CHOOSE YOUR OWN

ADVENTURE:VIETNAM

Created By: Joltin’ Joe Hecker, Kevin “Bones” Created By: Joltin’ Joe Hecker, Kevin “Bones” McCarthy, Jason “Junior” Peters, and Tony “Ironman” McCarthy, Jason “Junior” Peters, and Tony “Ironman”

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VIETNAM CONFLICT 1954-1975

• The middle of the 20th Century finds Vietnam—a country long plagued by a series of

colonial influences—unwillingly occupied by French colonial powers. After their

defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the French withdraw from the country, leaving the

Vietnamese in need of consensus on the formation of a central government. Two

central agendas emerge: a communist agenda led by the Viet Minh and a democratic

agenda led by Ngo Dinh Diem.

VIETNAM CONFLICT• In an effort to help stabilize the region during this

time of turmoil and uncertainty, the Geneva Convention partitions the country at the 17th Parallel, creating a communist North and a democratic South. In the United States, President Eisenhower proposes what becomes known as the “domino theory,” which speculates that if one country in a region comes under communist control, neighboring countries will be soon to follow. Under this theory, Eisenhower stresses the importance of supporting the democratic South in Vietnam. Meanwhile, China is supportive of the communist North. Would you FIGHT in conflict in Vietnam in an effort to prevent the spread of communism?

FIGHT Don't FightFIGHT Don't FightFIGHTWhat action do you choose?

First Choice

NON-ENGAGEMENT #1• By choosing not to engage in Vietnam, you have allowed the North Vietnamese, with

the help of communist China, to obtain control of the country, under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. While any chance at democracy has been crushed with the fall of South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have also come under communist control including the rise of the Khmer Rouge and to the dictator Pol Pot. This new regime, with a history of opposition towards organized religion, offers millions of Vietnamese Christians two choices: renounce your Christian faith or face severe persecution. Faced with these two options, many Christians in Vietnam are forced to flee the country, attempt a dangerous crossing of the South China Sea and become impoverished refugees in the Philippines. Meanwhile, countries such as Thailand, Burma, India, the Philippines and Malaysia are beginning to feel threatened by this communist presence. Given these developments, do you now decide that military intervention is necessary to oppose the Ho Chin Minh regime and establish a democratic presence in Vietnam?

Don't FightFIGHTWhat action do you choose?

First Choice

NON-ENGAGEMENT #2• You have chosen to adhere to your pacifist beliefs. China now expands its communist

community and extends its influence over Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In response to China’s growing stronghold of economics in Southeast Asia, the U.S. is reluctant to establish trade with this part of the world and thus becomes more economically dependent on Mexico and developing African countries. Human rights violations in Southeast Asia are now commonplace including limitations on freedom of speech, religion, and mobility. These violations lead to a tremendous amount of suffering, a decreased quality of life, and in some cases, death. One example of this is the genocide of millions of people in Cambodia. Given these developments, do you offer military intervention?

Don't FightFIGHTWhat action do you choose?

First Choice

NON-ENGAGEMENT #3

• You have made your final decision not to engage in the conflict growing in this area of the globe. This is the world in which you have chosen to live: China’s power and influence continues to grow, human rights violations in southeast Asia continue unchecked and genocide in certain countries continues unopposed. You have reached the end of the game.

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ENGAGEMENT

You have chosen to engage in war. Since you have chosen to engage in war, you must now decide what type of war to fight.

– “Total War” is war with no rules. Combatants engage in a way in which they try to win at all costs, including destruction of entire cities, civilizations, and peoples. Combatants make decisions based on how their actions can produce a victory.

– “Just War” has set established rules, and directs how combatants are expected to engage one another in battle in accordance with those rules. War must be based on just causes and not to recapture things taken or to punish people who have done wrong.

“Just War”TOTALWhat action do you choose?

First Choice

TOTAL WAR #1• You have chosen to fight a total war—to win at all costs. A few months into your

campaign in Vietnam, your platoon is approaching the Vietnamese village of Viet Tien. The landscape is quiet; there is no enemy fire that greets your approach. Your battalion leader tells you that he has intelligence suggesting that there is a substantial civilian-disguised insurgency presence in the village. Because it is nearly impossible to differentiate between harmful and harmless personnel, your commanding officer orders your platoon to enter the village and “eliminate the Vietnamese presence there.” You are specifically told that for the good of the campaign, this must include all men, women and children. You are told that this will not only eliminate the hostile presence, but will also strike a resounding moral blow to the enemy. Further, you are told there will be no personal repercussions for carrying out this order; in fact, your battalion leader assures you that you will be greeted as a hero for contributing to the U.S. war effort in Vietnam. Do you choose to carry out this order and destroy the village of Viet Tien?

Don't FightTOTALWhat action do you choose?

First Choice“Just War”

TOTAL WAR #2

• After the destruction at Viet Tien, the U.S. offensive continues without mercy. The systematic destruction of villages and civilians has given the U.S. forces an edge in the conflict, although many American casualties are being sustained. The relative success and efficiency of the campaign is not satisfactory to upper-echelon military personnel in the United States. The order comes from Washington to “escalate the level of severity” in the conflict by establishing a strong air presence and increasing the presence of destructive weapons. This manifests itself as an order to drop napalm on Vietnamese villages before U.S. troops have entered to minimize the resistance these ground troops face. Napalm is an incendiary weapon that causes severe burns, asphyxiation, unconsciousness and death. This weapon is used indiscriminately, targeting military personnel as well as civilians. Do you wish to continue fighting a total war?

Don't FightTOTALWhat action do you choose?

First Choice“Just War”

TOTAL WAR #3• You have made your final decision to fight a total war in Vietnam. This is the world in which

you have chosen to live. Though the napalm offensive has been effective, it is still slow and inefficient by the standards of the higher-ups in Washington. At this juncture, American troops are withdrawn from the area and President Nixon has authorized the use of nuclear weapons to bring a swift and resounding end to the conflict. This nuclear assault successfully destroys the people of Vietnam. Nuclear missiles are launched at the four major cities in the country: Hue, Vinh, Ha Noi and Da Nang. At each point of impact, every living thing within 10 miles is instantaneously eradicated. The destruction is massive and the casualties from the nuclear assault are estimated at 300,000. In the aftermath, there are long lasting health effects in the region including birth defects and elevated cancer rates. Further, the environment of the region is disrupted and compromised. Globally, nuclear fallout has caused increased tensions with China and other surrounding countries. This being said, the conflict is over, the war is won and the spread of communism in this area of the world is halted. You have reached the end the game.

First Choice

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“JUST” WAR #1• You have chosen to fight a “just war”—a war with rules. A few months into your

campaign in Vietnam, your platoon is approaching the Vietnamese village of Duc Pho. Your battalion leader tells you that he has intelligence suggesting that there is a substantial VC presence in the village. Although it is nearly impossible to differentiate between harmful and harmless personnel, your commanding officer orders your platoon to follow the rules of engagement and “eliminate only the hostile presence” in the village. As you enter the village, you command the Vietnamese (using an interpreter) that all civilians are to come out with their hands up and exit the village. You notify all combatants that they can either surrender or be destroyed. Further, you order any weapons to be brought forth and handed over. The villagers assure your platoon that there is no hostile presence in the village and no weapons being harbored. Upon searching the village, your battalion comes across a significant cache of weapons stored in the same place as the grain. You are faced with two options: either arrest the village elders for questioning and destroy the weapons, or burn Duc Pho to the ground and eliminate a potential threat to the campaign.

Don't FightTOTALWhat action do you choose?

First Choice“Just War”

“JUST” WAR #2• You have chosen to continue fighting a just war. Further into your campaign, you enter

the village of Bong Son. Your orders are the same: enter and eliminate the hostile presence under the rules of engagement. You enter the village and announce your presence, calling for surrender of weapons and for civilians to come forth and exit the village. At this point, you come across a cluster of three small huts. In a flurry of activity, you come under fire from one of the huts, though it is unclear which of the three is firing on you. One of your fellow soldiers is shot and severely wounded. In the melee, a teenage girl runs crying from one of these huts to the other. Your interpreter notifies you that there are shouts coming from one of the huts saying that they are being held hostage and they are innocent. Meanwhile, another of your soldiers is shot and falls to the ground beside you, wounded. You face a decision: do you open fire on all three huts, knowing that some of them may contain civilians? Or do you adhere to the rules of engagement and sustain fire until you are able to discern which of the huts is hostile?

Don't FightTOTALWhat action do you choose?

First Choice“Just War”

“JUST” WAR #3

• You have made your final decision to engage in a “just war” conflict in Vietnam. This is the world in which you have chosen to live. Progress in the conflict is slow and by the fall of Saigon on April 30th in 1975, American troops have already begun their withdrawal from the area. Over the course of the U.S. involvement in the conflict, the U.S. military suffered heavy casualties: 58,267 dead; 303,644 injured; and 1,719 missing in action. Despite your choice to fight a just war, approximately 2 million civilian deaths occurred in Vietnam during the U.S. military’s presence there. However, you know that an effort was made to prevent civilian casualties. The U.S. military, unable to achieve its ultimate goal in Vietnam, withdraws completely from the region. You have reached the end of the game.

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