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(CNN Student News) -- Set your VCR to record the CNN Special Investigations Unit Classroom Edition: Ambush at the River of Secrets when it airs commercial-free on Monday, March 26, 2007, from 4:00 -- 5:00 a.m. ET on CNN. (A short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program.)

Program Overview

On the morning of January 26, 2005, a Marine convoy raced into the Sunni stronghold of Haqlaniya, where the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit was pursuing an insurgent leader into a part of Iraq that was under insurgent control. As the Marines left their raid location, they were enveloped by an ambush. Four Marines, members of Charlie Company, were killed. Ambush at the River of Secrets pays tribute to the sacrifices of these Marines and the other Americans who have died in Iraq.

Note to Teachers: Please preview this program as it contains content that some students may find disturbing, and note that we recommend this content be used in postsecondary classes.

Grade Levels: College

Subject Areas: Current Issues, Psychology, Government, Journalism

Objectives: The CNN Special Investigations Unit Classroom Edition: Ambush at the River of Secrets and its corresponding discussion questions and activity challenge students to:

  • Learn about Charlie Company's role in Iraq and the circumstances surrounding the 2005 insurgent ambush on the banks of the Euphrates River;
  • Examine the sacrifices that U.S. military and their loved ones make during times of war;
  • Identify ways to help U.S. forces that are serving in combat and their families;
  • Develop tributes to honor U.S. soldiers who are serving in combat.

    • Curriculum Connections

    This content is intended for use in college classes, which are not governed by national and state education standards.

    Discussion Questions

    1. How does Ambush at the River of Secrets compare to other accounts of the war in Iraq that you may have seen? Do you think that it is important to tell the stories of individuals who have served and died in combat? Explain.

    2. What are some of the different reasons that the Marines featured in this program chose to serve in the military? What challenges did they face while serving in Iraq? How did their deployment affect their loved ones back in the United States? What sacrifices did the Marines and their loved ones make in the defense of freedom?

    3. Do you think that it is important for people to serve their country? Why or why not? What are some of the different ways that young Americans can serve? Of these types of service, which do you think require the greatest personal sacrifice, and why? If you were to serve your country, what type of service might you perform and why?

    4. Under what circumstances did Jesse Strong, Karl Lin, Christopher Weaver and Jonathan Bowling die? How did their deaths impact their loved ones and their fellow Marines?

    5. Has someone close to you ever died? If so, how did their death impact you? What emotions did you experience? Did you feel grief at the loss? If so, how did you deal with your grief? Did your feeling of grief change over time? If so, how? If not, why not? How do you think people should respond to someone who has recently experienced the death of a loved one? What words or actions might the person find consoling?

    6. Do you think that the impact of losing a loved one in combat is different than if the person had died from other causes, like illness or old age? If so, how? If not, why not?

    7. In your view, what is a hero? What are some qualities that heroes display? Give examples of real-life heroes or fictional ones. Do you consider any of the people featured in Ambush at the River of Secrets to be heroes? Explain.

    8. In general, what role do embedded journalists play in covering the war in Iraq, and how is their perspective on the war unique? What role did the embedded journalists play in covering the ambush on the banks of the Euphrates River? Why do you think that a journalist or cameraperson would choose to be embedded, despite the risks that come with the assignment?

    9. How do you think that U.S. forces, their families and American viewers might react to Ambush at the River of Secrets? What are your thoughts and feelings regarding this program?

    Suggested Activity

    Paying Tribute

    Generate a class discussion about the sacrifices that U.S. military personnel and their loved ones have made and continue to make in the defense of freedom. Organize a class project in which students host an event that demonstrates their appreciation for local veterans and their families. To get students started, pose the following questions for class discussion:

  • What is a tribute?
  • What are some of the ways that Americans pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces and those who serve in combat zones? (e.g., awarding of medals such as the Purple Heart, celebrating days of remembrance, displaying yellow ribbon magnets on cars, building memorials, etc.)
  • What types of tributes and assistance do you think that the people featured in Ambush at the River of Secrets would appreciate the most?

    • Have students conduct research on what is being done locally, statewide or nationally to honor and help active and deployed U.S. servicemen and women and their families. Next, have students draw upon their research to brainstorm a list of meaningful ways that they might pay tribute and/or provide assistance to these American servicemen and women and their families. Examples of actions they could take include:

  • Collecting and sending troops touches of home;
  • Fundraising for scholarships for surviving family members;
  • Interviewing wounded soldiers to create a local oral history library, publish a book of memoirs from the battlefield, or develop a Web site that features local military personnel;
  • Visiting local veterans' hospitals to share original works of art, poetry, music or kind words of thanks with some of the hospitalized veterans;
  • Fundraising for medical research on injuries specific to combat;
  • Providing services such as lawn care or grocery shopping for families whose loved ones are still fighting or have been wounded in battle;
  • Developing a Web site through which community members can learn more about local servicemen and women and how they can help them.

    • Have students select an initiative from the list and develop, plan and implement it.

    Keywords

    Iraq, Anbar province, U.S. Marines, Charlie Company, journalist, embedded, battle, insurgents, ambush, Euphrates River, sacrifice, honor, tribute, family, grief