1. Lesson 3 The Antiwar Movement
The Vietnam War Era ( )
Lesson 3 The Antiwar Movement

2. Lesson 3 The Antiwar Movement
The Vietnam War Era ( )
Lesson 3 The Antiwar Movement
Learning Objectives
Describe the divisions within American society over the Vietnam War.
Analyze the Tet Offensive and the American reaction to it.
Summarize the factors that influenced the outcome of the 1968 presidential election.
draftees
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
“credibility gap”
Tet Offensive
Eugene McCarthy
Robert Kennedy

3. Reasons for Vietnam Protest:
1. The belief that Vietnam was in a civil war and the US didn’t belong there
2. The belief that the South Vietnamese were just as oppressive as the Communists
3. The belief that the US shouldn’t have to police the entire globe
4. The war was morally unjust

4. A Manipulatable Draft:
Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were selected in the draft
Any male between the ages of could be called to war
1/3 of soldiers were selected through draft
19yr olds were average soldiers
Poor working class families
Middle class soldiers who were drafted rarely saw combat
Few came from upper class families
Men tried to find ways around the draft (medical exemptions, joining the Coast / National Guard)
Men also enrolled in college (deferment) – this created a social gap ($$)
Wealthy men could obtain deferment for medical reasons from doctors
Conscientious objector against moral beliefs
80% of the soldiers in Vietnam came from lower economic levels

5. In 1967, three years after Ali had won the heavyweight championship,
Refused to go to the War
Religious beliefs
Ali was eventually arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges;
stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was suspended.
Not sent to prison
US Supreme Court – stated he was allowed to avoid the war.
He was vilified by many Americans
Ali speech
MLK
Against the Vietnam War
Poor and African Americans Drafted
No equality at home
1969 Selective Service System – more diverse army of draftees

6. The Roots of American Opposition:
Students for a Democratic Society – called for greater individual freedom and less “big government”
Campaign against racism and poverty + Anti- War
University of Michigan
College Students
Large number of Anti-War Movements
Free Speech Movement – students wanted to be able to protest and give speeches at campus events and rallies without intervention
26th Amendment – 18 year old's allowed to vote
“Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”

7. The Living Room War: Vietnam’s violence was televised nationally
Anti-War Movement
Veterans, Catholic Peace Fellowship, Another mother for peace
Media and the War
“living room war”
Mixed messages
Government – war is successful
Media coverage – messy conflict without a resolution
Creditability Gap – Growing distrust of the government and the Vietnam War
(mixed messages)

8. A Surprise Attack: Jan. 30th in the Vietnamese equivalent to New Years
During this time, safe travel was allowed between N and S Vietnam
Northern Vietnamese sent the coffins of dead soldiers back to S Vietnam
In the month to follow, the Vietcong would use these weapons to take over 100 cities in S Vietnam
The Vietcong also took the US Embassy in Saigon (killing 5 Americans)
This month long surge would be called the Tet Offensive

9. The Tet Offensive
Analyze Maps Identify two regions of South Vietnam that were hard-hit by the Tet Offensive.

10. Johnson refuses resolution
Victory to Peace
Tet Offensive caused less faith in the war
Military leaders question if US could be victorious
William Westmoreland – wanted more troops
Sec of Defense Clark Clifford – (Against sending troops) more casualties, increased taxes, increasing draft
Johnson looks towards peace – 1968
Decrease bombing in Vietnam
War was hurting Johnson’s presidency
Johnson would not run for reelection
Democratic Candidates
Eugene McCarthy
Robert Kennedy

11. TURNING POINT - 1968 LBJ HAD SAID VIETCONG WERE ABOUT TO SURRENDER
U.S SUFFERS HUGE LOSSES BEFORE EVENTUAL VICTORY
AMERICANS START TO QUESTION LBJ
TURNING POINT

12. Public looks for changes
The 1968 Presidential Race
Public looks for changes
Future of country at stake
Year of 1968
MLK assassinated – April 4th, 1968
Robert Kennedy – June 5, 1968
Victory in California Primary
Sirhan Sirhan – killed Kennedy
Revenge for US involvement in Israel and war against Egypt

13. Democratic Convention
Chaos and Violence in America
Chicago 1968 – Democrats gather to choose candidate
Anti-War Protester emerge on the city
National Guard and Police ordered
Democrats choose Hubert Humphrey – Johnson’s Vice President
Protestors and Police fight in the streets
Nixon Wins Presidency
Republicans nominate Richard Nixon
Southern Strategy – convincing southern voters to support the republican party.
End of the “Solid South” of democratic voters
“Peace with Honor”
He campaigned on returning law and order
He also promised to end the war in Vietnam
He would win the presidency and eventually create even more protest and uproar within the country