Political Divisions During the Vietnam War

1. Political Divisions During the Vietnam War

2. 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?

3. Student Activism- • The baby boom generation was now graduating from high school. And because of years of prosperity, many will now go to college.

4. 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.

5. 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)

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.

11. Draft Resistance Draft Resistance

12. 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!!

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. The draftees • Many claimed physical disabilities • Many tried to become conscientious objectors • Estimated 100,000 flee to Canada

16. Okay- Review Time • 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?

17. 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?

18. 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. War

19. 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)

20. What is the President going to do? • After the Tet- he rarely went out in public. To many protesters. • Eugene McCarthy- anti-war nominee for President gains momentum.

21. 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.”

22. 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.”

23. 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)

24. 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

25. 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?

26. 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

27. 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.

28. One more candidate • Alabama Governor George Wallace • Long time Democrat now running for the Independent Party • Appealed to blue-collar workers who were tired of the protests…

29. So finally the election • Republican- Nixon • Democrat- Humphrey • Independent/Democrat- Wallace • The Democrats are torn apart plus essentially they have 2 nominees. • What happens is obvious. The Republicans unite and Nixon wins.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. The Protest Movement in review • The focus is to demand the full withdraw of U.S. forces from Vietnam.

33. 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

34. 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.

35. A quiz will be coming