Sunrise Over Fallujah

By Walter Dean Myers

• Background information on the two Iraq
Wars
• Introduction to the author & book
• Introduction to the characters, plot, and
themes in the story
 The Iraq War: 1991
• Desert Storm begins on Jan.
16, 1991 with massive air
and missile strikes
• Iraq shoots scud missiles at
Israel: U.S. uses Patriot
Missiles to defend
• U.S. flies 8,000 sorties a day
• A massive oil spill, released
by Iraq, in Persian Gulf
The Iraq War: 1991
• Iraq has captured Allied pilots
• Iraqi army advances into
Saudi Arabia
• 33 days into the war, and 15%
of Iraq’s fighting forces have
been killed or wounded
• Day 39: Ground attack begins
 The Iraq War: 1991
• Iraq army sets hundreds of
Kuwaiti oil wells ablaze
• On the first day of ground
offensive, U.S. captures
5,500 Iraq prisoners
• By the end of the war, Iraqi
POWs number over 63,000
• It takes just 43 days for
U.S. to defeat Iraq
The Iraq War Today:
Why We Went to War
• The 9-11 World Trade
Center attacks
• U.S. decided to strike at
Iraq before they helped
terrorist groups like Al-
Qaeda and Hezbollah
• Iraqi agents tried to kill his
father in April, 1993
 The Iraq War Today:
Why We Went to War

• U.S. believed Iraq had a

stockpile of Weapons of
Mass Destruction
(WMDs)
The Iraq War Today:
Why We Went to War
• End Saddam Hussein’s
rule over the people of
Iraq
• Saddam was known for
his cruelty to his
citizens, especially the
Kurds
• To instill a democratic
state in the Middle East
The Iraq War Today:
Why We Went to War
• Skeptics and critics say
the U.S. went to war in
Iraq for oil

• President Bush has a

background in oil
 Sunrise Over Fallujah:
About the Author
• Written by Walter Dean
Myers

• Other books he’s written:

– Monster, Fallen Angels,
Game, Shooter

• Myers is 73 years old and

grew up in Harlem
More about the author…

• Myers dropped out of

high school and joined
the army
• Basketball is a passion of
his
• Worked two jobs and
wrote at night
• He walks 5 miles a day
and writes 10 pages a
day
 Characters
• Robin “Birdy” Perry
– Joined the army after 9/11
– Lots of conflict in this character (Who’s the enemy?
Who can he trust? What’s their mission?)
• Marla
– Tough-talking, wise-cracking blond
– Is the gunner for a humvee
• Jonesy
– Guitar-playing bluesman
– Wants to open a club in Georgia
 Plot Summary
• Perry is assigned to a Civil Affairs unit
– CA units help rebuild both structurally and the
relationships with Iraqi people
– CA units give medical support and works with local
civilians in the war zone
– CA units assist military force units
• Perry, Jonesy, Marla and the rest of their unit goes
into bad spots and try to mend relations with the
locals
• They are attacked one night and now Perry questions
who the enemy is because he can’t tell
 Plot Summary cont…
• Perry realizes that he can’t relax anywhere or
anytime
• The characters run into an IED (improvised
explosive device)
• Soldiers are kidnapped
• At one hospital, Robin is forced to act quickly
to save a female Captain.
• Perry realizes he’s done things he never
thought he could do or ever would do
 Plot Summary cont….
• As a result of the good
work Perry’s CA unit has
done, they’re asked to
help with a dangerous
and highly political
assignment. It changes
everyone involved.
 Story Themes
• Doing what’s right even when you feel
something is wrong
– Quick Write: What do you think this means?
• Is killing justified? If justified, will you still pay
for it when it’s done?
– Quick Write: Answer the two above questions
• Heroes
– Quick Write: What is something a “regular”
person can do that is heroic?
 Story Themes cont….
• Friendship and Trust
– Quick Write: How important is friendship/trust?
How tough can life be without it?
• Can wars be “won” or “lost”
– Quick Write: Explain this ~ even if a country is
winning a war, can they also be losing it?