By Amber Ullman and Courtney Reigert

 From 1965 to 1973, the United States fought in the Vietnam war. It was the longest war the US ever fought in. The Vietnam war gave rise to the largest and most successful antiwar movement in US history. The Vietnam war was fought on two fronts, the ‘war at home’ that was fought on the streets of the US and US college campuses and the war in Vietnam with guns, tanks, and bombs. Millions of Americans took to the streets and college campuses in large and small groups, protesting the war, discussing the moralities of the war and demanded the United States to withdraw troops from Vietnam.

 In the early 1960s, student radicalisms protested political repression on college campuses. The antiwar movement is considered a direct outgrowth of the Free Speech Movement led by people like Mario Savio at U.C. Berkeley. During the outbreak of the Vietnam war, radicalism inspired by the Free Speech Movement later grew to a national voice protesting the US involvement in the war. Americans started questioning the relevance of the US presence in a conflict half way around the world.

Demonstrators march along Pennsylvania Avenue in an anti-war protest in Washington, on Moratorium Day, November 5 th, 1969.

 in 1965 the U.S. launched the bombing of Northern Vietnam.  North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh refused to listen to American demands so bombing continued.  Increase of American fatalities in Vietnam sparked a growth in the antiwar movement.  The public’s opinion on bombing intensified and a bombing pause was announced, from May 12 th -17 th, 1965.

 Along the front lines in Vietnam, the antiwar movement was spreading.  Combat troops began wearing antiwar symbols and showed their disagreement with the war by peace signs, movement salutes, and demonstrations.

 In mid-1976, more Americans opposed the United States involvement in Vietnam war.  By 1968, only slightly more than 25% of Americans agreed with Johnson’s military decisions.  The Hawks supported the war, but believed Johnson was not giving his generals enough freedom. They wanted to continue the bombings in Northern Vietnam.  The doves wanted Johnson to end American involvement in Vietnam. The doves were usually blue-collar workers and Democrats. They were more noticeable than the Hawks and did more demonstrations and protests.

 On 1967, the public support for the war decreased even more.  On October 1967, March on the Pentagon, became one of the most important events in the antiwar movement.  Marchers were unable the of Johnson’s presidency. move the overwhelmed Pentagon.  Their demonstrations had a big influence on the redirection of the war in Vietnam and contributed to the destruction

 The protest at the Pentagon was the beginning of the end of American support in Vietnam.  Johnson’s administration was overwhelmed by civil disobedience and protests, and arrests were made.  Many protesters went to government grounds and surrounded things like the Lincoln Memorial.  Public reaction to protests were mixed, but most Americans did not approve of the protests.  For most Americans, protests were symbolized by TV images of disobedient hippies taunting courageous US soldiers.

Sir No Sir was a document on the antiwar movement in the 1960s during the Vietnam war. YouTube - Sir No Sir! 12 Minute Trailer

March 26, th Avenue Peace Parade Committee marched in New York City against the war in Vietnam.

 May 1970, Nixon endeavored to buy time for an attack on Cambodia.  For Nixon, this attack provoked a series of passionate antiwar protests across the nation.

 On May 4 th, 1970 a protest at Kent State University ended tragically when Ohio National Guardsmen killed four students.  This tragedy ignited a wave of college campus demonstrations that crippled America’s universities.  Between May 4 th and 8 th there were on average 100 demonstrations a day, 350 campus strikes, 536 college shut-downs and 73 reports of violent campus protests.  By May 12 th, 150 colleges were on strike.

 With the overwhelming response to the Kent State Massacre became too much for Nixon.  On December 15, Nixon announced he was going to withdrawal 50 thousand troops from Vietnam in 1970.

 American witnessed a dramatic decline with the closing of many of America’s colleges.  College demonstrations and dove rallies witnessed a decline in attendees as well during the spring of  In August of 1970 a young researcher was killed at the University of Wisconsin. The building he was in was fire bombed by antiwar activists.

 Nixon’s administration was paralyzed by the Watergate scandal. He resigned August of  During this, Nixon was too weak to argue with Congress over renewing American military commitment in Vietnam.  New President Gerald Ford wanted to increase military aid to faltering Saigon in 1974, heavy casualties endured by the nation made Congress refuse.

 Info-"Radical Times:Flash Detection In Progress." Oracle ThinkQuest Library. Web. 03 June  Peace Picture and Caption-Photograph. Web..  End Vietnam Picture-Photograph. Web..  5 th Avenue Peace Protest-Photograph. Web..  Kent State Picture-  Photograph. Web..  Nixon Picture-  Photograph. Web..  Sir No Sir Video-