Antiwar Protests of the 1960’s and 1970’s

Were the anti-war protests of the 60’s and 70’s effective in convincing the American public that the war in Vietnam should be abandoned?

Background

The Vietnam War
1960-1973
War of containment
North Vietnam (Communist) vs. South Vietnam (Pro- West)
Allies of North: U.S.S.R., People’s Republic of China
Allies of South: U.S., South Korea
North wanted to reunify with the South after the country was split in two at the 1954 Geneva Conference
1960- “Viet Cong” (North) invaded Southern Vietnam and the war began

The Vietnam War (cont.)
1964- Gulf of Tonkin- North Vietnam accused of attacking U.S. destroyers
Lead to a large increase in U.S. involvement
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- the President has the right to “prevent further aggression” from the North Vietnamese
The number of troops sent to Vietnam skyrocketed (500,000)
U.S. made very few gains
American troops fought a conventional war, while the Vietnamese were fighting an ideological war
U.S. tried to achieve their goals with as few American deaths as possible
Vietnamese didn’t care how many people had to die for their cause

The Vietnam War (cont.)
1968-
Tet Offensive- North Vietnam attacked U.S. and pushed them back (U.S. eventually regained the territory)
Portrayed as a huge loss by American media

The Vietnam War (cont.)
1968
My Lai Massacre- A Vietnamese town suspected of harboring enemies was brutally murdered by U.S. soldiers

The Vietnam War (cont.)
1968
Nixon took office- promised to get America out of the war
Vietnamization- Bring U.S. troops home and leave the majority of the fighting to the Vietnamese

The Vietnam War (cont.)
1971- Pentagon Papers leaked to the press
Showed that the U.S. had deliberately expanded its involvement in Vietnam
This was happening while Pres. Lyndon Johnson was telling the American people that the U.S. would not expand its involvement
1973- Ceasefire signed
U.S. removed all troops
No provisions for POW’s or MIA’s
War resumed between North and South Vietnam
1975- North Vietnam defeated South Vietnam

Results
3 million Vietnamese died
58,000 Americans died
$150 million spent on the war
Under funding for Great Society programs

The New Left
Radical political movement of the 1960’s and 70’s
Mostly comprised of college students
Social activists
Beliefs
Anti- Draft
Pro- Civil Rights
Anti- Traditional values (family, complacency)
Rebelled with sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll
Opposed authority (Anti- Establishment)

The Protests

The First D.C. Rally
April 17, 1965
One month after the U.S. sent its first troops to Vietnam
Staged by the Leftist group, Students for a Democratic Society
16,000 people picketed outside the White House
“No More War”
“We Want Peace Now”
Only 4 arrests made

March on the Pentagon
October 21, 1967
Culmination of 5 days of protests organized by the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam
Famous speakers came to address the crowd (Robert Lowell, Benjamin Spock)
The protest escalated when the leaders of the Youth International Party announced they were going to “exorcise” the Pentagon
People surrounded the building and chanted spells to try and drive out the “evil war spirits”
“LBJ, Pull Out Now, Like Your Father Should Have Done.”
Tear gas was released into the crowd
2,500 troops guarded the Pentagon
681 arrested

March on the Pentagon (cont.)

The Moratorium Rally (D.C.)
November 15, 1969
America’s biggest anti- war demonstration ever
250,000- 500,000 protestors present
A little less wild
LBJ was out of office and Nixon had initiated his “Vietnamization” plan
Police had learned how to handle protests
3,000 Police
9,000 Army troops
200 Lawyers
75 Clergymen
Protest was peaceful for the most part
135 arrests made

The Moratorium Rally (cont.)
The Moratorium Rally was the largest anti-war protest in U.S. history

Kent State
In response to Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia
Didn’t want to be drafted
May 1, 1970- Day One
Huge demonstration on the College’s commons
Around midnight rowdy bikers began throwing bottles and vandalizing cars in the street
Approximately 100 students joined in
Police eventually got the situation under control

Kent State (cont.)
May 2, 1970- Day Two
State of Emergency declared in Kent
Ohio Governor, James A. Rhodes, called in the National Guard
Demonstrations continued on campus
Reserve Officer Training Corps building was set on fire
Fire men and police were pelted with rocks by the surrounding crowd
10:00 p.m.- National Guard set up camp on Kent State’s campus
Used tear gas and arrested the protestors
At least one person was bayoneted
May 3, 1970- Day Three
More protests
Curfew imposed on students

Kent State (cont.)
The National Guard was sent in to maintain order on Kent State’s campus

Kent State (cont.)
May 4, 1970- Day Four
Pre-planned rally commenced
Approx. 2,000 people present
National Guard told them to disperse
People refused
Troops sprayed the crowd with tear gas
Crowd began throwing rocks and chased the National Guard off campus
“Pigs off Campus!”
After being chased up a hill by the angry protestors, the National Guard opened fire on the crowd
Firing lasted 13 seconds
4 dead
9 wounded

Kent State (cont.)
The National Guard was chased up a hill by angry students
A shocked student grieves over a dead body, shot down by the National Guard

Fourth D.C. Rally
In response to Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia and the Kent State shootings
Goal: Close down Washington D.C. on May 3, 1971
Shut off all access routes to the city
The protestors would come in waves so if one wave got arrested the next would be there to take its place
March on the Pentagon, the Capitol, and the Justice Department
Two weeks before May Day, 1971
Over 200,000 people attended peaceful rallies in D.C.
As May 3 approached many left, leaving only the die- hard radicals (organized by the People’s Coalition for Peace and Justice)

The Fourth D.C. Rally (cont.)

The Fourth D.C. Rally (cont.)
As May 3 approached, the Police prepared to arrest huge numbers of people
Fill- in- the- blank arrest forms (to arrest people faster)
Polaroid cameras would be used to take pictures of perpetrators so the Policeman could remember him later in court
New “flexi- cuffs” with officer’s badge number already on them
“Arrest teams” created to streamline the arresting process
Arresting officer
Handcuffing officer
Transporting officer

The Fourth D.C. Rally (cont.)
May 2, 1971
Police announced over a loudspeaker that the 30,000 protestors camping out in West Potomac Park must vacate
Reason: “violation of their permit” (use of drugs)
Only 12,000 people remained after the announcement
May 3, 1971
Police used tear gas to keep streets open
7,000 people arrested- the record to date
155 injuries
Protestors plan was thwarted and D.C. stayed open

Were these protests effective in swaying public opinion?

Opinion #1: Protests Were Effective
People sympathized with the protestors
Constant, large protests kept the public’s attention on the issue

Protests Were Effective (cont.)
Percent that said NO
August 1965: 61
March 1966: 59
May 1966: 49
September 1966: 48
November 1966: 51
February 1967: 52
May 1967: 50
July 1967: 48
October 1967: 44
December 1967: 46
February 1968: 42
March 1968: 41
April 1968: 40
August 1968: 35
October 1968: 37
February 1969: 39
October 1969: 32
January 1970: 33
April 1970: 34
May 1970: 36
January 1971: 31
May 1971: 28

Protests Were Effective (cont.)
Date: 03/1964
Sample: VOTERS AND FLIERS
Question Number: 15. How would you rate the job President Johnson has done on (READ STATEMENT BELOW) excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?
Item: Handling the situation in Vietnam
Responses: Excellent/Pretty Good/Only Fair/Poor/Not Sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
5.50% Excellent
28.20% Pretty Good
23.20% Only Fair
16.90% Poor
26.20% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 1406 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q15_18 * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Effective (cont.)

Protests Were Effective (cont.)
Date: 10/1966
Sample: VOTERS
Question Number: 6.
How would you rate the job President Johnson has done on (READ STATEMENT BELOW) -- excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?
Item: Handling the war in Vietnam
Responses: Excellent/Pretty Good/Only Fair/Poor/Not Sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
7.00% Excellent
28.40% Pretty Good
22.50% Only Fair
31.80% Poor
10.30% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 1121 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q6_8 * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Effective (cont.)
Date: 10/1969
Sample: National Sample of Persons 16 or older
Question Number: P3f.
Now let me read you some statements that have been made about the Vietnam war and the anti-Vietnam demonstrations. For each, tell me if you tend to agree or disagree. (READ EACH ITEM AND RECORD BELOW)
Item: President Nixon was wrong to say he would not pay any attention to anti-Vietnam protests
Responses: Agree/Disagree/Not Sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
53.40% Agree
33.50% Disagree
13.10% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 1942 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: P3F_6 * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Effective (cont.)
Date: 12/1974
Sample: National Sample of Persons 18 or older
Question Number: 2.
As a result of what we learned from the Vietnam War, do you tend to agree or disagree that (READ LIST AND RECORD BELOW FOR EACH ITEM)?
Item: We should never again commit American soldiers to a war like Vietnam
Responses: Agree/Disagree/Not Sure Weighted Percent Responding
75.40% Agree
18.10% Disagree
6.50% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 2864 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q2_4

Opinion #2: Protests Were Not Effective
Protesters of the time were so radical they repelled others
“Negative Follower Group”- One group of people (protesters) bothers the other (normal Americans) to the point where others join the enemy (Pro-war Americans)
It was not the protests that changed public opinion, but the constantly increasing amount of money being spent on the war

Protests Were Not Effective (cont.)
Date: 06/1965
Sample: VOTERS
Question Number: 11e.
Do you think the disagreement of college professors and students with U.S. policies in Vietnam is mainly the result of honest disagreement, or do you think it is mainly the result of organized radical activity in colleges today?
Responses: Honest disagreement/Radical activity/Not sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
25.90% Honest disagreement
56.30% Radical activity
17.70% Not sure
Number of Valid Cases: 158 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q11E * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Not Effective (cont.)

Protests Were Not Effective
(cont.)
Date: 10/1969
Sample: National Sample of Persons 16 or older
Question Number: P3f.
Now let me read you some statements that have been made about the Vietnam war and the anti-Vietnam demonstrations. For each, tell me if you tend to agree or disagree. (READ EACH ITEM AND RECORD BELOW)
Item: President Nixon is right to ask that people not support protests against the war because it hurts his chances of getting peace
Responses: Agree/Disagree/Not Sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
57.50% Agree
29.00% Disagree
13.50% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 1940 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: P3F_5 * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Not Effective
(cont.)
Date: 10/1969
Sample: National Sample of Persons 16 or older
Question Number: 5c.
Do you favor or oppose an immediate withdrawal of all American troops from Vietnam?
Responses: Favor/Oppose/Not sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
35.90% Favor
56.50% Oppose
7.60% Not sure
Number of Valid Cases: 1636 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q5C * Weights not available for this survey

Protests Were Not Effective
(cont.)
Date: 01/1971
Sample: National Sample of Persons 16 or older
Question Number: 44.
Would you like to see the federal government increase the amount of money spent on (READ LIST), cut back, or not change the amount of money spent? (CONTINUE WITH LIST AND RECORD FOR EACH ITEM)
Item: The war in Vietnam
Responses: Increase/Cut Back/Not Change/Not Sure Unweighted* Percent Responding
5.70% Increase
63.50% Cut Back
23.50% Not Change
7.30% Not Sure
Number of Valid Cases: 3090 SAS/SPSS Variable Name: Q44_A * Weights not available for this survey

Were the anti-war protests of the 60’s and 70’s effective in changing public opinion about the war in Vietnam?
You Decide!

Works Cited
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Garfinkle, Adam. "Mythed Opportunities: the Truth About Vietnam Anti- War Protests." Foreign Policy Research Institute. June 2000. 22 May 2006
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