PROTESTING THE VIETNAM WAR

U.S. History

Background

Unlike WWII, a large percentage of Americans did not support the War in Vietnam.

Reasons for opposing the Vietnam War Moral

U.S. was in Vietnam for $$$; innocent people are dying

Practical Vietnamese people should choose their own

government Reaction to Media

TV shows battlefield footage; reporters say war cannot be won.

Public Approval of the Vietnam War

"In view of developments since we entered the fighting in Vietnam, do you think the U.S. made a mistake sending troops to fight in Vietnam?"

The Living Room War

Vietnam was the first fully televised war No TV during

WWII or Korea Graphic images of

death, violence, and destruction in Vietnam are brought into people’s homes every night.

Over time, people became repulsed by these scenes and began opposing the war.

CBS aired a report by Morley Safer which showed Marines lighting the thatched roofs of the village of Cam Ne with Zippo lighters, and included critical commentary on the treatment of the villagers. It generated an angry reaction from Lyndon

Johnson.

In 1968, during the Tet offensive, viewers of NBC news saw Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan blow out the brains of his captive in a Saigon street.

And in 1972, during the North Vietnamese spring offensive, the audience witnessed the aftermath of errant napalm strike, in which South Vietnamese planes mistook their own fleeing civilians for North Vietnamese troops.

The Draft

During the Vietnam War, a draft was implemented to recruit more soldiers.

If selected, an individual was required to serve in the military. Typically, service in the armed forces in on a

volunteer basis. Deferments were offered to college

students and people in certain professions (most were middle class/ wealthy and white) This led to charges of discrimination (as we read

in our DBQ)

Protesting the Draft

Conscientious Objection Opposed fighting in the

war on moral grounds Burning your draft

cards Lighting draft cards on

fire as a sign of protest Fleeing to Canada

To avoid arrest “Draft dodgers”

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

College campuses were hotbeds of anti-war feelings.

Professors and students protested the war

SDS was formed at U of Michigan in 1964. Teach ins Anti-war

demonstrations

Hippies/ Yippies

Make love, not war! Generally peaceful

protesters Heavy use of

marijuana, LSD Long hair, bell-

bottoms, flowers, peace symbols.

More politically active than hippies.

Used theatrical gestures to make larger statements against war.

Pro-drug, but not stoned all the time.

Hippies Yippies

1968 Chicago

Chicago was the home of the 1968 Democratic National Convention Dems would nominate their Pres. candidate

Convention draws 10,000 protesters who opposed the war in Vietnam Most congregate in Grant Park

Hubert Humphrey (pro-war) vs. Eugene McCarthy (anti-war)

Humphrey is nominated; crowd reacts.

August 28th, 1968

Crowd of 10,000 begins to clash with the Chicago Police (given orders by Mayor Richard J. Daley) and National Guard.

Police beat protesters and use tear gas/ mace to disperse the crowds.

“The whole world is watching!”

1st amendment rights violated?

Kent State Massacre

May 4th, 1970 4 unarmed

students are killed at Kent State University while protesting U.S. military actions.

Outcomes of Vietnam Protests War becomes very

unpopular across America.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) does not seek re-election for president.

Democrats are divided and Republican Richard Nixon gets elected in 1968. Eventually ends war,

but not until 1975.