Make Love Not War
The Anti-War Movement of the 1960’s began as smaller free speech movements on colleges campuses across the country. The college and university students that conducted these protests were united under the ideal that everyone in the nation, not just the small elite, should be able to make decisions regarding economic, political, and social issues that defines the nation. These student protesters also criticized American society for its narrow-minded view on the importance of career advancement, material goods, military power, and for America's view on racism.
Soon the college youth movements and the Vietnam War protests merged together due to their similar ideologies.The protesters of the Vietnam War opposed the draft, U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia, and the media's portrayal of the devastation occurring in Vietnam.
Soon the college youth movements and the Vietnam War protests merged together due to their similar ideologies.The protesters of the Vietnam War opposed the draft, U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia, and the media's portrayal of the devastation occurring in Vietnam.
The Resistance to the Draft
Many young Americans believed the war in Southeast Asia to be a rich man's war and refused to be drafted just so that big companies, like Boeing, could earn more profits. Eligible draftees felt that the war in Vietnam had nothing to do with them and it was just the government and big business going off and waging another war without the consent of the ones that were going to do the actual fighting.
Those in opposition to the draft were certain that the only way that the army was able to draw in recruits was through the use of fear. Fear under the guise of patriotism was what was used to "brainwash" recruits into believing that they were actually fighting for their country. Many felt that the draft was nothing more than a so called "justified" version of kidnapping; those few who were drafted were regarded as Americans who had lost all of their natural born rights.
Those in opposition to the draft were certain that the only way that the army was able to draw in recruits was through the use of fear. Fear under the guise of patriotism was what was used to "brainwash" recruits into believing that they were actually fighting for their country. Many felt that the draft was nothing more than a so called "justified" version of kidnapping; those few who were drafted were regarded as Americans who had lost all of their natural born rights.
Get Out of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam had all but won the war against United States Imperialism in Vietnam. The communists had control of over 80% Vietnam reducing the Americans and South Vietnamese armies to only defensive tactics, we were fighting a war we could not win. Back home in the states most Americans were entirely fed up with the war. While big businesses reaped the profits from the war, it was the American people that paid for the cost of war. Young men took the blunt of it having been forced into military service.
If taking away young American men away from their families was not enough, Americans had to pay a "blood tax" of 10% to counteract inflation, rising unemployment, poor working conditions and increasing costs of social services.
The Anti-War Movement's main goal in this campaign was to unite Americans and demand the immediate withdrawal of all American soldiers out of Vietnam. To achieve this many youth movements across the nation organized protests, walk-outs, and sit-ins to gain the attention of other groups such as high school students and minorities so that together they could grow large enough to attract the attention of the higher-ups in government.
If taking away young American men away from their families was not enough, Americans had to pay a "blood tax" of 10% to counteract inflation, rising unemployment, poor working conditions and increasing costs of social services.
The Anti-War Movement's main goal in this campaign was to unite Americans and demand the immediate withdrawal of all American soldiers out of Vietnam. To achieve this many youth movements across the nation organized protests, walk-outs, and sit-ins to gain the attention of other groups such as high school students and minorities so that together they could grow large enough to attract the attention of the higher-ups in government.
Vietnam in the Media
The portrayal of the war in media is universally regarded as to why the war lacked so little support from the American public.
The Vietnam War was one of the first wars to truly give total and complete freedom to the press. That meant that war journalists were able to report on what they saw and not just on what the government allowed them to. Reporters were finally uncensored and they were able to report on the true horrors of the war. (Pictured left is one of those uncensored images of Vietnamese children and American soldiers running away from a napalm blast.)
The Vietnam War was one of the first wars to truly give total and complete freedom to the press. That meant that war journalists were able to report on what they saw and not just on what the government allowed them to. Reporters were finally uncensored and they were able to report on the true horrors of the war. (Pictured left is one of those uncensored images of Vietnamese children and American soldiers running away from a napalm blast.)