In 1967, 64 percent of all eligible African-Americans were drafted versus only 31 percent of eligible whites (Black 2009). Nearly all African-Americans found themselves protesting against the Vietnam War not only because of draft discrimination but because of the lack of civil rights in the United States. They saw no purpose in fighting for the rights of another people when their own freedom is not guaranteed. African-Americans were not alone in their anti-war position; the majority of the entire world, specifically the U.S, also opposed the war. As the war dragged on, people saw no purpose in fighting in Vietnam and believed that the United States should prioritize their own citizens first. Many public figures, such as Martin Luther King, …show more content…
The citizens of Japan held concerns parallel to that of American citizens. With the help of the Japanese newspaper Beheiren and the American GI movement, the two parties combined their shared goals in hopes of ending the war. As anti-war protestors, the Vietnam veterans implemented empathy into their arguments. They used the trauma and shock of death as an experience that many servicemen shared with each other. Therefore, any soldier or veteran who has seen an individual die can relate to this feeling of fear that is so familiar to troops during this time. Another prominent example of how empathy was used in the protests is the opposition of African Americans. Martin Luther King, Jr., related to and voiced the black community’s frustration when they saw that America was fighting for the liberation of South Vietnam instead of civil rights for African Americans. Therefore, King saw no reason to fight for Vietnamese freedom when the freedom of African Americans was not guaranteed. This opinion was vehemently backed by Muhammad Ali who he himself resisted the draft because his beliefs in religion and black freedom took priority, an occurrence that many citizens, not just African Americans, could relate to. This use of empathetic connection is then added on once again by Gerald Goodwin. His connection of African American discrimination in Vietnam with the racism from the U.S represents how black soldiers can relate and are constantly reminded of the lives of their fellows back at home. In the end, the use of empathy was utilized by each source to prove that African Americans and the American public opposed the Vietnam
Wallace Terry has collected a wide range of stories told by twenty black Vietnam veterans. The stories are varied based on each experience; from the horrific to the heart breaking and to the glorified image of Vietnam depicted by Hollywood. Wallace Terry does not insinuate his opinion into any of the stories so that the audience can feel as if they are having a conversation with the Vietnam Veteran himself. Terry introduces the purpose of the book by stating, “ Among the 20 men who portray their war and postwar experiences in this book. I sought a representative cross section of the black combat force.”(p. XV) Although the stories in this book were not told in any specific order, many themes became prominent throughout the novel such as religion, social, and health.
World War 2 meant discrimination, racism, and segregation for African Americans. With the draft like for Winfred W. Lynn of Jamaica, New York he chose to inform his draft board that he wanted to serve armed forces without segregation by race.
In Vietnam, at least in Jesse’s company, men of all races are able to cohabitate peacefully, and then when they return home, they face prejudice once again. They are forced to fight a war in Vietnam against communist ideology while also fighting a war back home against racism. Splitting ones’ army is almost always a recipe for disaster as Amos points out, but as the U.S. went into war right as the Civil Rights movement was beginning to gain traction, the men had no choice. The indignities that they faced at home, at the hands of the very men they died to save, make killing Vietnamese soldiers under the directions of their own leaders, all the more difficult. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death results in the most direct quote we see about the two pronged war: “Why the fuck am I shooting at zips? They ain 't never did me no wrong, never called me nigger. I should be at home shooting at the man, shooting at the Klan ” (Vea 134) This message is not uttered by one individual but by the African American men in combat as a whole. They are not at all committed to the Vietnam War, but are still stuck fighting there, unable to fight for their own rights at
In the beginning of his Beyond Vietnam speech, King recalled that “there were experiments, hopes, and new beginnings. Then came the buildup in Vietnam, and I watched this program broken and eviscerated, as if it were some idle political plaything of society gone mad on war” (6). By using such descriptive language that appeals to one of our five senses, sight, King was able to help the American people paint an image of the jubilant road that the United States was presumptively heading and then crushed, when it became involved with the Vietnam War. Furthermore, King adds that sending US troops to fight the war was not only devastating the hopes of the poor at home, but it is equivalent as “sending their sons their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population” (15). King’s usage of various descriptors provided insightful imagery, which allows his audience to picture as if they were the ones who actually sent their own loved ones to war. Martin Luther King Jr.’s use of appealing to the feeling of pity, anger, and sadness to strengthen and refine his
Robert S. McNamara's book, In Retrospect, tells the story of one man's journey throughout the trials and tribulations of what seems to be the United States utmost fatality; the Vietnam War. McNamara's personal encounters gives an inside perspective never before heard of, and exposes the truth behind the administration.
The soldiers that fought in the Vietnam War had to endure many incredibly horrifying experiences. It was these events that led to great human emotions. It was those feelings that were the things they carried. Everything they carried affected them, whether it was physical or mental. Everything they carry could in one way or another cause them to emotionally or physically break down.
On August 7th 1964 the United States Congress passed into law the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which, for all intents and purposes, officially brought the United States into the Vietnam War. Following this resolution, a draft was instated to increase the number of men that could be sent to war. Shortly after men started to be signed into conscription for the United States Military, a public outcry started over the use of a draft to increase military size. The draft was found to be unfair to American Citizens because certain groups of men were severely disadvantaged, the draft was illegal in many ways, and veteran’s future lives were harmed, among other reasons.
Due to the volatile conditions of the Vietnam War, the protestors believed that they should not be involved in a war that they cared so little about. Public opinion heavily swayed during the war as only one senator dissented from the overwhelming opinion to fight the war (Amter 45). However, as President Johnson escalated the war and the Draft increased by 25% in 1968, those youths being conscripted were infuriated (Dougan 118). Not only this, the North Vietnamese began a ruthless offensive on American soldiers by merciless attacking our bases. This resulted in US victories, but also US casualties (Dougan 116). Also, the marines stationed at the bases began to use offensive attacks to deter Viet Cong assault against the wishes of General Taylor (Karnov 443). With these new less defensive strategy, Nixon announced plans to start operations in Cambodia, and to increase the bombings overall in Southeast Asia (Dougan 180). Some missions even began t...
...ust deal with similar pains. Through the authors of these stories, we gain a better sense of what soldiers go through and the connection war has on the psyche of these men. While it is true, and known, that the Vietnam War was bloody and many soldiers died in vain, it is often forgotten what occurred to those who returned home. We overlook what became of those men and of the pain they, and their families, were left coping with. Some were left with physical scars, a constant reminder of a horrible time in their lives, while some were left with emotional, and mental, scarring. The universal fact found in all soldiers is the dramatic transformation they all undergo. No longer do any of these men have a chance to create their own identity, or continue with the aspirations they once held as young men. They become, and will forever be, soldiers of the Vietnam War.
In this investigation, the personal side of the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam war will be examined- particularly the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that were most common in veterans, and the different experiences in the war or after returning home that could have caused them. The types of warfare, deaths, and differences from methods used in the Vietnam War will be discussed. Technological advancements and mindsets of the different times of the wars will be taken into account. The definition of PTSD and descriptions of different general causes will be mentioned, as well. Different accounts from veterans and reports on PTSD Vietnam War veteran victims will be analyzed for individual cases and examples. Sources used will include Wounds of War by Herbert Hendin and Ann Pollinger Haas and information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the National Institute of Mental Health’s website.
Many people in the 1960s and early 1970s did not understand why the United States was involved in the Vietnam War. Therefore, they had no desire to be a part of it. The Selective Service System, which was used to conduct the draft, had aspirations of directing people into areas where they were most needed during wartime. However, people took advantage of the draft system’s deferment policies to avoid going to war. Others refused induction or simply did not register. There were also people who left the country to escape the draft. The Vietnam War proved to be an event that many Americans did not agree with, and as a result, citizens took action to elude the draft entirely or to beat the draft system.
The taxpayers were upset because the cost of war was approximately $100,000,000,000 dollars and the American taxpayers had to pay for it. Students were against the war because of the African Americans. they were the next to be drafted. The students saw the Vietnam War as something they could fight against. They held peaceful Archer 10 demonstrations and protests at universities all across the country.
It became very important to dodge drafts during the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war grew into a broad social movement over the years. Americans became angrier because they believed it wasn’t their fight to fight. They began protesting and filled the streets on changing politics and anti-war movements. The hippies went against President Nixon and President Johnson and spoke out due to drafting thousands of Americans to Vietnam and Cambodia. They created slogans such as “Make love, not war”, “US troops get out of Vietnam”, and other peace signs. Along with signs, they would chant and played music to help promote their ideas and thoughts against the war. Many artists and bands pitched in and helped spread the youths’ ideas. There were songs such as “Paint it black” by The Rolling Stones, “Blowin’ in the wind” by Bob Dylan, “Give peace a chance” by John Lennon, and many other inspiring
The United States became involved in the war in hopes of preventing, ultimately, South Vietnam and the rest of the world from being taken over by communism. In the late 1960’s President Richard Nixon implemented a system he thought would increase the power of the military. Nixon arranged for the random selection of the United Sates Select Service System, the Draft, and conducted a lottery to establish who would be called to serve the country in the Vietnam War. The Draft enhanced tension and created resentment toward the war and the draft system. It reinforced the Anti-war movements, and highlighted the discrepancies in the draft system against the poor and working men of
As we got further and further into the Vietnam War, few lives were untouched by grief, anger and fear. The Vietnamese suffered the worst hardship; children lay dead in the street, villages remained nothing but charred ashes, and bombs destroyed thousands of innocent civilians. Soldiers were scarred emotionally as well as physically, as