“Waiting for Lefty: The State of the Peace Movement in the US.” John Berg

US Peace Movement What is in a Name? A 1935 Play: Waiting for Lefty Union organizers waiting for Lefty, their leader. (Will he show?) Current US Peace Movement: The movement was not waiting for an elected leader, it was waiting to elect a leader who would end the war in Iraq.

US Peace Movement Berg’s Argument: State of the Peace Movement In comparison to the 1960s and 1960s, the US peace movement today is weaker, though the public is more opposed or uncertain about the war in Iraq. Challenging the Convention Wisdom: The importance of the Draft A weak peace movement is not a result of the absence of a draft, rather it is a result of the fact that peace activists believe the war be ended through elections.

US Peace Movement Vietnam War: A History Tonkin Gulf Resolution: (August 7, 1964) Congress authorized the president to use force in Vietnam if necessary. Troop Escalation: President Johnson escalated the war in early 1965: - Operation Rolling Thunder (February 1965) - Rapidly increased troop levels (1964: 16,000; 1965: 180,000) What was Johnson’s personal/political rationale for sending additional troops?

US Peace Movement Public Response: Rapidly Escalating Protests Students for Democratic Society (SDS) Organized a protest on April 17, 1965 in DC. 30,000 people showed up. National Mobilization Committee (May 1967)/Vietnam Moratorium: October 1967: 100,000 people protested in Washington, followed by civil disobedience at the Pentagon (800 arrested). Five Years After Tonkin Gulf incident: International protests, 500,000 at October 1969 protest

US Peace Movement Student Response: Challenge University complicity with the war Targeted: 1) Military research facilities 2) Military recruitment on campuses 3) Faculty contacts with the CIA 4) ROTC

US Peace Movement Student Response: Developed a Broader Analysis 1) Anti-imperialist analysis 2) Linked antiwar and the civil rights movement Developed New Tactics: 1) Militant civil disobedience 2) Building occupations 3) Campus strikes

US Peace Movement War in Iraq: A different Public and Student Response Started with Large Demonstrations: 1) 6 to 10 million people worldwide protest ( February ). 2) 250,00 million march in New York 3) 300,000 march the day after the war begins 4) 2 million protest on the first anniversary of the invasion (March 2004).

US Peace Movement War in Iraq: A different Public and Student Response Strength of Movement Fades: After Bush declares victory (May 1, 2003) No Large-Scale Student Opposition: 1) Limited student opposition to the war 2) No analytical critique of universities

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: Scholars have debated a number of reasons for the absence of a strong opposition to the Iraq war. Three Commonly Cited Reasons: 1) The absence of a draft (which mobilized students in 1960s) 2) Divisions within the current antiwar/peace movement 3) Differing strategies (social movement versus electoral tactics)

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: But there are problems with each argument: The absence of a draft in Iraq War: 1) Is it reasonable to assume that students would be more likely to protest than individuals who have been drafted into the National Guard during the Vietnam War? 2) Timing: most college students got an exemption from the draft until Most large-scale student protests happened before 1971.

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: But there are problems with each argument: Divisions within the antiwar/peace movement: The antiwar movement now is no more divided than it was in the 1960s. United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) may disagree over tactics, for the same thing happened within SDS, for example, the 1960s.

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: But there are problems with each argument: Differing strategies (social movement versus electoral tactics) and Electoral Environments: In the 1960s, the antiwar movement did not believe the war be ended by electoral means, since it had been started by the Democratic Party (to which most of the movement was politically affiliated). Now, however, the antiwar movement was led to believe that a Democrat might be willing to stop a war started by a Republican (George Bush).

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: Differing Electoral Environments: Opponents of the war in Iraq looked to and pursued an electoral strategy to end the war in Iraq. The work of MoveOn.org provides a clear example of this: 1) 2004: Peace Movement Supports Dems (Dean, Kerry). 2) 2004: Greens did not directly oppose Democrats. 3) 2006: Peace Movement focuses on Congressional Election 4) 2008: Elect Obama, who will end the war in Iraq.

US Peace Movement Comparing the Opposition to Vietnam and Iraq Wars: Differing Electoral Environments: The peace movements electoral strategy has produced only limited results: 1) 2004: Dean, then Kerry losses. 2) 2006: Democrats win control of Congress, but lack the votes to end the war, or overrule a presidential veto. 3) 2008: Obama is elected, keeps promise to withdraw troops from Iraq by August, Is Obama lefty?