Anti War Movement Research Paper

At the start of vietnam in 1955 many americans believed that “defending South Vietnam from communist aggression was in the national interest.” Because communism was spreading to smaller governments across the world by the U.S stepping in it might prevent further spreading of communism.

As the war in vietnam progressed the support from the american people deteriorated rapidly. The death count and cost continued to accelerate, their were about 500,000 troops in vietnam and U.S. casualties had reached 15,058 killed and 109,527 wounded. The cost $25 billion per year all from taxpayers money which after a while didn't begin to sit well with the people. Due to the rising number of deaths every day, commanders required more toops. 40,000 drafted

Over 100,000 protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and around 30,000 of them continued to march on to the Pentagon. After a brutal confrontation with the soldiers and U.S. Marshals protecting the building, hundreds of protesters were arrested. Another push during the antiwar movement , was in 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. became part of the main stream effect in the movement. Another main factor in the anti- war movement were the younger generations. College students were beginning to from protest groups on their college campuses and standing up. One of these groups was called the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). This was a student based activist movement that was a main representation of the new left. Although the protests were aimed to be peaceful, some often turned violent. On Monday, May 4th, 1970 members of the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University in Ohio opened fire during a mass protest against the bombing of Cambodia by United States military forces. Approximately 67 rounds were fired over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others. This is just one example of how these peaceful protests ended in multiple