Backfire: Ch. 1-2, 6-8

How does Baritz explain why US saw Vietnam as mysterious and did not understand them?  Examples of this?

What major myth shaped or explain US participation in Vietnam?

Why does the Americans think this way?

How did this thus shape US role in Vietnam?

Why is American nationalism different from others?

Why did US feel it could not lose? What’s the origins of this idea?

How did technology affect how US fought?

What’s the point of his 10 links in the chain to war?

What were the 10 links?

6-8

Why does Baritz spend time looking at the bureaucracy when trying to understand the Vietnam War?

Examples of its impact or interference?

Why is it important to understand the background of the American warriors or soldiers?

How would you describe or profile them?

What factors explain how they fought or behaved?

How does Baritz describe the officers goals and actions?

How did soldiers resist or cope with lack of purpose and distrust of officers and thus survive?