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The Legacy of Executive Order 9981 on the Vietnam War

Lesson Author
Allison, Angie
Course(s)
20th Century American History
Required Time Frame
One ninety minute block
Subject(s)
Civil Rights
Grade Level(s)
9
10
11
12
Lesson Abstract
Students will evaluate the effectiveness of Truman’s Executive Order #9981 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War
Description

 

Previous knowledge: Teachers should familiarize students with the causes and general progression of American involvement in the Vietnam War including the Vietnam War draft before the start of the draft lottery in December 1969. Other previous information on the Civil Rights Movement would be helpful, but not necessary in setting the stage for the lesson. 

 

Lesson progression

  1. Teachers will introduce the lesson with the essential question, “How impactful and effective was Truman’s Executive Order #9981 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War?” 
  2. Teachers will have students individually read Executive Order #9981. Then, students will share with a shoulder partner their summary of the executive order. Teachers will lead a short discussion highlighting the year of the executive order and Truman’s reasoning behind the order. Previous knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement can also be addressed in the discussion, especially the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Civil Rights Movement. 
  3. Distribute the “Beyond Vietnam” Speech to students whether through an online medium or printed copies.
  4. Teachers should introduce the context of the “Beyond Vietnam” speech by giving the following information. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave this speech at Riverside Church in New York in April 1967. This was near the height of American soldiers being sent to Vietnam and during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. Additionally, teachers should tell students Vietnam War - the first “integrated” war and a testing ground for  Executive Order #9981. Other pertinent information can be given as well – Frontlines of Vietnam = full integration (fighting common enemy) and rear bases shows a more segregated societal dynamic. (This information is in the Google Slides presentation.) 
  5. Teachers should direct students to the following excerpt from the speech beginning with “I come to this platform tonight to make a passionate plea to my beloved nation.” through “When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”
  6. Students can either read the speech as a whole group or listen to King give the speech himself via the audio recording. Teachers should stop the speech at different points to help students with comprehension of the speech. 
  7. Upon completion of the speech excerpt teachers should prompt the students with the essential question, “How impactful and effective was Truman’s Executive Order #9910 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War?”

 

Lesson Objectives - the student will

 

Lesson Objectives - the student will

  • read and contextualize Truman’s Executive Order #9910
  • read and assess Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beyond Vietnam speech 
  • evaluate the effectiveness of Truman’s Executive Order #9910 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met

 

Missouri Learning Standards

Government systems and principles 2.5.B. Determine the lasting impact of this period on principles of government including separation of powers, executive orders, checks and balances, rule of law, judicial review, and limited government.

 

United States History 5.5.A. Evaluate the effect of the internal tensions caused by the Cold War on societal groups, organizations, and government. 5.5.B. Analyze the scientific, technological, artistic, intellectual, economic, political, and cultural changes of the post WWII period to determine their effects on individuals and groups.

 

Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed

 

  • Executive Order #9981 (Truman Library)
  • Excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech (Civil Rights Monument Archive)
  • Audio recording of Beyond Vietnam speech (from The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change)
Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide

 

Lesson assessment

  1. Students can work in pairs or small groups to synthesize the information given from the teacher and through the “Beyond Vietnam” speech. 
  2. Teachers should project the following information to the student groups.(This information is in the Google Slides presentation.) 
    1. Disproportionate minority numbers in draft boards and casualties in the beginning
    2. Latinos drafted in high numbers & died in high numbers
      1. No Spanish language training
      2. They had a desire to prove themselves & take the most dangerous jobs
    3. African- Americans = 11% of the total population, but were only 1.3% of draft board members
      1. Grand Dragon of KKK, Jack Helms led Louisiana's largest draft board
    4. Native Americans faced same obstacles - sent ahead to be point men because of stereotype of hunters
    5. Asian-Americans were expected to think like the Viet Cong just because they were Asian
  3. Working together students should write 2-3 paragraph constructed response to the essential question, “How impactful and effective was Truman’s Executive Order #9910 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War?”
  4. Rubrics will be at the teacher’s discretion. 
  5. Optional activities to consider:
    1. Students can make a t-chart for impacts and effectiveness
    2. Students can do a think-pair-share with the essential question expanding to groups of 4-6 where students can verbally answer the essential question