Vietnam War Vietnam War Student Protests/ Student Protests/Counter CultureCounter Culture

1964 – 19731964 – 1973

Student ActivismStudent Activism Pentagon PapersPentagon Papers

Described how US Described how US Gov’t lied about warGov’t lied about war

Baby-boomers and Baby-boomers and collegecollege

– Many went to college Many went to college – Had a different world Had a different world

view than their WWII-view than their WWII-era parentsera parents

Students for a Students for a Democratic Society Democratic Society (University of Michigan)(University of Michigan)

New LeftNew Left

Free Speech MovementFree Speech Movement

UC – BerkleyUC – Berkley– Students’ free speech Students’ free speech

hampered by school hampered by school officials, they protestofficials, they protest

– Police are called inPolice are called in– Students take over Students take over

Admin. BuildingAdmin. Building– Students and Faculty Students and Faculty

strike for free speechstrike for free speech

Teach-InsTeach-Ins– Teachers have Teachers have

special classes to special classes to teach about Vietnam teach about Vietnam WarWar

Resistance to WarResistance to War

Selective Service Act – DraftSelective Service Act – Draft Conscientious Objectors – oppose war on Conscientious Objectors – oppose war on

religious groundsreligious grounds– Example: Muhammad AliExample: Muhammad Ali

Deferment – college students don’t have Deferment – college students don’t have to be draftedto be drafted

1965 – LBJ doubles # of men drafted twice 1965 – LBJ doubles # of men drafted twice during the yearduring the year

1967 – College students with low scores 1967 – College students with low scores could be draftedcould be drafted

Avoiding the DraftAvoiding the Draft Thousands claim to be Thousands claim to be

conscientious objectors, conscientious objectors, physical disabilities, or physical disabilities, or move to Canadamove to Canada

1967 – Marches in NYC 1967 – Marches in NYC and Wash, DC to and Wash, DC to protest warprotest war

1968 – 200 major 1968 – 200 major demonstrations at demonstrations at colleges and colleges and universitiesuniversities

1969 – National Chicano 1969 – National Chicano Moratorium Committee Moratorium Committee – claims war is racial– claims war is racial

Counter CultureCounter Culture Similar to 1950’s Similar to 1950’s

Beatniks Known as Beatniks Known as HippiesHippies

Sexual Revolution – Sexual Revolution – more open talk and more open talk and practices, more people practices, more people living together instead living together instead of getting married of getting married “Make Love, Not War”, “Make Love, Not War”, birth control pillbirth control pill

Drug Scene – influenced Drug Scene – influenced Counter Culture Counter Culture (Marijuana, (Marijuana, Lysergic Lysergic acid diethylamide = acid diethylamide = LSD) Overdoses – LSD) Overdoses – Hendrix, Joplin, MorrisonHendrix, Joplin, Morrison

Music World Music World Woodstock Music Woodstock Music

Festival in NY stateFestival in NY state– 200,000+ people200,000+ people– ““Three days of peace, Three days of peace,

love, and music” love, and music” August, 1969, High Point August, 1969, High Point of Counter Cultureof Counter Culture

Altamount – Rolling Altamount – Rolling Stones concert held at Stones concert held at Speedway in CASpeedway in CA– 300,000 attend, Hell’s 300,000 attend, Hell’s

Angels used as security, Angels used as security, killed a fankilled a fan

– Signaled the end of the Signaled the end of the Counter CultureCounter Culture

End of the WarEnd of the War LBJ chooses not to LBJ chooses not to

run for reelection in run for reelection in 1968 after Tet 1968 after Tet OffensiveOffensive

Paris Peace talks Paris Peace talks begin in May, 1968begin in May, 1968

Richard Nixon elected Richard Nixon elected president, says that president, says that US will turn war over US will turn war over to South Vietnamese to South Vietnamese Army Army (Vietnamization)(Vietnamization)– 1968 – 543,000 1968 – 543,000 – 1972 – 39,0001972 – 39,000– 1973 – Draft ended1973 – Draft ended

Invasion of CambodiaInvasion of Cambodia

Nixon begins secret Nixon begins secret bombing of Cambodia in bombing of Cambodia in 19701970

Caused civil war in Caused civil war in CambodiaCambodia

Kent State (OH) – students Kent State (OH) – students protest, Burn ROTC protest, Burn ROTC building, National Guard building, National Guard kills 4 students and kills 4 students and wounds 9 wounds 9

Jackson State (MS) – Jackson State (MS) – similar to Kent State, 2 similar to Kent State, 2 killed, 9 woundedkilled, 9 wounded

American WithdrawalAmerican Withdrawal

1972 – Nixon launches 1972 – Nixon launches heaviest bombing of heaviest bombing of warwar

““Peace is at Hand” Jan, Peace is at Hand” Jan, 1973 – Peace Treaty 1973 – Peace Treaty signedsigned– US removes all troopsUS removes all troops– POW’s releasedPOW’s released– Laos and Cambodia Laos and Cambodia

given freedomgiven freedom– 1717thth parallel – still border parallel – still border

South Vietnam Falls and Legacy of South Vietnam Falls and Legacy of WarWar Without US support, South Without US support, South

Vietnam loses war, Vietnam loses war, April, 1975 – War endsApril, 1975 – War ends US costsUS costs

– 58,000 Americans killed58,000 Americans killed– 300,000 wounded300,000 wounded– $150 billion spent$150 billion spent– Millions of Vietnamese Millions of Vietnamese

killedkilled– Laos and Cambodia Laos and Cambodia

become communistbecome communist Pol PotPol Pot

US after the warUS after the war– Soldiers treated poorly Soldiers treated poorly

when they come homewhen they come home– 2626thth Amendment – 18 to Amendment – 18 to

votevote– Vietnam War Memorial – Vietnam War Memorial –

The WallThe Wall– US opens trade with US opens trade with

Vietnam in 1994Vietnam in 1994