Mary-Kate Skaggs
September 4, 2014
CAHH Vietnam Anti-War Movement
During the Vietnam War the United States took an anti-war stance. This approach caused the United States to protect their public image, forced them to sign a peace treaty, and withdraw its remaining forces. In 1950, the United States became directly involved in Vietnam when President Harry Truman began to underwrite the costs of France’s war against Viet Minh. During the year of 1964, senators had begun to criticize American involvement in Vietnam which led to the massive war movement. It first began with teach-ins at mass public colleges, with students playing a major role. Historical articles will state that by 1968, the number of protestors was almost seven million and more than half were white youths in college. Anti-war movements across the nation caught the attention of the White House, especially in 1971 when 25,000 people marched on Washington Avenue. While the United States was trying to fight a war in Vietnam, they seemed to be fighting one in America with their citizens. The protests got violent and took over the streets as well as the media. In order to protect their public image, the United States was forced to make cautious decisions that wouldn’t cause anger amongst the protestors. According to Zunes and Laird in the year 1968 the number of US troops peaked at 540,000, with more than 350 American troops dying each week. This only infuriated the public more. In hope of declining protests, Nixon slowly withdrew troops in 1970 but all hope was shattered when the United States invaded Cambodia in 1971. Tensions only grew between the United States and the protestors when six college students were killed and dozens wounded in anti-war rallies across the nation. Hundreds of colleges and Universities were forced to shut down because the strikes took over campus as well as the surrounding city. Without the whole nation rallying behind the military in Vietnam and causing unrest across the United States, a peace treaty was signed on January 27, 1973. Following the peace treaty in 1973, the draft ended as well. All remaining American forces in Vietnam were withdrawn and the United States was no longer involved. In historical documents it is stated that the United States continued their support for the Thieu dictatorship in Saigon, which led to small ongoing protests. Finally, Congress refused to send additional aid to the South Vietnamese regime. Soon after, North Vietnamese made their final push, forcing South Vietnam to collapse in April of 1975. Two years later, Vietnam was reunified under communist rule. The Vietnam War began in the late 1950’s and lasted through the early 1970’s. During this time the United States took an anti-war stance. This approach forced the United States to protect their public image, sign a peace treaty, and withdraw their
