A Nation Divided Mr. White’s US History 2

Main Idea and Objectives Main idea – An antiwar movement in the U.S. pitted supporters of the government’s war policy against those who opposed it. We should be able to: Explain the draft policies that led to the Vietnam war becoming a working-class war Trace the roots of opposition to the war Describe the antiwar movement and the growing divisions in U.S. public opinion about the war

The Draft Most soldiers in the Vietnam war were called up using the Selective Service Act – draft All males had to register with their local draft boards when they turned 18 – still today Men could be called to serve from the ages of 18 to 26

Manipulation of the Draft Many young men looked for ways to avoid the draft, which was very easy to manipulate Sympathetic doctors – would grant medical exemptions Some changed where they lived to go to a different, more lenient draft board Some joined National Guard or Coast Guard

College Deferment If a young man was enrolled in a university or college, they could put off their military service University students in the 1960s tended to be white and financially well-off Many of the men who fought in Vietnam were those who couldn’t afford college – lower class whites and blacks

African-Americans in Vietnam Served in much larger numbers than most groups as ground combat troops – most hazardous place to be Blacks accounted for over 20% of U.S. combat deaths, even though they were only 10% of the U.S. population Martin Luther King spoke out against the injustice of blacks fighting for freedom in another country, when theirs did not grant them freedom Racism in military units led to lower troop morale

Women in the Military Women were still not allowed to serve in combat roles Over 10,000 women did serve, mostly as nurses Also served in the USO and Red Cross USO – provided hospitality and entertainment Red Cross

Roots of Opposition – New Left In the 1960s, there was a growing youth movement known as the New Left Followers demanded sweeping changes in American society Students for a Democratic Society Charged that corporations and government had taken over America Wanted more “participatory government” and greater freedom Free Speech Movement – focused criticism on the American “machine” – business and government

Campus Activism SDS and FSM ideas spread across campuses of colleges and universities Protested dress codes Curfews Campus issues Students started joining together in protest against these issues, but would later protest the Vietnam War

The Protest Movement Emerges April, 1965 – SDS helped organize a march on Washington, D.C., by 20,000 protesters, other marches followed Johnson changed college deferment rules, requiring students to be in good academic standing Protests erupted after this – SDS calls for civil disobedience at campuses

Opposition to the War Youths opposed the war for many different reasons: Most common belief was that the war in Vietnam was a civil war, and the U.S. had no business there Some said Diem’s South Vietnamese government wasn’t any better than North Vietnam Some thought war was draining America’s strength Some just saw the war as morally unjust

The Movement Grows Movement grew beyond college campuses Returning veterans Folk singers “Eve of Destruction,” a protest song by Barry McGuire, talked about the wrongs of the Vietnam war

Protest to Resistance 1967 – antiwar movement had intensified Spring of 1967 – protesters marched on New York City’s Central Park - many people burned their draft cards Draft resistance continued up until President Nixon phased it out in the early 1970s Some Americans had fled to Canada to avoid the draft

March on the Pentagon In October of 1967, a demonstration at the Lincoln Memorial drew 75,000 protesters About 30,000 demonstrators marched on the Pentagon to “disrupt the center of the American war machine.” Protesters were turned back with tear gas and clubs – about 700 arrested

War Divides the Nation Americans were increasingly divided into two camps: Doves – those who were opposed to the war and thought it should end Hawks – felt America should use its military might to win the war Some believed that the protests were acts of disloyalty

Johnson Remains Determined Johnson remained firm Doves attacked him for continuing the war Hawks attacked him for not increasing military power Johnson continued his policy of slow escalation Johnson’s own administration started to doubt the war – Robert McNamara resigns