USA and Vietnam (1964 - 1975) Part 3

USA and Vietnam (1964 - 1975) Part 3

1. Protest movemen in the USA, 1968 - 1973

   • Despite the impact of the media, many Americans supported the war due to patriotic duty and a genuine fear of communism
     • The idea of 'my country wrong or right'
   • The media did lead to greater questionin of the war in some part of American society
   • The draft conscription into the forces caused oppostion as many young men didnt want to fight
   • Opposition also came from the fact that richer, middle class Americans avoided the draft, by going back to college, gaining medical disability certificates or leaving the USA
   • All of these aspects led to the protest movement, it came in different forms.
     • Ripping-up draft paper
     • Creating anti-war slogans
       • Hey, Hey LBJ; how many kids did you kill today
     • Mohammed Ali lost his title because he refused to fight
     • Formation of the Vietnam veterans against the war group; in 1967
   • Protests That took Place
     • Aug. 1968 - 10,000 demonstrators at the Democratic Party Conference, in Chicago; the police used violence to disperse them
     • Nov. 1968 - 35,000 people protested outside the White House
     • 1971 - 300,000 Vietnam Veterans took place in the Vietnam Veterns agaisnt the war march
       • Many wereinjured, and wore their medals - when they spoke out it had a deep effect on Americans
     • Further protests were caused by key events such as; the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and the trail of Lt. Calley

2. The protest movement in Unis

   • The late 60's and early 70's was a time when many young Americans dropped out of society and developed an 'anti-establishment culture'
   • Young Americans protested against American Materialism and in fvour of civil rights
   • Protested against the Vietnam war as it was there age group that was in the draft, as well as moral reasons such as 'Make love not war'
   • Many protests were found in the Unis, often on their campuses but also in the towns and cities
   • Some protests got out of control often when they clashed with events in the war, such as increased bombing, in those cases there was often clashes with police and the national guard
   • Protested by going on strike - not going to lectures; burning draft papers; sit-ins at draft offices; blocking transport routes that were used to transport troops
   • Student protests attracted media attention and helped focus the nations attention on the war

3. Kent State

   • 2nd May 1970 over 1,000 students demonstrarted on campus and damaged one of the buildings
   • 4th May more demonstrations took place with more students - the Governor of Ohio called out the National Guard
   • Initially the National Guard fired Tear Gas canisters into the crowd, but then retreated when they ran out
   • Some students followed and began throwing rocks at the Guardsmen
   • The Guardsmen then fired at the demonstrators killing 4 and injuring 9
     • Evidence later showed the 4 killed were not part of the demonstrations