The Anti-War Movement

Anti-War Movement Emerges As the war dragged on in Vietnam, the public support dropped Suspicion of the government’s truthfulness about the war grew In the early years of the war, General William Westmoreland had reported the enemy was on the verge of defeat, but the war continued on for years

Anti-War Movement Emerges Media accounts from reporters stationed overseas told a more depressing story Vietnam was the first “televised war” with footage of combat appeared nightly in American homes Credibility gap  it was hard to believe what the Johnson administration said about the war

Teach-ins Begin March 1965  a group of faculty members and students at the University of Michigan joined together at a teach-in They discussed issues surrounding the war and reaffirmed their reasons for opposing it May 1965  122 colleges held a “National Teach-In” by radio for more than 100,000 people People opposed the war for many reasons, and this gave them a forum to discuss those reasons

Anger at the Draft Until 1969, a college student was able to defer military service until after graduation Therefore, young people from working-class families were more likely to be drafted and sent to war because they could not afford college Draftees were more likely to be assigned to dangerous combat units 1969  Draftees made up 62% of battle deaths Majority of the soldiers during Vietnam were volunteer enlistees because it provided vocational training and a source of upward mobility

Anger at the Draft 500,000 draftees refused to go when called Some burned their draft cards, did not show up for induction, or fled the country Between 1965-69, the government prosecuted 3,300 Americans who refused to serve the war April 1965  Students for a Democratic Society marched on Washington with 20,000 people Arguments over the draft fueled debate over voting age 1971  26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18

Hawks and Doves Hawks  those who insisted that the country stay and fight the war Doves  those who wanted the United States to withdraw from Vietnam