Political Divisions During
the Vietnam War
Setting the Scene- Two of the sides
Side 1- Increase the war effort to have
a military victory.
Side 2- This war is morally wrong and
we need to withdraw.
What side would
you be on?
Student Activism-
The baby boom
generation was
now graduating
from high
school. And
because of
years of
prosperity,
many will now
go to college.
Why all the divisions?
Change was in the air. The conformist
50’s decade led many to rebel.
Rock and Roll and movies were
influential
Young Americans were not satisfied
with the values of their parents.
This is called the generation gap.
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
The civil rights
movement began to
move onto college
campuses.
These students had
goals- Port Huron
Statement. Led by
Tom Hayden (future
California senator)
SDS is a small
organization at first.
Influential in the
development of the
New Left. These
people believed that
problems like
poverty and racism
called for radical
changes.
The Free Speech Movement
1964- University of
California at Berkeley
Students not allowed to
hand out civil rights
leaflets. The students
think their freedom of
speech is being denied.
Confrontations began
between students and
police.
A take-over
Students take over
the administration
building
Police move in and
arrest 700 students.
Students and some
faculty go on strike
Students realize
they have power
2 more thoughts on the War
Side 3- Some students felt the war was
American imperialism.
Side 4- others felt it was a civil war that
should be solved by the Vietnamese.
IRAQ
The Teach-In Movement
Anti-war activists used
new methods of
protest.
The teach-in began
when faculty members
made a statement
against the war.
Night sessions to talk
about the issues.
Thousands show up.
Later on these sessions
would be dominated by
anti-war voices.
Draft
Resistance
Draft Resistance
The Draft
Since 1951 we can draft men from 18-26
Many who refused were conscientious
objectors. Refused to fight on moral and
religious grounds
Quakers!!
Because of Johnson’s escalation
Draft resistance movement grows larger
“Don’t cooperate with your draft board.”
People begin to question the morality and
fairness of the draft.
College students could receive a
deferment, official postponement.
How fair is a deferment?
College students could get one. (And
these guys had money)
Poor students could not get a
deferment.
But after complaints
academically low
students can be
drafted.
claimed physical disabilities
TheMany
draftees
Many tried to become conscientious
objectors
Estimated 100,000 flee to Canada
Okay- Review Time
1.
2.
3.
4.
4 different views on the war
Let’s protect Vietnam- push out
Communists or we will also fall
The war is morally wrong
This war is about American imperialism
This is a civil war- stay out.
What side
would you
have
picked?
Because of these divisions…
Protests
Teach-ins
Draft Resistance
Conscientious Objectors
What is a country to do? Who is going
to fight this war for us?
Public Opposition Grows
Continuing protests
More casualties
Some high up
officials are losing
faith in the war
effort.
The majority of
Americans now
oppose the war.
News Coverage
The T.V. coverage is
immense.
Families watch the
news every night and
see that the war is
going badly for us.
We fear another
stalemate (like Korea)
What is the President going to do?
After the Tet- he
rarely went out in
public. To many
protesters.
Eugene McCarthyanti-war nominee
for President gains
momentum.
Even more competition
Robert Kennedy will also run
for president.
Anti-war
Younger brother of JFK
“even though we must know
as a nation what it is
necessary to do, we must
also feel as men the anguish
of what we are doing.”
Johnson will not run
In a television
speech Johnson
states, “I shall not
seek, and I will not
accept, the
nomination of my
party for another
term.”
Robert F. Kennedy
While campaigning
he is assassinated
What was a real
possibility for the
Democratic Party
has now been shot.
(Many say he could
have been a great
president)
The election of 1968
The Democratic Party was split (just like
everyone else)
Democratic National Convention is held
in Chicago and the party is falling apart.
RFK assassinated in June
McCarthy to far out of the mainstream
Instead they nominate V.P. Hubert
Humphrey
More on Humphrey
Humphrey has
defended LBJ’s policies
in Vietnam
This will alienate him
from the many people
who protest the war
Can he win?
The Convention Begins
Delegates vote
down a peace
resolution and are
about to nominate
Humphrey.
Protesters gather
for a rally and the
police move in.
All on T.V.
The Democrats
have fallen apart
Who will the Republicans pick?
Richard Nixon
Said he had a secret
plan to end the war in
Vietnam.
Would not play “dirty
politics”. Instead he let
his VP, Spiro Agnew do
it.
Nixon takes the lead in
the polls.
One more candidate
Alabama Governor
George Wallace
Long time Democrat
now running for the
Independent Party
Appealed to bluecollar workers who
were tired of the
protests…
So finally the election
Republican- Nixon
Democrat- Humphrey
Independent/DemocratWallace
The Democrats are torn
apart plus essentially they
have 2 nominees.
What happens is obvious.
The Republicans unite and
Nixon wins.
What does the’68 election show us?
The 1960’s are a very unsettling and
uncertain time for mainstream America, a
group we call Middle America.
In this era of confrontation and chaos, Middle
America turned to the Republican Party for
stability.
The conformity of the 50’s is looking pretty
good to a lot of older Americans but not the
younger generation.
Also in ‘68
The counterculture,
rejected the
customs and ways
of life of their elders
Woodstock Music
Festival
They want us to
question traditions
and try new ways of
living.
The Protest Movement in review
The focus is to demand
the full withdraw of U.S.
forces from Vietnam.
Nixon is in- now what will he do?
The country is divided about the
war.
Protest movement still going
strong.
Should we deal with
Vietnamization?
Plus we have the little matter of
the Civil Rights Movement going
on
And the Women’s Movement
And the Environmental
Movement
The space race
A decade of change
Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon
had their hands full.
Most say that this decade doomed
every president, there was no way to
keep everyone or anyone happy during
this political and social chaos.
A quiz will be coming