84 pages • 2 hours read
Walter Dean MyersSunrise Over Fallujah
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 1-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary
Private Robin “Birdy” Perry from Harlem, New York is novel’s protagonist. He writes a letter to his uncle, Richie, explaining his thoughts on the possible war with Iraq and how he feels about disobeying his father’s wishes by joining the army. His uncle served in the Vietnam War and, like Birdy, wrote letters back home while stationed overseas. Birdy rereads some of these letters and assumes that his uncle can understand the jumpy feeling he has in his stomach. Uncle Richie, however, had joined a war already in progress. Birdy joined the army but never expected there to be a war. He jokes that the army should send pictures of their sophisticated military equipment to the Iraqis. This would cause the Iraqis to surrender without fail. Birdy notes that, even with all of the differences between the army that fought in Vietnam and the army he has joined—Vietnam War soldiers couldn’t recognize today’s modern, tech-savvy army—those soldiers would probably still understand the uneasy feeling of preparing for battle. Birdy admits that, as his uncle had predicted, he has been having doubts about joining the army. His dad is angry with him for joining the army instead of going to college. Birdy’s father had a different path in mind, but after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Birdy wanted “to do something, to stand up for my country.” Birdy has never defied his father before and so feels terrible for how things have turned out. Nonetheless, Birdy is convinced that he needs to be his own man and serve his country as he sees fit.
Chapter 2 Summary
Major Spring Sessions welcomes the new recruits to Camp Doha in Kuwait. She briefly explains the role of the unit, stating that if the army is forced to invade Iraq, the roles of the 42people in the Civil Affairs unit are to interact with the civilian population. The unit’s main task is to assess the future needs of the Iraqi people. Major Sessions then allows Captain Coles to explain the unit’s purpose and relation to the infantry. Captain Coles introduces himself and explains the unit’s assignments, mission and relationship to the Third Infantry Division, to which this particular unit of Civil Affairs is attached. As Captain Coles calls off names from a clipboard, a number of the main characters are introduced, including Corporal Charlie “Jonesy” Jones, Corporal Marla Kennedy, and others. Captain Coles explains that, as they are attached to Third Infantry, they shouldn’t be involved in any real fighting. If they get into combat, the Third Infantry and the Fourth Marines will spearhead the attack. Captain Coles further explains that if Saddam Hussein doesn’t step down and war starts, the Civil Affairs detachment won’t be front-line troops. Captain Coles believes that war is inevitable, and so the unit’s goal will begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible.
Captain Coles then explains the four phases of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” The first phase began back during the first Gulf War. Since then, intelligence experts have been studying the area to understand local dynamics. Captain Coles says that this phase has been completed; the army knows what and who they’re facing. The second phase involves prepping the battlefield, which really means bombing the enemy and disrupting supply lines and communication. The third phase will be the forceful removal of Iraq’s regime and neutralizing weapons of mass destruction. The fourth phase, which is where the Civil Affairs unit becomes involved, is building a successful democracy in Iraq.
Birdy had expected that Camp Doha would have a more intense atmosphere as Kuwait borders Iraq. Everything seems relatively calm, however, leaving Birdy with doubts as to whether there will even be a war. After talking with Kennedy, who remembered Birdy from Fort Dix, New Jersey, Birdy thinks back to how he was assigned to this particular unit. At Fort Dix, he came down with measles with only two weeks left to go until he would have finished training. He had to start his Infantry training cycle all over again and, due to that, was ordered to report to the Civil Affairs unit detachment.
After briefly talking to Kennedy, Birdy goes to dinner and meets Jonesy. Birdy comments on how differently Jonesy speaks and thinks. Jonesy wants to gain experience in the army, save up money, and open a blues club when he returns home. Jonesy tells Birdy that if they want to get out of the war alive, they’ll need to watch out for each other.
Chapter 3 Summary
Special detachments were created within the Civil Affairs unit, including the Medical, Construction and Intelligence detachments. The Medical people are older, while the Construction people look like they have the most fun. The Intelligence people seem to spend most of their time listening to radio intercepts. The rest of the unit, a dozen or so soldiers including Birdy, will be working within villages as part of the flex team. Sergeant Harris and Captain Coles sort out the remaining soldiers into three Humvee squads. Birdy ends up in First Squad with Jonesy, Captain Coles, and Kennedy. The unit also includes Ahmed Sabbat, an American whose parents are from the Middle East, as the field interpreter for the squads.
Throughout the chapter, the soldiers discuss the situation in Iraq, whether or not Saddam will step down, and if they’ll really have to forcibly remove him. Sergeant Harris believes there will be war and that America will need to show the Iraqis what true power really is. Saddam has backed himself into a corner, says Harris, with nowhere to go if he gives up power. This means he’ll stay and fight. Captain Coles thinks that Saddam will remember the first Gulf War and understand that he can’t stand up to the United States. Coles also realizes that if Saddam does step down, he has made a lot of enemies in the region and he wouldn’t be safe in any other country, so he might as well stay and fight.
Birdy had expected Camp Dohato be like a stereotypical representation of a desert city, with camels and trees. He, like many other soldiers, is surprised to find that Doha is a modernized city, beautiful and clean.
The soldiers are shown a video of Saddam Hussein that ends with the Kurds (an ethnic minority group) being gassed by his forces. Though it was meant to rile the soldiers up and incite anger, Birdy feels scared, not angry. A colonel and lieutenant come to inspect the troops and tells the Civil Affairs unit just how important it will be in the war. The troops watch President Bush give a message to the American people, suggesting that the invasion will take place after all.
Chapter 1-3 Analysis
The first three chapters introduce the preparations for an invasion of Iraq. The debate surrounding the preparations, as well as the thoughts of the soldiers as to whether or not an invasion will take place, help to symbolize the prevailing worldwide debate over whether or not Saddam would step down, whether or not the Americans should invade Iraq, if Coalition forces would help America and whether or not it was actually just for America to interfere with Middle East politics by actively deposing Saddam. Through the different viewpoints of Birdy’s fellow soldiers, Myers highlights the differences in opinion over Iraq and Operation Iraqi Freedom that divided not only the American populace, but the world. Though there are events taking place that even the soldiers don’t even know the reasons behind, such as the Special Ops behind enemy lines, the atmosphere is relatively calm. There’s a feeling of peace, almost, albeit a peace in the midst of a storm.
Birdy’s life back home is addressed through the letters he writes to his Uncle Richie. The reader learns that Uncle Richie fought in the Vietnam War and that he entered the war while the fighting had already begun. Birdy doesn’t think that war will break out with Iraq. The reader also learns that Birdy has gone against the wishes of his father and joined the army. He felt bad after 9/11 and wanted to help his country in some way. By joining the army, Birdy feels closer to his uncle than with his father. He imagines that his uncle understands his feelings and reasons for joining the army. Birdy hopes that, one day, he can be like his uncle and talk about the war with friends. What Birdy wants more than anything is to make a difference in the world.
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By Walter Dean Myers
