Vietnam on the Home Front Protest and opposition

The Draft "The Draft" initiated protests on May 5, Student activists at the University of California, Berkeley marched on the Berkeley Draft board and forty students staged the first public burning of a Draft Card in the United States. Another nineteen cards were burnt May 22

The Draft Dodge Thousands of young American men chose exile in Canada or Sweden rather than risk conscription. The Japanese anti-war group Beheiren helped some American soldiers to desert and hide from the military in Japan. In order to gain an exemption or deferment many men obtained student deferments by attending college, though they had to remain in college until their 26th birthday to be certain of avoiding the draft. Some got married, which remained an exemption throughout the war. Some men were rejected by the military as 4-F unfit for service failing to meet physical, mental, or moral standards. Still others joined the National Guard or entered the Peace Corps as a way of avoiding Vietnam. All of these issues raised concerns about the fairness of who got selected for involuntary service, since it was often the poor or those without connections who were drafted.

Hanoi Jane 1972: 'Hanoi' Jane Jane Fonda -- actress, political activist and partner of anti-war protester Tom Hayden -- entered enemy territory for two weeks in November and emerged, in the eyes of many, as a traitor after posing for photographs at the seat of an anti-aircraft cannon and making radio broadcasts urging U.S. airmen to stop bombing North Vietnam. Fonda told servicemen stationed on aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin that the bombs they were loading into planes were illegal and that using the bombs "makes one a war criminal."

Jane Fonda in Hanoi

Hanoi Jane Fonda with NVA gun crew after shooting down American Planes

Fonda Arrested Many Veterans would have enjoyed seeing the following mug shot of Jane Fonda taken for her treasonous acts, instead of the bogus drug charge which was later dropped.

Open Protest Featuring Joan Baez (far left) & her sisters

Largest Protest

Protest at Home Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?" "Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh! The NLF is going to win!" "Draft beer, not boys", "Hell no, we won't go", "Bring our boys home", "Make love, not war", "Eighteen today, dead tomorrow",

Not really a massacre (Kent State) The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre or Kent State massacre occurred at Kent State Uiversity in the city of Kent, Ohio and involved the shooting of students by members of the Ohio National Guard on Monday, may 4th 1970 Four students Four students were killed and nine others were wounded.

Kent State Many guardsmen fired into the air or the ground. However, a small portion fired directly into the crowd. Altogether between 61 and 67 shots were fired in a 13 second period.

Four Students

Kent State

My Lai massacre

Protest

Veterans begin to protest