1. “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy”
Tim O’Brien

2. Characterization
Direct Characterization – the writer tells us what the character is like
Indirect Characterization – the reader puts together clues about what the character is like

3. Static Characters – characters that do not change
Dynamic Characters – characters that change
Round Characters – characters that are developed fully
Flat Characters – characters not fully developed

4. Historical Context
The social, cultural, and political issues of the time and place in which the story is set

5. Vietnam: the historical context
French began military campaigns in Vietnam in the mid 19th century
1941 Ho Chi Mihn started a resistance movement
1945, Japan took control
French tried to regain control and the Indochina War broke out
US supported the French

6. North vs. South Vietnam Ho Chi Mihn controlled the North
Ngo Dihn Diem controlled the South
Elections held to unify-Diem blocked them
US supported Diem to resist Communism

7. WAR North Vietnamese attack US ship
President Johnson authorized troops to Vietnam in 1965 to fight North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and South Vietnamese guerrillas (Viet Cong)

8. Troops 16,000 initial troops 500,000 at peak
At withdrawal in 1973, 57,605 Americans had died
303,700 wounded
Many Vietnamese civilians killed

9. Guerrilla Warfare US soldiers trained for traditional combat
Viet Cong took advantage of jungle landscape
Planted traps such as bamboo stakes in the jungle
Tough to distinguish between civilians and enemy soldiers

10. Strategy US used massive bombing campaigns
Pacification tactics such as search and destroy missions and free-fire zones

11. Turning Point
1968—NVA and Viet Cong prepared to launch a simultaneous attack against all major cities in South Vietnam
Occurred on Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, rumored to be truce time
Tet failed in terms of casualties but succeeded in turning US sentiment against the war

12. March 1968 Johnson halted bombing and began peace talks
Richard Nixon was elected President
Nixon began reducing troops and turning Vietnam over to Army of the Republic of Vietnam leaders

13. Tim O’Brien Drafted into the US Army right after college
Spent 2 years in Vietnam
After the war, he wrote to cope with his memories from the war
Often used the character Paul Berlin to tell the story