Life in United States during Vietnam War

1
Life in United States during Vietnam War

• Taking an in-depth look at life in United States
  during the War
• Sources Vietnam War Project The American
  Experience/Vietnam

2
Background Information

• Located near China, this war was most unpopular
  war ever fought
• Opposition to war became known as Anti-War
  Movement
• Civil Rights Movement helped create a climate for
  protest in early to mid 1960s.
• Early anti war activists were also involved in
  Civil Rights Movement

3
Hawks Doves

• Doves
• Opposed War
• Viewed conflict in Vietnam as a civil war
• Believed US had no right to interfere in it
• Money spent on war should be spent elsewhere
  (Social programs)

• Hawks
• Supporters of War
• Argued North Vietnamese aggression had forced US
  into war
• As a result, US should do whatever was necessary
  to win

4
Doves their Mission

• Opponents of US govt policy in Vietnam built
  coalitions known as Doves or New Left.
• Composed of advocates of
• Equal rights for ethnic minorities
• Equal rights for women
• Environmental activists
• Supporters of new life-styles
• Doves demanded for the immediate withdrawal of
  American forces from Vietnam.

5
Life at Home during War

• Initially after Gulf of Tonkin Resolution,
  overwhelming support.
• As casualties increased, many questioned American
  involvement in War
• TV and media reports increased growing sense of
  doubt
• People saw images like these from their home

6
First Anti-War Protests

• First protests were held during President
  Kennedys administration
• As war continued and escalated, the number of
  protestors drastically increased.
• Example Antiwar demonstration in Boston in 1965
  drew only 100 people while a similar
  demonstration in the same place drew over 100,000
  in 1969

7
Protesting the War

• Protests at College Campuses
• Sit ins and marches
• Burnt draft cards avoided the draft
• Antiwar protests fed a widespread spirit of
  rebellion
• Early 70s rejected traditional American culture,
  experimented with clothing , music, and illegal
  drugs

8
College Campus Protests

• As protestors (Doves) grew more vocal, so did
  supporters of war (Hawks).
• Resulted in increase animosity between 2 groups
• Govts attempts to stop opposition, exploded in
  violent confrontation.
• Kent State and Jackson State
• In 1970, students at both campuses were shot
  while peacefully demonstrating their opposition
  to the war.

9
Other methods of Protesting

• Civil Disobedience
• Publicly burned their draft cards
• Refusing to report when drafted
• In 1965, only 380 draft evaders were prosecuted
  and went to prison.
• In 1969, the number increased to 33, 960.
• Most notable Muhammad Ali
• Estimated that over 100,000 fled to US to avoid
  conscription
• Others chose civilian alternative service

10
Vietnam Veterans

• Vietnam Veterans
• View their Statement Against the War
• Formed their own organization and held a dramatic
  march on Washington, D.C., in April 1971
• Threw combat medals at Capitol building

11
Invasion into Personal lives

• FBI, CIA, and police forces infiltrated protest
  groups by tapping phones, secretly photographing
  meetings, and creating secret files on suspected
  individuals.

12
Public Opinion divides

• 1965 Poll Found 60 of Americans favoring
  military involvement in Vietnam
• By 1967, polls began to show a majority opposed
  to the war
• By 1971, over 60 of Americans were opposed
  Vietnam War

13
Decline of Anti-War Movement

• President Nixons decision to end draft and bring
  home remaining troops in 1973 resulted in a
  notable decline in antiwar activity.
• Antiwar coalitions began to dissolve

14
Results of antiwar movement

• Difficult to gauge effects of movement
• Many Americans were exhilarated by their ability
  to publicly protest govt decisions
• Others viewed protests as disrespect for govt
  during a time of war
• Safe to assume that protestors had some influence
  in bringing an earlier end to the war
• The extent of that influence is still in dispute

15
Additional results of protests

• Had drastic impact on domestic politics
• Influenced Lyndon Johnson (left) decision not to
  seek re-election
• Nixon administration was forced to recognize
  growing strength of protests its policy making
  (Right).
• Size and frequency of protests and the extensive
  media coverage guaranteed that the whole world
  was watching the protests!

16
Results of War

• US lost more than 58,000 American lives
• More than million Vietnamese soldiers lost their
  lives and perhaps half a million civilians died
• US government spent vast amounts of money on the
  war
• War divided the nation in an often bitter debate
• No clear answer to decide how far US should go to
  fight Communism

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