Vietnam: The Home Front

The Draft

One of the most contentious issuesin a contentious war

Could we have fought the war without a draft?

The DraftThe First Draft Lottery

December 1, 1969Washington, DC

Determined order of draft for 1970

Young men 19 to 26 years old

The Draft

The draft ended in 1973

The registration requirement was suspended in 1975 but was reinstated in 1980 in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Peace Movement

Nuclear Disarmament

+

=

On the other hand …

WoodstockAugust 1969

Officially “The Woodstock Music & Art Fair

WoodstockAugust 1969

Unofficially: The biggest rave / love-in / anti-war protest in US history

An estimated 300,000-500,000 attended over three days

On the other hand …

(Disclaimer: I wasn’t there!)

The Home Front

Sing Along

Music of Vietnam

Music of Vietnam

The Vietnam Song

Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die RagCountry Joe and the Fish

Woodstock, 1969

Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag

((( ((5

Come on all of you big strong menUncle Sam needs your help againhe's got himself in a terrible jamway down yonder in Viet Nam put down your books and pick up a gun we're gonna have a whole lotta fun

Country Joe and the Fish

Chorus

And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting forDon't ask me I don't give a damn, My next stop is Viet NamAnd it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gatesIt ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die

We Gotta Get Out of This Place

YouTube (3:27)

We Gotta Get Out of This PlaceIn this dirty old part of the cityWhere the sun refused to shinePeople tell me there ain't no use in tryin'

Now my girl you're so young and prettyAnd one thing I know is trueYou'll be dead before your time is due, I know.

Watch my daddy in bed a dyin'Watch his hair been turnin' grayHe's been workin' and slavin' his life away.Oh Yes, I know

He's been workin' so hardAnd I been workin' too, baby.

Every night and day

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (3:31)

Chorus

We gotta get out of this place!If it's the last thing we ever do ...We gotta get out of this place,Girl, there's a better life ... for me and you

On the other hand …

Ballad of the Green Beret

YouTube 2:46

SSgt Barry Sadler

Vietnam: The Final Chapter

End

Lesson 30

Finishing TouchesClick to open slides