Protest Culture

New Opposition – Students & Teachers College students became more involved in social protest The New Left demanded sweeping changes in American society Students for A Democratic Society (SDS) charged that large Corporations and large government institutions had taken over the US (They wanted democracy and individual freedom) In 1964 The Free Speech Movement grew out of a dispute between administrators and students at Univ. of CA at Berkeley

New Opposition The New Left - a broad political movement mainly in the 1960s and 1970s consisting of educators, students and protestors who wanted to bring about change on many different social issues, including the war. Professors and students used teach-ins to protest the war ( Sit-In for the campus) In April 1965, SDS organized a march on Washington of 20,000, then 30,000 By 1969 SDS had chapters on 400 campuses In spring of 1967 nearly 500,000 gathered in NYC’s Central Park “Hell no we won’t go!” “Burn Cards not People!” In October 1967 100,000 anti-war protestors marched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon ( 1,500 injured, 700 arrested)

New Opposition – Hawks vs. Doves Pro war- want to contain communism Anti-war- want peace see the war as futile and wrong Hawks v Doves In December 1967, 70% of Americans felt that the protests were “acts of disloyalty” Backlash to the Protestors organized “America Love it or Leave It!” “Support our men in Vietnam!” “College professors, students…don’t love our country.” LBJ was determined with slow escalation Sec. of Defense McNamara resigned in the end of 1967

Student Movement All across America student group form network and put on demonstrations against the war. Many strategies are barrowed from the civil rights movement Sit-in Non-violence

Flower Power

The Draft Many dogged the draft as Americans doubted the war (Draft included 18-26 year old males) Some got medical exemptions Some joined the National Guard or Coast Guard Some got a college deferment The less economically privileged fought the war which included lower economic class whites and minorities African Americans made up only 10% of the population but 20% of the combat deaths Draft lottery was instituted in 1969

Kent State Massacre During a protest at Kent State University there is a stand-off between the national guard an students The troops say they were attacked The students say the national guard shot for no reason 4 students left dead How is this like the Boston Massacre? Nixon appealed to the “silent majority” In Nov. 1969 Americans learned of the My Lai Massacre ( 100 innocent Vietnamese civilians mostly old men women and children were gunned down by a US Platoon) Out of 25 officers only Lt. William Caley Jr. was convicted and imprisoned 10 year sentence (House arrest 3yrs.) In April 1970 Nixon announced the US invaded Cambodia to clear out VC and North Vietnam supply centers Colleges burst out in protests, 1.5 million students closed more than 1,200 campuses On May 4th, 1970 at Kent State after the ROTC building was burned down and rocks were thrown at the National Guard, they opened fire on protestors 4 were killed nine wounded at Kent State At Jackson State 2 were killed, 12 wounded

Woodstock

War, Ugh, What is it good for? Protest Music War, Ugh, What is it good for?

MUSIC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnyi21tFZOc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZI2aLQ9Sw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKAprtLh7M