Name:
Class:
Resistance to the Vietnam War
By Jessica McBirney
2016
The Vietnam War took place in the east Asian countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia between November
1955 and April 1975. The United States government thought of their involvement as a way to prevent
communism from spreading in the region. The war was very unpopular with Americans citizens, as many
believed it was unfair, unnecessary, and unjustifiable. As you read, take notes on the reasons why some
people disapproved of the war in Vietnam and the ways they chose to protest.
[1]
Beginning in 1964, the United States got involved
in a war in the small Asian country of Vietnam.
Vietnam was split into two halves, north and
south, and the northern half had come under the
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control of communist rule in 1954. At the time,
many Americans were afraid of communism – to
them, it represented the opposite of freedom.
They feared something called the “domino
effect”: if one country in a region came under the
influence of communism, they believed that the
surrounding countries would soon follow. The
United States worried that the northern half of
Vietnam might spread communism to the
southern half (which could eventually spread to
other countries), so they intervened in an attempt
to defeat the North Vietnamese forces, also
known as the “Việt Cộng.”
"Student Vietnam War Protesters" is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The Vietnam War turned out to be one of the most unpopular wars in American history. People across
the country participated in protests and demonstrations against the war.
Reasons for Protest
Different people had various reasons for hating the war in Vietnam. First, some people believed any
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U.S. involvement was immoral and unnecessary. They thought South Vietnam could take care of itself,
and it was rude for the U.S. to intrude on their country. Other people did not think communism in
North Vietnam was a big enough threat to the safety of South Vietnam. For the first time in history,
regular people could see video footage of the war on television news. Most families bought TVs for the
first time in the 1960s, and when they saw video footage of the brutal fighting, they realized how truly
terrible war could be. They could not bring themselves to support a war after actually seeing what it
looked like.
1.
2.
Communism is a political and economic system in which the government makes almost all of the decisions, instead
of letting people and businesses make their own decisions. There is a long history of fearing and hating communism
in the United States.
Immoral (adjective): unethical; evil; morally wrong
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Second, a lot of people, especially college students, did not like the draft system the U.S. government
used to recruit soldiers. Each man over 18 years old had a “draft card” with a number on it, and when
the military needed more troops they would pick the numbers of men who had to go to war—like a
lottery or a raffle. Men and women on college campuses did not like the idea that the government
could take them away from their education to fight a war they did not like or believe in.
Who Protested?
[5]
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The most publicized protests happened on college campuses, where young people demonstrated
against the draft and against the immorality of the war. Nation-wide student groups often led the
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protests. An example is the group Students for a Democratic Society, which was a radical, politically
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liberal club. One common practice was draft card burning, where large groups of young men gathered
in a public place to burn their government-issued draft cards. This was technically illegal, so sometimes
police arrested protesters. Some student protesters became more violent at times, storming school
administration buildings or rioting outside military offices on college campuses. Police often had to use
force to stop these violent protests. In 1970, a riot at Kent State University in Ohio ended with police
officers shooting guns at a few students in the crowd. When other students across the country heard
about the incident, they only became more passionate about their demonstrations.
Women of all ages also protested the war. Women’s groups, like Women Strike for Peace, were less
violent than the college students. They wrote anti-war articles and held peaceful rallies with speeches
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against the war. Women Strike for Peace held prayer vigils every Sunday on the White House Lawn in
Washington, D.C., to pray for the end of the war. Women’s groups broadened their support by
appealing to morality; they especially did not like some of the brutal tactics used in the war, such as
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chemical bombing and napalm.
Results of the Protests
Public opinion polls show that public approval of the war dropped to barely 30% by 1971. News
stations and newspapers covered protests very closely, and most coverage of the war itself was very
negative. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who originally sent troops to Vietnam, was so discouraged that
he did not run for re-election in 1968. Instead, Richard Nixon won the presidency by promising to
withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam. He pulled the military out of Vietnam slowly, but negative public
opinion continued to pressure him. By 1973, U.S. involvement had officially ended. It is likely that if the
people had not protested so passionately, U.S. troops would have remained in Vietnam for several
more years.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
A draft system is a way for the government to get more soldiers for fighting a war. They “drafted” men ages 18-25,
which means they sent them letters telling them that they must join the army. The draft meant that becoming a
soldier was not an option for these men, it was a requirement. If they refused to show up for war, they could be
arrested.
Publicize (verb): to make (something) widely known; to report on
Radical (adjective): revolutionary; drastic, extreme
Liberal (adjective): believing that people should have a lot of freedom in deciding how to behave and think
A peaceful event during which a person or group of people stays in one place and quietly prays, especially at night
During the war, U.S. airplanes dropped deadly chemicals into forests in Vietnam to clear trees away and search for
enemy troops.
A sticky, flammable substances that could stick to people or buildings as it burned
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© 2016. Resistance to the Vietnam War by CommonLit is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
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Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
1.
PART A: Which TWO of the following best identify the central ideas of this article?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
2.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
3.
[RI.4]
the organizing of a democratic group
protests or rallies
the violent expression of anger
practical explanations of how to do something
PART B: Which phrase from paragraph 5 best supports the answer to Part A?
A.
B.
C.
D.
[RI.1]
“The United States worried that the northern half of Vietnam might spread
communism… The Vietnam War was one of the most unpopular wars in
American history.” (Paragraphs 1-2)
“Different people had different reasons for hating the war in Vietnam.”
(Paragraph 3)
“They could not bring themselves to support a war after actually seeing what it
looked like.” (Paragraph 4)
“Men and women on college campuses did not like the idea that the
government could take them away from their education to fight a war they did
not like or believe in.” (Paragraph 4)
“One common practice was draft card burning, where large groups of young
men gathered in a public place to burn their government-issued draft cards.”
(Paragraph 5)
“Women’s groups broadened their support by appealing to morality; they
especially did not like some of the brutal tactics used in the war, such as
chemical bombing and napalm.” (Paragraph 6)
PART A: What does the word “demonstrations” most closely mean as it is used in
paragraph 5?
A.
B.
C.
D.
4.
Americans became more patriotic and felt the need to fight for their country
after watching footage of the war on television.
While the U.S. government believed sending troops to Vietnam was the right
thing to do, many Americans believed the war was unethical and unnecessary.
The U.S. government ultimately realized that education is more important than
defense and college students should be allowed to continue studying.
Many different kinds of people disapproved of the war for many different
reasons.
Draft card burning was the most effective and attention-grabbing way that
people protested the war in Vietnam.
The groups who thought the war was unnecessary, such as Women Strike for
Peace, completely disapproved of all forms of violence.
PART B: Which TWO phrases from the text best support the answers to Part A?
A.
[RI.2]
[RI.1]
“the group Students for a Democratic Society”
“draft card burning”
“student protesters”
“shooting guns at a few students in the crowd”
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5.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between student protesters
and police officers during the Vietnam War?
A.
B.
C.
D.
6.
[RI.3]
The police often arrested protesters and their interactions sometimes turned
violent and even deadly.
The police protected the protesters from Americans who strongly supported the
Vietnam War.
Protesters directed their anger toward the police, who they felt were
responsible for America’s involvement in Vietnam.
Protesters were often joined at their rallies by police, who also felt the Vietnam
War was unnecessary.
How does the author support her point that the Vietnam War was unpopular among
Americans? Cite evidence from the text in your response.
[RI.6]
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Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to
share your original ideas in a class discussion.
1.
Many of the people who protested against the Vietnam War were college students who
hated that the government wanted to “take them away from their education to fight a war
they did not like or believe in” (Paragraph 4). Do you think the draft was fair? Should
students have been allowed to avoid going to war to continue studying?
2.
As discussed in paragraph 2, the Vietnam War was the first conflict for which ordinary
Americans were able to watch footage on television. Many people were motivated to
protest by actually seeing the effects of the war firsthand. Why do you think this footage
was so upsetting for many citizens?
3.
In 1967, celebrated civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was quoted as saying, “If
America’s soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read ‘Vietnam.’” Why do
you think he felt that way? What was it about his country’s involvement in Vietnam that he
felt showed wickedness?
4.
The author mentions that American citizens expressed their unhappiness through draft
card burning, peaceful vigils, and violent protests. In the context of this text, how do people
create change? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art,
or history in your answer.
5.
In the context of this text, how are we changed by war? Cite evidence from this text, your
own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
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