A Generation in ConflictA Generation in Conflict:1965-1974

A Decade of Protest: 1965-1974■The decade from 1965 to 1974

was marked by protest due to:–Escalation of the Vietnam War–Attack on middle-class values–Increased college enrollment

■The initial liberal protests began on college campuses but soon inspired other, national protests:

Native-Americans Women HippiesMexican-AmericansAfrican-Americans

Protests against Vietnam linked other social criticism—The “war abroad,”

intensified a “war at home”

The Sixties generation was the best educated in American history

The Student Revolt■The student protest movement

began at UC-Berkeley in 1964 with the Free SpeechFree Speech movement–Students protested the

“corporate face” & “1950s rules” of UC-Berkeley

–Students rioted when denied a political voice on campus

■This inspired the formation of Students for a Democratic SocietyStudents for a Democratic Society to end racism, poverty, & violence

Refused to allow Free Speech movement to collect money for off-campus causes

Mario Savio & the Free Speech riots

The Berkeley protests & University of Michigan-based SDS inspired riots on

campuses across the USA

Brown University ended required

courses & grades

Many colleges ended “in loco parentis” rules

The Cultural Revolution■The student protests coincided

with youth counter-culture in 1965 ■Beginning in San Francisco &

spreading throughout the US, the “hippie” culture emphasized:–Sexual expression–Clothing–Drugs–Music

Increase in premarital sex & use of the “pill”

“Summer of Love” in 1967

Use of psychoactive & hallucinogenic drugs

“Everyone must get stoned,” Bob Dylan

Harvard professor Timothy Leary: “Let’s all try LSD!! Tune in, turn on, & drop out!”

Folk music

British invasion & electric rock

Acid rock

Ending the Vietnam War■Nixon’s plan for an “honorable

peace” was “Vietnamization”:–Gradual withdraw of U.S. troops–Handing over the fighting to

South Vietnamese troops ■Privately, Nixon hoped for a

“knockout blow” & ordered U.S. troops into Cambodia & Laos

■The effect was the largest series of protests in American history

These bombings were conducted without the consent or approval of Congress

In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers ActWar Powers Act requiring Congress’ approval to send U.S.

forces into combat for more than 90 days & must inform Congress within 48 hours as to

the reasons for military intervention

Protests at Kent State & Jackson State resulted in bloody confrontations

between students & National Guard

Kent State, Ohio student protests

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming. We're finally on our own.This summer I hear the drumming.Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it. Soldiers are cutting us downShoulda been done long agoWhat if you knew her & found her dead on the

ground?How can you run when you know? Ohio

Drugs

Sex

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Is this the nation’s youth??

Mostly children from upper-middle

class families

No work ethic?

Music was an important element to 1960s counter-culture

Folk singers like Joan Baez & Bob Dylan

(until Dylan discovered the electric

guitar)

“Electric rock” like The Beatles

“Acid rock” like the Grateful Dead

“Rainbow Power”■The Gay Liberation movement

started in 1969 after the Stonewall Riot in New York City–The Gay Liberation Front

demanded end to discrimination & rallied gays to “come out”

–The American Psychiatry Assoc ended its classification of homosexuality as a disease

–½ of all states changed their sodomy & employment laws

1968:The Year of Turmoil

U.S. Troop

Levels in Vietnam

Vietnam in 1968■In 1968, the Vietcong launched

the Tet OffensiveTet Offensive against U.S. forces in South Vietnam –The attack was contrary to

media reports that the U.S. was winning the Vietnam War

–The attack led LBJ to believe that Vietnam could not be won

■In 1968, LBJ began discussions to seek a truce & announced that he would not seek re-election

The Tet Offensive,

1968

Little tactical success, but

impact on US?

Assassinations in 1968

■In 1968, Martin Martin Luther KingLuther King was assassinated in Memphis & race riots broke out in over 100 cities

■In 1968, leading Democratic presidential candidate Robert KennedyRobert Kennedy was shot during the California primary

A Black-Owned Business A White-Owned Business

1968■1968 was one of the most

turbulent years in U.S. history

–Martin Luther King Jr. & Robert Kennedy were assassinated

–Riots broke out at the Democratic National Convention

–The Tet Offensive showed that the USA was not winning the Vietnam War

Protesting the Vietnam War■The most dramatic focus of

youthful rebellion was Vietnam:–Mostly led by college students

who escaped the draft–Students protested the draft,

military research on college campuses, & disproportionate use of black & Hispanic soldiers

–Protests got stronger as fighting intensified in Vietnam in 1966

The 1968 Democratic Convention■The withdraw of LBJ & death of

RFK, left 2 candidates for the Democratic nomination in 1968:

–MN Senator Eugene McCarthy

–VP Hubert Humphrey

■TV showed angry protestors & police fight outside the convention when Humphrey was nominated

Idealistic & anti-war—supported by upper-middle class whites & college students

Truman-style Cold Warrior—supported by Democratic party leaders; Did not campaign

1968 Democratic National Convention

Republicans benefited from the Vietnam disaster & a dysfunctional Democratic party; Nixon won

the election as a reconciler

Civil Liberties■Civil liberties were protected for

people accused of crimes:–Gideon v Wainwright (1963)Gideon v Wainwright (1963)—

all citizens, no matter the crime, have the right to an attorney

–Escobedo v Illinois (1964)Escobedo v Illinois (1964)—citizens have the right to remain silent during interrogations

–Miranda v Arizona (1966)Miranda v Arizona (1966)—suspects must be told of their right against self-incrimination

Conclusions■The counterculture & “power

protests” used similar methods:

–Active & often-militant protest for civil & economic rights

–Cultural pride & awareness

■These protests would continue but would faced confrontation by the conservative politics of the 1970s & 1980s

“Black is Beautiful,” “Gay is Good,” & “Sisterhood is Powerful”