Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

Jack Smith
What challenges does Jack Smith face as a soldier in Vietnam? (a bulleted list is fine)
Death
Fear
Anger
Combat
Wildlife
His enemy
How does Smith’s attitude toward war change?
At first he thought that it would be fun to go for an adventure, to be able to go to war for two years before settling down, and plus he would probaly be drafted anyway so he might as well sign up first. Then after going on the walk, he thought that his commanding officers were crazy for leading them on this hike. Then they had war, and he hated it and wanted to go home.

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”?
to go in the war and fight
… the “generals” to do?
lead the marches
… “Wall Street” to do?
to make money
… “mothers” to do?
to send their boys to vietnam
Write down four specific lines from the song that display sarcasm, cynicism, or anti-war sentiment.