Many people were opposed to the Vietnam war for different reasons: Journalists were giving feedback to America

a reporting that the American bomb raids were causing civilian casualties, the credibility gap widened because of journalists; taxes increased to pay for the war; films of the war (such as a Vietcong suspect that was tied up and led by a group of ARVN troops, was shot in the head by the Chief of the Saigon Police, showed blood gushing from the Vietcong suspects head)- this left American viewers shocked and more were opposed to the war. A year after the battle for Khe Sanh, it was publicized . This left Americans thinking that their soldiers were responsible for this massacres and Americans grew more opposed to the war. Martin Luther King spoke out against the war and this also had more people opposing the war. Many Vietnam veterans joined anti-war protests. Many men in battle had one aim (DEROS- Date Eligible for Return From Overseas); only few of them believed this war was defending democracy. 50 million people in America saw over TV that a 15-man suicide squad was able to penetrate/break in to the American embassy in Vietnam, this had much of the American Public turn against the war. President Johnson increased the number of military presence and bombing in Vietnam; this was also another reason of more anti-war protests.

What action did people take to present their views: Many protests began around the country. People like Martin Luther King spoke out to their country against the war. Petitions were signed. Protests took place in universities throughout the United States where some students died protesting. From the strength of the peace movement in the US (protests, petitions etc.) this helped in getting the Americans out of Vietnam. A group was formed in 1960 called the SDS which held protests against the Vietnamese war. How did the US government respond? They eventually pulled out of Vietnam. A new act was put in place called The War Powers Act of 1973, it stated that the president had to get the approval of Congress to use combat troops abroad for anything longer that three months. It ruined President Johnson's chances of being re-elected in 1968. The government used legal restrictions which included limited number of demonstrators in certain zones and demanded permits for every antiwar activity. This hardly helped stopping protests.

My opinion: I think that the Americans wasted a vast amount of resources on a country almost around the world. These resources they could have used to build up their economy. They lost many men although they fought against a much smaller and weaker equipped army. What they did wrong was that they were helping the South Vietnam government and army which was very corrupt and weighed the Americans down. The Vietcong didn't have the same amount of equipment as the Americans, or the same amount of men. The Vietcong fought strategically keeping their enemy paranoid with booby-traps, guerrilla techniques and were well trained and well armed in small forces, and this they used to their advantage. American soldiers were replaced every year (called cherries) and were not well trained or easily accepted. I think the Vietnamese were overall more strategically prepared. The booby traps used, helped keep the Americans paranoid and slowed them from moving forward. Fragging (killing of officers by their own soldiers) occurred when there was hostility towards officers or when the Vietnamese camped next to the Americans therefore tricking them into bombing their own soldiers by inexperienced soldiers. Morale was low and drug abuse was also a big problem. Most soldiers did not believe in the cause and were demotivated. Not only did the Americans loose many men but even the soldiers that survived the battles returned physically, emotionally and psychologically scarred. Hippies: The word hippie is thought to originate from the word hip. The hippies were mainly around in the 50's too 70's, proto - hippies were around in the late 1800's to the 1940's. They also took part in many protests during this war. Music: Much music was composed and used in protests during the anti war movement in America , e.g. of songs would be: 1. "Give Peace a Chance" by John Lennon. 2. I Ain't Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs. 3. "One Tin soldier" by Dennis Lambert. 4. "The Soldier Has Come Home" by Barry Sadler Bibliography: http://library.thinkquest.org/27942/war.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_war_protests http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie#Origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Peace_a_Chance http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4498011.stm http://www.jwsrockgarden.com/jw02vvaw.htm http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/antiwar.html

Protest in 1969 , United States

Anti war protest songs

Vietcong suspect shot in the head by Head of Saigon Police. This video had many Americans start to protest against the war

19 man suicide squad broke into the US embassy