Reasons for growth of opposition

• General opposition:

  General opposition to the war was for several reasons:

  • Events in Vietnam like the Tet Offensive, Bombing of Cambodia
  • The high death toll affecting family members
  • Increased taxes to pay for the war
• Civil Rights Movement:

  • Leaders of the movement like Martin Luther King, Mohammed Ali and the Black Panthers all voiced opposition to fighting for America abroad when they faced racism at home
• Media coverage:

  • The Vietnam War was the first televised war, which allowed Americans to watch the war from home
  • They also saw reports on anti-war protests
• Lies:

  • People realised that the government was not telling the whole truth about the war and began to lose faith
• The Draft:

  • Men over 18 could be drafted into military service at any time and sent to Vietnam to fight with basic training
  • People felt this was unfair as they were too young and would be more likely to die without proper training
  • Drafting also targeted poor, black men
• the student movement:

  • students opposed the war through methods used by civil rights campaigners
  • student protests got alot of attention, because most protestors were white and middle class
• students for a democratic society (SDS):

  • set up in 1960
  • opposed the war and supported North Vietnam
  • used vulgar slogans to gain attention
• avoiding the draft:

  • those who worked in Church were exempt
  • the only son of a family was exempt
  • the physically and mentally unfit were exempt
  • studying or working abroad
  • leaving the USA illegally or going into hiding