The Anti-Vietnam War Movement Flashcards
What were the main causes for the anti-war movement?
- war lacked a clear purpose
- lack of War Fever
- protestors are College students
- generation gap
- social movements
- increasing cost of war
Why was war lacking a clear purpose a reason for the anti-war movement?
We are in Vietnam to supposedly to stop Communism, but many people do not know why it is bad.
How did the American people feel that Vietnam was lacking a clear purpose and that Communism is not showing why it is bad?
Don’t they have freedom, why are we stopping them from making their choice, we have not stopped all Communism, it exists in many places.
What was the rumor that the Domino Theory could expand to?
It could reach through the Pacific and all the way to California.
Did the American people believe in this California rumor with the Domino Theory why or why not?
They do not think so and would not really care if it did.
What is usually there for the American people to think of with every war?
There is always something to remember and take something back as an impact.
What would be the major incident to remember from the Vietnam War, but was it really memorable?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, but it was questionable if it actually happened and people did not really care much about it because it did not happen on American soil.
What was the other reason why lack of war fever caused protests?
It was not officially a declared war.
How would an official Declaration of War cause more war fever in America?
If alliances kick in, what happens in Europe or the USSR, so nobody cares much.
How did an unofficial Declaration of War cause more war protests based on fighting and the American people caring?
Why would you lay down your life for something that nobody cares about, how do you get war fever without popular support?
What was the average soldier age in Vietnam?
19
How was the protestors being college students cause anti-war movements?
Students want to be educated and not fight, some of their friends are being taken to the war and getting killed.
How does the education level of college students relate to anti-war protests?
It is more challenging, more application to real world, think on much deeper level and be tomorrow’s leaders, explore the whys and hows, challenge authority.
What is the college symbol of the military that caused protests?
the ROTC campus building
How does college and government relate to anti-war movements?
College represents government, the thing oppressing college students who want to be independent.
How did the Generation Gap relate to anti-war movements?
Baby Boomers are teenagers, they have different values than Congressmen.
What were the average ages of soldiers in WWII, Vietnam, and Congress during Vietnam?
WWII-25
Vietnam-19
Congress-53
How were there value differences between the 19 year old soldiers and 53 year old government officials?
They have differences in what they think they should lay down their lives for, those who make decisions vs. whose lives are affected by those decisions are a big factor.
How did the 60s Social Movements relate to the anti-war movement?
Like the leaders for the social movements did, you can bring change with civil disobedience.
How was civil disobedience related to protesting the war?
It has worked before in social movements, it is a tactic to help change the system and it can help to end the war and brings a mindset for change.
How was Increasing War Cost a cause for the anti-war movement with respect to money?
With Johnson’s social programs, he spent lots of money on our economic budget and when the war dragged on, this caused an inflation trend. Also, many war supplies costed money as well.
What are the costs of a typical war?
- money
- human deaths
What happened during the inflation trend that caused anti-war movements?
It hurts the poor and marginalized and also takes out the capital money that takes away economic growth.
How was Increasing Cost of War a cause for the anti-war movement with respect to deaths?
Many are dying and coming home in body bags and this affected people so much back in America.
What did SDS stand for?
Students for a Democratic Society
Who founded SDS?
Tom Hayden
Who was Tom Hayden?
a civil rights activist and college student
What document officially setup SDS?
Port Huron Statement
What was the main movement by the SDS?
The New Left Movement
What was the New Left Movement?
attacks the government, big businesses, the wealth gap hurts America, money is going to rich, it should be economically more fair among Americans.
What did the New Left Movement attack?
The 1950s and their “bureaucratic men” for the inability to solve problems with poverty, racism, and war.
What was the bureaucratic men the SDS attacked?
They controlled businesses and people that benefitted economically and socially from racism, poverty, and war.
When was the Port Huron Statement?
1962
What were the circumstances when the Port Huron Statement was written?
Before Vietnam War, writes about what America should be and our vision, before JFK assassination and vision of Camelot and what it can do.
What was Tom Hayden doing when he wrote the Port Huron Statement?
Student at Wisconsin
What did the Port Huron Statement voice a concern for?
- revolution
- overpopulation
- war
Why was SDS so concerned about revolution, overpopulation, and war?
They felt the majority of the American people ignored those global problems and these issues will be our problems if we do not solve them soon enough.
Why did Hayden want students to be involved with SDS?
They must seek to understand the world at large, take direct action and be involved in making of history, instead of hearing about the past.
What current conditions did Hayden feel should break middle class college students out of their complacency for America?
- human degradation
- Cuban Missile Crisis/Cold War
- humans can end all life
- Freedom Rides
How was human degradation a reason Hayden wanted students to take action in SDS?
We are dealing with mass racism struggles in the South and human life is in danger of being destroyed with the atomic bomb.
How was humans can end all life a reason Hayden wanted students to take action in SDS?
If they do not do something now, WW3 could break out, turn nuclear, and cause a threat to all human life, as humans have made weapons to end all life.
How were the Freedom Rides a reason Hayden wanted students to take action in SDS?
Jim Zwerg is on those rides, from Wisconsin, Hayden is at Wisconsin, relates to Civil Disobedience, here is the tool of how you can change the world.
What style of speech is used in the Port Huron Statement to describe our own identity crises?
paradoxes
What is the nuclear energy paradox?
With nuclear energy, whole cities can easily be powered, yet dominant nations seem to unleash destruction greater than that incurred in all wars of human history.
What is the loving world paradox?
Do we like the world or do we light it up?
What is the clean energy paradox?
Do we provide clean energy to the world and protect natural resources?