Abstract:
This historical role-play simulation is set on March 28, 1965. The scenario places students within the context of that time, a point at which, after months of increasing tensions and contentious debate, President Lyndon Johnson appears to be moving in the direction of escalating the war in Vietnam. Yet, he remains uncertain of the best course of action. The US has now been engaged in carrying out airstrikes across North Vietnam for weeks and the first ground troops have already arrived in South Vietnam, but the situation only appears to be worsening by the day. The North Vietnamese show no sign of slowing their attacks on the South and the government in Saigon has done little to improve their own situation. Although the US has already escalated its role in the conflict by sending in an early wave of ground troops and engaging in retaliatory airstrikes following the incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin and at Pleiku, the path to all-out war has not yet been paved. Set inside this scenario, this simulation places students in the roles of President Johnson's closest advisors whom he has called upon to help him decide on the future course of US action in Vietnam.
Learning Objectives:
1. Deepen students' knowledge and understanding of the history and context of President Lyndon Johnson's decision to escalate the conflict in Vietnam.
2. Familiarize students with the norms and procedures of presidential decision-making and the ways in which key players within an administration deliberate and make decisions.
3. Develop students' abilities to use applied history and counterfactuals as tools of analysis.
