How Did the Viet Cong Attack Bien Hoa Air Base in 1968?
Teaching with 10 Second War Stories
This lesson explores the effectiveness of micro-documentaries in historical storytelling by analyzing a 10-second short about the Vietnam War.
Suggested age
14–16
Duration
30 minutes
Type
Lesson pack
Conflict / period
Vietnam War
Subjects
Media Studies
Content note
This lesson discusses military conflict. Please remind students to approach the subject with sensitivity to the human cost of war.
Overview
This lesson explores the effectiveness of micro-documentaries in historical storytelling by analyzing a 10-second short about the Vietnam War.
Learning objectives
- Analyze how short-form video content condenses complex historical events.
- Evaluate the impact of visual pacing and audio on historical narrative.
- Critically compare micro-documentaries with long-form historical articles.
- Discuss the ethics of reducing combat history to 10-second soundbites.
Materials required
- Internet access to https://10secondwarstories.online/en/vietnam/attack-on-bien-hoa-air-base-1968
- Projector or student devices
- Printed worksheets
- Pens and paper
Historical context
The 1968 attack on Bien Hoa Air Base was part of the wider Tet Offensive, a series of coordinated North Vietnamese attacks. It demonstrated the vulnerability of major U.S. and South Vietnamese air installations to surprise mortar and rocket attacks.
Reading material
Watch the 10-second short here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9C0f5mXXsLc. Then, read the full account of the event here: https://10secondwarstories.online/en/vietnam/attack-on-bien-hoa-air-base-1968. Micro-documentaries serve as modern 'tasters' for historical study. They rely on rapid visual shifts, stock footage, and concise text to engage audiences who may have limited time or attention. However, when summarizing battles like Bien Hoa, a significant amount of nuance regarding the geopolitical situation and the loss of life is necessarily omitted to fit the format.
Student worksheet (preview)
Activity:
1. View the short three times.
2. Identify the 'hook' used to catch the viewer's attention.
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3. List three facts from the full article that could not fit into the 10-second video.
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4. Draft a 10-second script for a different historical event, focusing on one primary image and one sentence of text.
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Discussion questions
- Does the 10-second format disrespect the memory of those who fought, or does it make history more accessible?
- Which medium is more effective for learning: a 10-second video or a long-form article? Why?
- How does the music and sound design in the video change your emotional response to the facts?
Extension task
Rewrite the script of the short to provide a more somber, respectful tone rather than an 'action-packed' tone. How does changing the audio change the viewer's perception?
Support prompts
- Focus on one visual element from the short: what does it tell you?
- Compare the vocabulary used in the article versus the captions in the short.
- Think about who the target audience is for the YouTube Short.
Sources and credits
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9C0f5mXXsLc
- https://10secondwarstories.online/en/vietnam/attack-on-bien-hoa-air-base-1968
- Imperial War Museum (iwm.org.uk)
- BBC Bitesize (bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zj26n39)
- The National Archives (nationalarchives.gov.uk)
Developed for educational use by Media Studies Curriculum Team.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-26