Peace and Protests Flashcards
How was the public support before the war?
High, as people wanted to stop the spread of communism
How did US tactics decrease the support for the war?
Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965 led to an increase in anti-war feeling
People didn’t support the aggressive bombing raids on North Vietnam
How did the role of the TV decrease the support for the war?
TV reporters went to Vietnam - and filmed some of the fighting which was then shown on TV
The US public saw what was happening to innocent individuals who were victims of Napalm, Agent Orange and Search and Destroy missions
They saw young US soldiers being killed or wounded
How did the draft affect public opinion on the war?
All men between 18-26 had to register with the ‘draft board’ to make sure there were enough men to fight in times of war
Many men refused to fight in the war - they were called ‘draft dodgers’
Some people moved to other countries to avoid the draft
Others publicly burned their draft cards as a form of protest
How did the cost of war affect public opinion on the war?
By 1967, the war was costing the government almost $30 billion a year
By 1967, casualties had reached 15,000 killed and 110,000 wounded
Many young men returned from war suffering lost limbs, addiction to drugs and PTSD
How did civil rights affect the public support for the war?
Martin Luther King spoke out against the war in 1967
He was disappointed that President Johnson had spent so much money on the war, whilst forgetting things such as education, housing, employment and healthcare back in the US
King and boxer Muhammad Ali felt that the government should focus on stopping racism rather than spending it on the war
What was the impact of the TET Offensive on the public opinion of war?
It fuelled the anti-war movement and the change in public opinion as they saw the events that were happening on the TV and in newspapers
What were the 2 reasons after the TET Offensive that public opinion deteriorated?
After all the money spent on the war, the Vietcong still easily attacked the US embassy in Saigon. The Vietcong did not look weak and this made people question the impact of the war
Many ancient monuments and cities were destroyed; huge numbers of civilians were killed; US soldiers were killed or injured. US citizens did not want to be associated with this destruction
