Back in January, I discussed my growing fascination with the Vietnam War. Last week I officially changed my doctoral concentration from the First World War to the Vietnam War. While this required changing committee chairs and some paperwork, the process removed a great deal of stress from my shoulders. There is no doubt in my mind that my academic career led me to the Vietnam War. The only reason why it took me so long to concentrate on Vietnam is because of the strong political and personal bonds many people have to the war. Now that I have realized that such political allegiance can be dealt with, I am excited to be involved in such an active field. With many topics poorly covered in the literature, or simply overlooked, the possibilities for fresh research are far too tantalizing for me to ignore.
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Efforts to deepen my knowledge of the Vietnam War resulted in being introduced to some of the more significant pro-war and anti-war songs of the 1960s and 1970s. Currently I would have say “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” by Country Joe & The Fish is one of the more provoking Vietnam-era songs. Musically the song leaves a lot to be desired, yet the sarcastic lyrics expunged enough power to help fuel the anti-war movement. That said, what are some other candidates for the best war related songs? Suggestions do not need to related to any specific war.
An insightful opinion piece on the current war in Afghanistan with significant connections to the Vietnam War.
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For the past few years I have been fascinated with the First World War, particularly American military involvement. As stated elsewhere on this site, my proposed dissertation topic would have me analyzing the history and role of the Coast Artillery Corps on the Western Front in battles such as the Meuse-Argonne. Considering the level of scholarship already present, my research would explore a neglected branch of the Army while better understanding the contributions of the Corps as a land force. Although a brief summary, obviously the topic requires further development, that is the starting point for my research. Discussing my interest in that subject, however, is not the focus of this post. Instead I would like to express my other interest and how it may, or may not, affect my academic future.
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The exceedingly long gaps between updates can be attributed to the overwhelming power of my first semester back in grad school. Fortunately as of this past Friday I completed my first semester as a PhD student. Overall, I am happy with how the semester went. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. After twenty-fours hours of celebration and recovery, it seems appropriate to divulge some advice on how to make next semester less stressful and more productive. Thus the following three points are the main lessons and changes I intend to implement for classes next spring.
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Synopsis
The purpose of Thompson Werk is to present the musings of a US War and Society doctoral student. Discussion topics principally center around the World Wars and Vietnam.
The opinions expressed on this site are not be confused with those of my colleagues, employers, friends, family, and/or anyone else associated with me.
Contact me with any comments, complaints, and/or questions.
Responses
- Robert: Everyone needs to see Vietnam,
- Ross Mahoney: Sounds like it is another
- Robert: My original post omitted the
- Robert: Hey Ross, Vietnam is a
- Ross Mahoney: Robert it looks like a
