History 342
Devine
Study Questions for Hayslip, When
Heaven and Earth Changed Places
- What
was the Vietnam war about? A war for independence, a civil war, a battle
within the larger Cold War, a battle for economic resources? How would your answer depend upon time
(1945 vs. 1965) or location (North Vietnam, South Vietnam, or the U.S.)?
- What
were the objectives of the North Vietnamese government and its
supporters? What were the South
Vietnamese objectives? The Americans’ objectives?
- What
does the book suggest about the Americans’ understanding of Vietnamese
culture?
- Does
the author portray the Americans fairly?
What does she think about America, Americans, and their role in the
war?
- What
does Hayslip admire in American culture?
What does she criticize?
- What
did the book teach you about Vietnamese culture? Did Hayslip’s description
of Vietnamese culture have any influence on how you perceive the war?
- How
did the war affect society both during and after the fighting? For example, what were the effects on
the Vietnamese people, their economy, cultural values, gender relations,
political arrangements, and relations with neighboring countries?
- How
did the war affect the author? How
did her life change? How and why
did her attitude toward the Vietcong change?
- Who or
what draws especially sharp criticism from Hayslip? Why do you think she is so critical?
- How
did the Vietcong and the northern leaders change over time? What explains
this change?
- Why
was the Vietcong successful while the Americans had difficulty achieving
success?
- Although
all factions claimed to represent “the people,” which, if any, came the
closest?
- The
author is a woman. How does her gender shape her point of view?
- In
Hayslip’s account, who are the “good guys” and who are the “bad
guys?” What, if anything, do the
answers to these questions reveal about the author’s own biases?
- How
does Hayslip evaluate the Communist government that took control in
Vietnam? What kind of society does she find upon her return?
- Why do
you think Hayslip wrote this book?
What does she want to tell her readers?