Name:
Date:
School:
Facilitator:
12.03 Notes Outline
“Divisions at Home”
Complete12.03 Notes Outline as you review lesson 12.03.
Explore #3:
Describe your initial reaction to this photograph.
Explain the circumstances you think surround the event depicted in the photo.
I. Opposition to the War
While U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalated, so did opposition to the war at home. College students, in particular, championed the . They held rallies and protests on campus, burned ROTC buildings, and dodged the draft. Though their tactics invited controversy and criticism, they proved to be successful in the end by ultimately forcing the government to change the strategy and approach to Vietnam.
Students Organize
Civil Rights activist helped to organize one of the most well-known student groups against the war called the (SDS).
A new political movement referred to as the developed from the influence of the SDS. The New Left sought radical changes to solve societal problems such as poverty and racism.
Not everyone was receptive to the message of the Antiwar Movement. In fact, many Americans dismissed the group as drug-loving hippies. However, as the war progressed, their message began to resonate with many Americans.
Free Speech Movement
At first, anti-war protestors were a very vocal minority. Much of their activities and rallies were held on college campuses and were focused on the brutal side effects of war.
The (FMS) began at the University of California at Berkeley. It was the first confrontation of the student revolution. Soon , or special night sessions taught by professors about issues concerning the war, were organized on college campuses around the nation.
Resistance Grows
Protests became more frequent and radical due to media reports and images and the implementation of the draft.
The draft was controversial because college students could receive , or official postponement of their call to serve. Because it seemed unfair to those who could not afford to go to college, resistance to the draft grew. Many burned their draft cards, crossed the border into Canada to avoid the draft, or declared themselves a , someone who opposes fighting a war based on moral or religious grounds.
Kent State Protest
Presidents invasion of Cambodia in 1970 reignited the protest movement on college campuses. On May 4, 1970, the protests turned deadly on a college campus in Ohio when soldiers fired on a crowd of protestors. The was sent to to restore order after protestors burned the campus ROTC building.
The Kent State shootings were the most deadly protests during the Vietnam War. A total of were killed and nine more injured.
The dead included Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, Bill Schroeder, and Sandy Scheuer.
Pentagon Papers
Though passion against the war was already high, 1971 marked a significant turning point in the antiwar movement. , a Department of Defense worker, released copies of the to the New York Times in an effort to highlight secrets the government kept from the American public during the Vietnam War. Americans had mistrusted the government's handling of the war for years. They now had proof to confirm their mistrust and even more support to end the war was generated.
Doves vs. Hawks
As protests grew more frequent and more radical, the division between the Americans on both sides grew deeper. Americans who opposed the war and wanted an immediate withdrawal from Vietnam were called . Those who believed America should keep promises to fight communism and increase forces to win the war were considered . Many kept silent on the issues; however, polls in late 1967 showed that 70% of Americans thought war protests were disloyal.
II. The Counterculture Movement
An entirely new youth culture emerged from the student protest movement during the 1960s that rejected conventional customs known as the . Expressions like, "make love, not war," and "turn on, tune in, and drop out" summed up the feelings of the baby boom generation. These youth rejected the ideas of their parents concerning conformity and the conventional suburban lifestyle of the 1950s.
Changes in Traditional Values
A small minority movement of the counterculture known as stood out due to their lifestyle, fashion, and music. Hippies often left home and formed communal groups that aspired to reflect utopian ideals. Their extreme, and frequently illegal, activities were exploited in the media and left a lasting mark on the nation's history. The was also a result of the counterculture mindset. Birth control and rejection of traditional values led to casual attitudes toward sex such as communal living groups and couples living together outside of marriage.
Drug Culture
The use of drugs, especially marijuana, became more widespread during the 1960s. Some counterculture members started using dangerous that caused hallucinations and could lead to death by overdose as in the case of several famous musicians. was a researcher at Harvard who did experiments with a drug compound called LSD. He preached that drugs could free the mind.
Music Festivals
The music of the late 1960s was a common bond that brought young Americans of all backgrounds together.
In August 1969, a large and diverse group from the counterculture movement united at the music festival. Woodstock took place in a large pasture in to celebrate three days of "peace, love, and rock and roll."
Woodstock
Despite rain, mud, and heat, approximately 400,000 people gathered peacefully at Woodstock to listen to top folk and rock musicians like Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Altamont
The "peace and love" theme celebrated by the counterculture movement at Woodstock was short lived. The next big music festival took place in December 1969 at a speedway in California. Around 300,000 people gathered at for a Rolling Stones concert. Unlike Woodstock, Altamont turned violent when the security, Hell's Angels motorcycle gang, beat a man to death for attempting to storm the stage.