Anti-War Movement

Student ActivismStudent Activism Media CoverageMedia Coverage The draftThe draft Lack of censorshipLack of censorship

Immoral War?Immoral War?

Two anti-war activists set themselves Two anti-war activists set themselves on fire in Novemberon fire in November

32 year old Norman Morrison at the 32 year old Norman Morrison at the PentagonPentagon

22 year old Roger Allen LaPorte at 22 year old Roger Allen LaPorte at the UN headquarters in NYCthe UN headquarters in NYC

Protests against the Vietnam War Protests against the Vietnam War took place in the 1960s and 1970s. took place in the 1960s and 1970s. The protests were part of a The protests were part of a movement in opposition to the movement in opposition to the Vietnam War and took place mainly Vietnam War and took place mainly in the U.S.in the U.S.

ExecutionsExecutions

On February 1, 1968, On February 1, 1968, a suspected NLF a suspected NLF officer was summarily officer was summarily executed by General executed by General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, a Nguyen Ngoc Loan, a South Vietnamese South Vietnamese National Police Chief. National Police Chief. Loan shot the suspect Loan shot the suspect in the head on a in the head on a public street in front of public street in front of journalistsjournalists

Public SympathyPublic Sympathy

The execution was filmed and The execution was filmed and photographed and provided another photographed and provided another iconic image that helped sway public iconic image that helped sway public opinion in the United States against opinion in the United States against the war.the war.

On October 15, 1969, hundreds of On October 15, 1969, hundreds of thousands of people took part in National thousands of people took part in National Moratorium anti-war demonstrations across Moratorium anti-war demonstrations across the United States; the demonstrations the United States; the demonstrations prompted many workers to call in sick from prompted many workers to call in sick from their jobs and adolescents nationwide their jobs and adolescents nationwide engaged in truancy from school. However, engaged in truancy from school. However, the proportion of individuals doing either the proportion of individuals doing either who actually participated in the who actually participated in the demonstrations is uncertaindemonstrations is uncertain

My Lai MassacreMy Lai Massacre Over 300 civilians killed by US special soldiersOver 300 civilians killed by US special soldiers The explosive news of the massacre fuelled The explosive news of the massacre fuelled

the outrage of the antiwar movement, which the outrage of the antiwar movement, which demanded the withdrawal of American troops demanded the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. It also led more potential from Vietnam. It also led more potential draftees to file for conscientious objector draftees to file for conscientious objector status. Those who had always argued against status. Those who had always argued against the war felt vindicated; those on the fringes of the war felt vindicated; those on the fringes of the movement became more vocal.the movement became more vocal.

Many Americans opposed the war on Many Americans opposed the war on moral grounds, horrified by the moral grounds, horrified by the devastation it was wreaking on devastation it was wreaking on ordinary Vietnamese civiliansordinary Vietnamese civilians

Unwinnable War?Unwinnable War?

Many anti-war activists were Many anti-war activists were themselves Vietnam veterans, as themselves Vietnam veterans, as evidenced by the organization Vietnam evidenced by the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In April Veterans Against the War. In April 1971, thousands of these veterans 1971, thousands of these veterans converged on the White House in converged on the White House in Washington D.C., and hundreds of them Washington D.C., and hundreds of them threw their medals and decorations on threw their medals and decorations on the steps of the United States Capitol.the steps of the United States Capitol.

The DraftThe Draft

The large cohort of Baby Boomers The large cohort of Baby Boomers who became eligible for military who became eligible for military service during the Vietnam War also service during the Vietnam War also meant a steep increase in the meant a steep increase in the number of exemptions and number of exemptions and deferments, especially for college deferments, especially for college and graduate studentsand graduate students

Poor go to WarPoor go to War

This was the source of considerable This was the source of considerable resentment among poor and working resentment among poor and working class young men, who could not class young men, who could not afford a college educationafford a college education

Draft card burningsDraft card burnings

In late July 1965, Johnson doubled the In late July 1965, Johnson doubled the number of young men to be drafted per number of young men to be drafted per month from 17,000 to 35,000, and on month from 17,000 to 35,000, and on August 31, signed a law making it a crime August 31, signed a law making it a crime to burn a draft card.to burn a draft card.

On October 15, 1965 the student-run On October 15, 1965 the student-run National Coordinating Committee to End National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam in New York staged the the War in Vietnam in New York staged the first draft card burning to result in an first draft card burning to result in an arrest under the new lawarrest under the new law

In 1967, the continued operation of a In 1967, the continued operation of a seemingly unfair draft system then seemingly unfair draft system then calling as many as 40,000 men for calling as many as 40,000 men for induction each month fuelled a induction each month fuelled a burgeoning draft resistance burgeoning draft resistance movement.movement.

Anti-War SlogansAnti-War Slogans

Common slogans and chantsCommon slogans and chants ""Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids have you Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids have you

killed today?"killed today?" The chant "The chant "One, two, three, four! We One, two, three, four! We

don't want your fucking war!don't want your fucking war!" was " was chanted repeatedly at demonstrations chanted repeatedly at demonstrations throughout the U.S. in the late 1960s and throughout the U.S. in the late 1960s and early 1970s. early 1970s.

""Draft Beer, not boysDraft Beer, not boys", "", "Hell no, we Hell no, we won't gowon't go", "", "Make love, not warMake love, not war", ", ""Eighteen today, dead tomorrowEighteen today, dead tomorrow", ",

and "and "LBJ – pull out like your old man LBJ – pull out like your old man should have!should have!" were a few of the anti-" were a few of the anti-war slogans. war slogans.

"Fight the VD, Not the VC!""Fight the VD, Not the VC!" displayed sentiments to concentrate displayed sentiments to concentrate more on the familiar problem of more on the familiar problem of venereal diseases than the foreign venereal diseases than the foreign group, the group, the VietcongVietcong. .

""Love our countryLove our country", "", "America, love America, love it or leave itit or leave it" and "" and "No glory like old No glory like old gloryglory" are examples of pro-war slogans. " are examples of pro-war slogans.

There are many other pro- and anti-There are many other pro- and anti-war slogans, however the mere war slogans, however the mere informational use of those are very informational use of those are very small. The group that mostly used small. The group that mostly used the anti-war slogans were called the anti-war slogans were called "doves"; those that supported the "doves"; those that supported the war were known as "hawks."war were known as "hawks."

Anti-War SongsAnti-War Songs

"Imagine" - John Lennon (1971) "Imagine" - John Lennon (1971) War" - The Temptations, later War" - The Temptations, later

covered by Edwin Starr (1970) covered by Edwin Starr (1970) "The Unknown Soldier" - The Doors "The Unknown Soldier" - The Doors

(1968) (1968) "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye

(1971)(1971)