Opposition to the Vietnam War

Opposition to the Vietnam War

1. who opposed it?

   • Muhammed Ali
   • Jane Fonda
   • John Kerry
   • Bob Dylan and many other musicians
   • some of the American people
   • Martin Luther King
   • the Beatles
   • College students. Students for a democratic society (SDS)
   • Jimi Hendrix
   • hippies/flower children

2. how and why they opposed it

   • Muhammed Ali opposed by refusing to go to war (conscientious objector). He didn't agree with the idea of it, down to religious beliefs and stating that he has no quarrel with the Vietnamese people.
   • Martin Luther King opposed the War. He gave a speech entitled 'Beyond Vietnam' about his opposition, suggesting that the US should stop bombing Vietnam and withdraw from the War. He talked about peace movements and declaring a truce.
   • in 1972 Jane Fonda expressed her opposition to the War by visiting Vietnam and talking with the North Vietnamese soldiers. She stated that the young men should be seen as equals and are no different to Americans. A picture was taken of her on an anti-aircraft gun. This was published and made the Americans see her as a traitor. She created a lot of publicity.
   • Bob Dylan wrote many protest songs against the war in the 1960's. The main song he wrote about the Vietnam war was called 'times are a changin'. This song crowned him as a laureate of a social movement.
   • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), held anti-war marches and other protests. Held mostly on college campuses.
   • John Kerry gave a Vietnam Veterans against the War statement, April 23rd 1971. He stated that there is nothing in South Vietnam that could happen which could realistically threaten the US.
   • The Beatles wrote a song 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. Since strawberries are red, the 'Strawberry fields' represent the suffering and death of the American soldiers in Vietnam. This song represents Americas shaded knowledge about the Vietnam War.
     • other examples of songs they wrote showing their opposition, 'Imagine' and 'Give Peace A Chance'
   • John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono had a 'bed-in' against the Vietnam War. Where they stayed in bed for two weeks at a time, throughout the course of a year
   • college students noticed that at the age of 19 it was legal to go to war to fight and die. Yet they were not the legal age to vote or drink alcohol. this started the 26th amendment.
   • television began to show footage from the Vietnam War and many Americans changed their opinions on the war as they saw body bags leave the Asian rice paddies every night in their living rooms.