Internet Historiography

Paper Summary:

The paper analyzes several websites including Vietnampix.com, The History Place, Vietnamwar.com., Wikipedia.org and PBS.org. The paper looks at the historical reliability and quality of these sites. The paper concludes that the Internet has proven useful on many levels for establishing historiography.

From the Paper:

"The Vietnam War was a seminal moment in U.S. history and provides an emotional backdrop for the U.S.' current dilemma in Iraq. Many veterans of the Vietnam War still suffer from its effects and most Americans are aware of the war's deep impact on that society. Researching the Vietnam War seems to be a topic that is well suited for internet based research as there are a plethora of sites devoted to the subject. The unique aspect of this topic vis-a-vis the internet and historiography is that the various websites consulted seem to run the gamut from the personal experience or memoir type of historical account to the clearly academic and all points in between. Vietnampix.com offered an oddly appropriate pictorial account of the Vietnam War which was, after all, the first major conflict brought into living rooms worldwide through the auspices of television and on ground photographers. Sites such as Wikipedia.org present a highly academic format regarding the war; its causes and its outcome. Yet, the accuracy, detail, and historical integrity of these sites and others, remains in question although the overall historical account that can be assembled from the collective whole is strong."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Battlefield: Vietnam." PBS.org (2006). 20 Sept. 2006<http: //www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/>.
• "The Vietnam War." The History Place (1996). 20 Sept. 2006<http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/
• "The Vietnam War." Vietnampix.com (2006). 20 Sept. 2006<http://www.vietnampix.com/end2.htm>.
• "The Vietnam War." Vietnamwar.com (2006). 20 Sept. 2006<http://www.vietnamwar.com/>.
• "Vietnam War". Wikipedia.org (2006). 20 Sept. 2006<http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War>.

More papers on Internet Historiography:

• Term Paper # 136244 : "Historiography and Critical Historical Thinking"
• Essay # 67872 : "Nationalism, Isolationism and the Internet"
• Research Paper # 45899 : "Privacy and Security on the Internet"

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