Home ›

Teaching the Vietnam War at school

New Zealand and the Vietnam War

Jump to:

This material has been developed to provide teachers and students with activities and teaching strategies to explore the experiences of New Zealanders and the Vietnam War. Used in conjunction with resources provided in the websites VietnamWar.govt.nz and NZHistory.net.nz, this material will develop students' knowledge and ideas about New Zealanders' experiences of this conflict and the impact of the war on New Zealand society. This material has been developed to reflect both the aims and requirements of NCEA History and the Social Studies curriculum.

This resource has been designed for use with students from Years 7-13, although not all suggested activities are suitable for all levels.

Possible approaches for teachers using New Zealand and the Vietnam War in their programme

A. Society and conflict
While this material relates specifically to New Zealand and the Vietnam War teachers can use it to explore broader concepts such as:

  • Why do we go to war?
  • Do people have a say in the decision to go to war?
  • When war breaks out who should be sent to fight?
  • How do governments influence our attitudes to war and fighting?
  • How would we behave in combat?
  • What do ‘we’ as a society owe those who go to war?
  • What role does our military history play in our heritage and sense of national identity?

These concepts are all important when exploring the wider concepts of civics and citizenship that underpin the social studies curriculum.

B. New Zealand and the Vietnam War
Key questions to explore:

  • Why did the Vietnam War occur?
  • Why did New Zealand become involved in the Vietnam War?
  • What were the different opinions of New Zealanders to the Vietnam War?
  • What were some of the social and political consequences of the war for New Zealand and New Zealanders?

C. Vietnamese people in New Zealand
Many social studies units explore migrant/settler groups. The arrival of Vietnamese refugees here in 1977 is an excellent case study that considers another consequence of this war for New Zealand.

After the defeat of South Vietnam in 1975 there was a mass exodus of Vietnamese people. The social upheaval and adverse economic conditions arising from the war, combined with the fear and uncertainty of living under a new Communist government, led many people to flee Vietnam during the late 1970s and early 1980s. These refugees were often called ‘boat people’ because they fled in crowded, dangerously unfit boats.

In 1977 New Zealand accepted 412 Vietnamese refugees. By the end of 1980 there were approximately 2000 Vietnamese refugees in New Zealand.

For more information on Vietnamese in New Zealand go to the New Zealand Peoples section of Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

New Zealand and the Vietnam War – where it fits in the curriculum

NCEA History

New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War is an ideal broad context for Levels 1-3 NCEA History. It is an integral part of any number of broad historical themes and ideas that could be explored, including the Cold War, New Zealand's search for security in the period after 1945, and changing attitudes to war and warfare. Achievement standards at all levels require students to consider historical events and places of significance to New Zealanders. These are explored with varying degrees of depth and significance across the levels.  

Social Studies

New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War also provides a suitable context for the following social studies levels and objectives of the social sciences curriculum:     

Level 4 Social Studies

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

  • Understand that events have causes and effects.
  • Understand how formal and informal groups make decisions that impact on communities.

Level 5 Social Studies

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

  • Understand how the ideas and actions of people in the past have had a significant impact on people’s lives.
  • Understand how people define and seek human rights.

Some background info for teachers and students – fact sheets

Activity ideas

Note: In these fact sheets a number of words have been underlined. Check student understanding of the underlined words and if necessary see the glossary in VietnamWar.govt.nz

Comments

THERE ARE NO COMMENTS