US Opinions On The War Flashcards

1
Q

Growth in opposition from 1965-68

A

MLK, from 1967, marched and spoke at anti war protests
1967, some Vietnam veterans formed Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Noman Morrison

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2
Q

Norman Morrison

A

2nd November 1965, Quaker, Norman Morrison burned himself to deah outside of the pentagon, mimicking Budhist monks in Vietnam

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3
Q

Senator Wayne Morse

A

Senator of Oregon who was one of two senators who spoke out against the Gulf of Tonkin resolution

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4
Q

Measuring public opinion: opinion polls

A

Most regular were gallup polls which regularly covered specific issues in Vietnam

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5
Q

Measuring public opinion: politicians

A

They tend to react if an issue is significant enough to affect votes. Their views can be useful for measuring public opinion

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6
Q

Measuring public opinion: demonstrations

A

Their size, the people involved and the issues targeted showed opinions on the war, as did counter demonstrations

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7
Q

Events in the war which caused growing opposition to the war in the late 1960s

A

Tet offensive, invading cambodia, changes in presidential policy

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8
Q

Imapcts on US civillians which caused opposition to grow in the late 1960s

A

Growing death toll, loss and injury of family members, length of the war and rising taxes (due to the cost of the war)

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9
Q

Black people’s opposition to the war

A

Many black people, including the ‘Black Panthers’ opposed the war because they didn’t want to fight for a country where they experienced racism. Mohammed Ali refused to fight for religious reasons also.

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10
Q

Why was the draft so controversial

A

Growing opposition to sending young untrained men to war
Mainly poor families were least able to avoid it
Lottery system introduced 1969- very unpopular
650,000 were drafted, 1,000,000 in reserve

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11
Q

How was the draft avoided

A

College students could delay until graduation
Studying or working abroad
Only sons were exempt
Some workers were exempt

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12
Q

Media coverage

A

It was the first widely-televised war where reporters travelled with troops amd weren’t censored. Americans saw news footage and documentries about the war

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13
Q

Media coverage of protests

A

Americans also saw reports of Anti-war protests, such as 100,000 strong protest on 21st October 1967 in Washington. Would’ve impacted public opinion.

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14
Q

How students protested against the war

A

Burning draft cards
Anti war marches + Anti anti war marches
Sit ins, boycots ect
Veiws on the war were mixed

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15
Q

Counter culture

A

Was based on going against the culture and ideology of your country in a movement
-anti authoritarian / anti government

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16
Q

Why student opposition grew

A

1965-70, student numbers rose by 2.5 million
Counter culture
SDS

17
Q

SDS

A

Students for Democratic Society, set up in 1960
Had at least 3000 members by 1965
Opposed the war and supported the North Vietnamese
Carried banners of communist leaders

18
Q

How did media coverage influence opinions of the war

A

TV showed antiwar protests as well as uncomfortable detail of the war itself.
CBS reporter Walter Cronkite said the Tet offensive was a stalemate at best, contrary to the government calling it a success. Suggested the gov was lying and the public belived him.

19
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: orders for charlie company

A

Search and destroy mission- were told they’d come under VC fire in My Lai village but didn’t

20
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: actions of charlie company

A

Over next few hours, led by Liuetenant Calley, killed every human and animal in the village and claimed they’d been ordered to. The US Army, immediately after, called it a successful search and destroy mission.

21
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: US Army cover up

A

They announce they’d killed 128 VC
Soldiers, a helicopter pilot and chiefs from other villages reported the massacre.

The Army, to cover it up, announced 20 accidental civilian deaths.

22
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: Ron Rindenhour

A

(Soldier) collected eyes witness evidence of the massacre. April 1969 he sent it to key US politicians

23
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: the enquiries

A

Criminal investigations division (CID) investigated what happened and the Peers enquiry looked into if there’d been a cover up.

24
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: new enquiry

A

15th July 1970 reported that army had covered up what’d happened.

25
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: lieutenant Calley is charged

A

5th september 1970, was charged with murder. First that the public heard of the massacre

26
Q

My Lai Massacre 1968: newspaper reports

A

13th November 1970, 35 Newspapers reported the massacre. Reporters collected an eye witness testimony that over 500 civillians had been killed

27
Q

Support for the war: fear of communism

A

After WW2, cold war fears led to the ‘red scare’. Fear of communist takeover was very strong

28
Q

Support for the war: patriotism

A

Americans were fiercely patriotic and loyal to the US Government. Felt giving in to communism would lead to the US ‘losing face’

29
Q

Support for the war: hard hat riot

A

1970: construction workers clashed with anit war protestors in New York. Peter J Brennan then led pro-war rally on the 20th May of 60,000 people. Were seen to represent the working class support of the war.

30
Q

Support for the war: politcal support/support from congress

A

Difficult to judge because views often changed as president did. Support from congress changed over time but they still funded the war to a large sum.

31
Q

Support for the war: silent majority

A

In 1969, Nixon apealed to those who didn’t campaign for or against the war. His speech on this group was remarkably successful and showed that many supported his policies.

32
Q

Paris peace accords 1

A

1973
-all countries wanted Vietnam as a single country
-New government elected with international supervision
-US to give aid for reconstruction of North and South

33
Q

Paris Peace accords 2

A

-US troops to be withdrawn in 60 days
-Ceasefire to begin
-No more US support for ARVN
-POWs and captured equipment to be returned in 60 days

34
Q

Obstacles preventing good peace up until 1972

A

-hard for sides to agree on wether/how to unite
-what to do with the south
-how to manage troop withdrawals
-secret peace talks made it difficult for the south to agree to anything
-1972 Easter offensive shocked US