The Vietnam War at Home 5.4: Students will analyze and understand how the Vietnam War effected people in the U.S. and how the anti war effort effected the Vietnam War

Economic Impact “Great Society” and Economic boom of the Kennedy years, takes a hit Cost of War increasing Inflation rate at 2% in early 60s nearly tripled Johnson wanted to pay both for war and “Great Society” policies

Tax Increase 1967 – Cost of war too high, Johnson had to ask for a tax increase Conservatives agreed  demanded a $6 billion reduction in Great Society funding

“Living Room War” First war where footage showed in the nightly newsnightly news Media images went against reports from Government Began to change American Attitudes, 1967 begin to see the change

The Controversial Draft Men called between ages of 18 and 26 Anti-war sentiment caused many men to seek deferment from the draft –Medical, college - This meant many were lower class, couldn’t afford college

“Fortunate Son” Creedence Clearwater Revival This song represents the feeling and frustrations of many anti-draft protestors

The “New Left” Youth/Protest movements part of 1960s culture Demanded sweeping changes, but avoided socialism Students for a Democratic Society –Participatory democracy –Greater individual freedom Free Speech Movement

Campus Activism Students protested: –dress codes –Curfews –dorm regulations –mandatory ROTC Vietnam gave them a galvanizing issue Teach – ins on college campus to protest war April 1965, SDS organized March on Washington, many more to follow Johnson responded that deferments were only to students with good academic standing

Protest Music of the Vietnam War Era Music gave a voice to the struggle, easily spread, strong political messages They became “anthems” for the anti-war movement Whats Goin’ On - Marvin Gaye For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young Give Peace a Chance – John Lennon

Hawks vs. Doves Country Broke into 2 –Doves – opposed war –Hawks – fight to the end Despite visible protest, 2/3rds of Americans remained committed to war in 1967 Dec. 1967– poll taken showed 70% of Americans believed war protests were “acts of disloyalty”

Firefighter who lost his son said… “ I’m bitter… its people like us who give up our sons for the country… The college types, the professors, they go to Washington and tell the government what to do…. But their sons, they don’t end up in the swamps over there, in Vietnam. No sir. They’re deferred, because they’re in school. Or they get sent to safe places…. What bothers me about the peace crowd is that you can tell from their attitude, the way they look and what they say, that they don’t really love this country.

Effect on Politics Continuing stalemate, protests, attacks from Doves and Hawks = turmoil for president and admin. Robert McNamara resigned Johnson’s lost popularity = did not accept 1968 nomination for the presidency

“If I’ve lost Walter (Cronkite), then it’s over. I’ve lost the Average Citizen.”

The Vietnam War (cont.) 1968 –Nixon took office- promised to get America out of the war –Promised to drastically remove troops by spring of the next year Vietnamization- Bring U.S. troops home and leave the majority of the fighting to the Vietnamese Secretly planned on bombing Cambodia and Laos. By May he started sending ground troops into Cambodia.