TOW#6 - Visual Text: U.S. Airman Dewey Wayne Waddell, Held Prisoner in Hanoi, Vietnam. Thomas Billhardt - 1967

The Vietnam war was a war unlike any other the U.S. had experienced before. The war featured an enemy that was illusive, blending in with the villagers throughout Vietnam, making it nearly impossible to know who was on what side. This photograph features a female Vietnamese guerrilla holding an American pilot captive at gun point and escorting him on a country road. Taken by former East German photographer, Thomas Billhardt, this photograph evokes pathos by giving hope to those who viewed it, as well as illustrating the reality of the Vietnam war and symbolizing the American success in the war, through the juxtaposition of the uniformed American Airman and the Vietnamese woman without a uniform, showing that it was nearly impossible to distinguish who was on what side.

The American Airman, Dewey Wayne Waddell, met with the photographer 31 years later, and stated that the photograph positively impacted his own life by helping his family and the U.S. know that he remained alive. This photograph provided his family a sense of hope that they would see him again one day. The juxtaposition of the two belligerents shows two completely different opponents. The Vietnamese woman without uniform, illustrates the elusive, guerrilla fighting nature of the Viet Cong, in the inability to distinguish a combatant from a civilian. Opposed to the American Airman, in uniform, clearly distinguishable from any non combatant. This photo provided a family and friends with a glimmer of hope, while serving as a symbol for the war, showing both sides and the American success in the conflict.

TOW#5 - Nonfiction Text: “Drones and the Democracy Disconnect” by Firmin DeBrabander

As American involvement in the Middle East continues, the technology being deployed to the region continues to advance. Drones are playing an ever increasing role in the conflicts in the Middle East, able to wipe out targets from thousands of feet in the air, miles away, keeping American soldiers out of the line of fire, at the same time potentially putting more civilians at risk. Firmin DeBrabander, a professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art, discusses this in his New York Times Op-Ed, Drones and the Democracy Disconnect. In his article, DeBrabander uses compare and contrast, as well as quotes to encourage a limited use of drones in future conflicts.

DeBrabander, despite being a professor of philosophy, establishes further credibility in his use of quotes. When describing the use of drones in war, he relates the issue to a quote by Machivelli about new technology in warfare, “‘prevents men from employing and displaying their virtue as they used to do of old’” (DeBrabander p. 9). This quote allows DeBrabander to further his credibility by quoting a well known war strategist, as well as stating that new technologies on the battlefield prevent the display of courage and bravery on the battlefield. This can be related to today’s drones, in that courage and bravery is not required to sit behind a screen killing people from thousands of miles away. Debrabander then compares the situations of each end of the drone, the people behind the controls, and the victim's point of view. He uses a quote from George Monbiot, a writer known for his political pieces. He paraphrases Monbiot’s writing, stating that Monbiot called “…the United States’ drone strikes in Pakistan cowardly” (DeBrabander par. 6). This quote continues, showing the effects on Pakistani civilians. It highlights the removal of the Americans from the brutality. The quote being from a well respected political writer establishes further ethos, and suggests to the audience that drone strikes are not a good idea in warfare, due to civilian casualties and removal of emotions. Debrabander’s use of compare and contrast and quotes, develops a strong argument against the use of drones in warfare in the Middle East.

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