Consequences of Vietnam and the Counterculture

Vietnam Home Front Doves vs Hawks News media Pentagon Papers Baby boomers Anti-War movement Conscientious objectors Kent State Doves- withdraw from the war, thought it was immoral. Too many civilians were dying Hawks- wanted to stop spread of communism and felt war was justified News media- vietnammm was first televised war, new anchors will voice their negative opinions of the war. PR became increasingly important in the political world. Bc they were worried about PR government officials fearing public response would often bend the truth. Leading to a credibility gap bw the people and politicians when the lies were uncovered. pentagon papers- a report by the new York times of unfavorable involvement in Vietnam by us government and other lies the government told Nixon tried to prevent them from publishing it, but will be overruled in NY Times v United States (1971) Anti-war movement- a lot of young people in the 1970s, prosperity of 1950s, not really known struggle. Not inclined to follow the conformity and social rules of their parents will rebel- challenged materialism of 1950s, rock music, greater sexual freedom, recreational drug use. New fashion to show rejectin of parents culture- long hair for men, bell-bottoms, beads, and colorful clothing (hippies) many will become very political, and oppose war, many will jump draft, burn their drft card. Many of the people who got out of draft in college so the majority of people in the war were lower of working class. Colleges were full of anti-war protests- Kent state- spring of 1970. national guardsmen fired upon the students killing 4 A lot of the counter culture will blame capitalism and began looking for better alternative

Consequences of Vietnam War Death rate Psychological damage Khmer Rouge Rising inflation Failure of Vietnam Crisis in confidence Isolationist War Powers Act 1.3 million Vietnamese, and 58,000 americans. Southern Vietnamese exit Vietnam bc of oppressive policies Khmer rouge- communist in Cambodia, murdered bw 2-4 million combodians Failure- we were not winning everything anymore not a lot of confidence in our political leaders War powers act within 2 days of president sending in troops must get congressional approval if not then the troops must be withdrawn within 60 days.

The Counterculture Experimentation = experiences Baby boomers Rise The Beatniks Civil Rights Movement Vietnam anti-war movement Values Experimentation = experiences Baby boomers Rise The Beat movement- freedom from materialism and importance on experiences Civil Rights Movement- social and political unrest Vietnam anti-war movement Values Youth Spontaneity Freedom of expression Peace, love, and freedom Experimentation = experiences Dress and music Freer attitude toward sexual relationships Recreational drug use Baby boomers Most educated generation yet Huge reason to increase production on their desired goods

The Counterculture Music Art and literature Sexual Revolution became “a weapon of cultural revolution” Art and literature Andy Warhol and his soup cans Sexual Revolution Communes Availability of BC pill Music Rock-and-Roll The Beatles Bob Dylan- folk protest songs Music became “a weapon of cultural revolution” Art and literature Andy Warhol and his soup cans Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson Sexual Revolution Communes Availability of BC pill Supported premarital sex

The Counterculture Haight-Ashbury Religion End Effect? Haight-Ashbury Buddhism and other eastern European religions Nature- environmental movement End Drug addictions and overdoses Self-centered and shallow Melted back into mainstream Effect? Haight-Ashbury 1967- 2,000 people Religion Buddhism and other eastern European religions Nature- environmental movement End Drug addictions and overdoses Self-centered and shallow Melted back into mainstream Effect?

Counterculture effects Consumers Unsafe at any speed- by Ralph Nader showed flawed car designs National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 Seat belts standard equipment OSHA- Occupational Safety and Health Administration Disabled Vietnam and Korean Veterans 1962- beginning of Special Olympics Environmental Movement

Environmental Movement 1952 London Smog- caused by coal fires killed 12,000 people Silent Spring by Rachel Carson Cuyahoga River Fire- 1969 Earth Day! April 22, 1970 Environmental Protection Agency- EPA- 1970 Clean Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1973), Endangered Species Act (1973) Nixon 1952 London Smog- caused by coal fires killed 12,000 people Silent Spring by Rachel Carson Created wide spread environmental activism- ended the use of DDT Cuyahoga River Fire- 1969 The river caught fire because of how much waste and chemicals were in it Earth Day! April 22, 1970 Environmental Protection Agency- EPA- 1970 Clean Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1973), Endangered Species Act (1973)- Nixon

Environmental Movement Love Canal- 1978 Three Mile Island Questioning Regulation Love Canal- 1978 Creation of superfund in 1980 Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant reactor began to melt down Questioning Regulation Taking away personal property laws Owners would protect it better bc they had an interest in it