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
+
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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