won't drop a bomb (probably atomic) on the US.

… “mothers” to do? The mothers are asked to encourage their children to fight in Vietnam, and to have pride in their children if they die fighting for their country.

Write down four specific lines from the song that display sarcasm, cynicism, or anti-war sentiment.

1. "Well there ain't no time to wonder why, / Whoopee! we're all gonna die."
2. "So put down your books and pick up a gun, / We're gonna have a whole lotta fun."
3. "Uncle Sam needs your help again. / He's got himself in a terrible jam"
4. "Be the first one on your block / To have your boy come home in a box."