Vietnam War Protest Activity
Making Connections
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
The following photos and documents range from October 1967 - May 1968. Review and examine each source carefully, paying close attention to how the words and images establish atmosphere, mood, and tension or peacefulness.Consider these questions as you closely examine all five documents:
- How do these views support or contrast with the popular opinion of the time?
- How might these protesters influence politicians or policy makers in Washington?
- What might be the reaction of parents whose son or daughter are serving in the military upon seeing or reading these demonstrations? How might veterans of WWI, WWII, or Korea react to these protesters?
- What reasons do these protesters provide for their lack of support in America's involvement in the Vietnam War?
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Worksheet
Vietnam War Protest Activity
Making Connections
Examine the documents and text included in this activity. Fill in any blanks in the sequence with your thoughts and write your conclusion response in the space provided.Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon
Anti-Draft Petition
Burning Draft Cards
Benjamin Spock Speech
Benjamin Spock Speech
#1) Photo Title = "Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon" Photo Date = 10/21/1967
#2) Photo Title = "Anti-Draft Petition" Photo Date = 1/14/1968
This photograph is of a petition in support of the Vietnam anti-draft movement from the New York town hall rally. This petition includes signatures from Noam Chomsky and Allen Ginsberg.
#3) Photo Title = "Benjamin Spock Speech" Photo Date = 1/14/1968
Take some time to examine this photograph taken in Washington, D.C.. Consider the atmosphere and mood of those in this photo.
How might these protesters influence or upset the politicians in Washington?
How might parents or friends of men and women already serving in the military or former veterans feel about these protesters?
What impact did these protesters have on the war itself? The morale of the country?
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Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon
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Anti-Draft Petition
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Burning Draft Cards
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Benjamin Spock Speech
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Benjamin Spock Speech
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Conclusion
Vietnam War Protest Activity
Making Connections
As a follow-up activity, choose one question (either from the assigned questions or something that your group discussed that you found intriguing) and further research the topic. Focus your efforts on how the protesters felt, their rationale behind their protests, and the validity of their claims and opinions. Also, think about how those who did support the war effort felt about these protesters. That will be our focus for next week, so begin coming up with ideas as to why people felt it was important to enlist in the military and support the war.ASSIGNMENT: Provide a one paragraph response to these sources that answers one of the assigned questions. In your response, you may include your opinion, but research is also expected. Use the National Archives Site to locate a document, photograph, cartoon, audio clip, or video that supports your thinking.
If you choose to write about the rights of the protesters, find additional documents that demonstrate anti-war mentality.
If you choose to write about supporting the war, find a source that supports the government, the military, and the decisions to go to Vietnam. Please include the image or a link to the site.
Your Response
Document
Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon
10/21/1967
On October 21, 1967, an estimated crowd of 70,000–100,000 demonstrators gathered by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to protest the Vietnam War and march on the Pentagon in the first major national protest against the war. In addition to the signs, chants, and other hallmarks of an anti-war demonstration, activists distributed daisies, and additionally planned to levitate the Pentagon off its foundation in an act of political theater. By the end of the protest, over 600 protesters had been jailed, and dozens hospitalized.
This primary source comes from the Collection LBJ-WHPO: White House Photo Office Collection.
National Archives Identifier: 192605
Full Citation: Photograph 7052-8; Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon; 10/21/1967; Johnson White House Photographs, 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969; Collection LBJ-WHPO: White House Photo Office Collection, ; Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, Austin, TX. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/october-march-on-pentagon, May 5, 2024]Public Reactions: The March on the Pentagon
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Document
Anti-Draft Petition
1/14/1968
This photograph is of a petition in support of the Vietnam anti-draft movement from the New York town hall rally. This petition includes signatures from Noam Chomsky and Allen Ginsberg. This document was digitized by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2013 Summer Workshop at our Boston location.
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Attorneys.
National Archives Identifier: 7419599
Full Citation: Anti-Draft Petition; 1/14/1968; Town Hall Meeting, 1/14/1968, Draft Resistance Rally [Town Hall, New York City], 1/14/1968 - 1/14/1968; Precedent Case Files, 1928 - 1976; Records of U.S. Attorneys, ; National Archives at Boston (RE-BO), Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/antidraft-petition, May 5, 2024]Anti-Draft Petition
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Document
Burning Draft Cards
1/14/1968
This photograph is of a young unnamed man burning a draft card at an anti-Vietnam draft rally at a New York town hall meeting. This document was digitized by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2013 Summer Workshop at our Boston location.
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Attorneys.
National Archives Identifier: 7419593
Full Citation: Burning Draft Cards; 1/14/1968; [Photographs] Town Hall Meeting, 1/14/1968, Draft Resistance Rally [Town Hall, New York City], 1/14/1968 - 1/14/1968; Precedent Case Files, 1928 - 1976; Records of U.S. Attorneys, ; National Archives at Boston (RE-BO), Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/burning-draft-cards, May 5, 2024]Burning Draft Cards
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Document
Benjamin Spock Speech
5/22/1968
This item is the speech given by Benjamin Spock at an anti-Vietnam draft rally. This document was digitized by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2013 Summer Workshop at our Boston location.
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Attorneys.
National Archives Identifier: 7419672
Full Citation: Benjamin Spock Speech; 5/22/1968; https://catalog.archives.gov/#/id/7419665; Precedent Case Files, 1928 - 1976; Records of U.S. Attorneys, ; National Archives at Boston (RE-BO), Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/benjamin-spock-speech, May 5, 2024]Benjamin Spock Speech
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Benjamin Spock Speech
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Document
Benjamin Spock Speech
5/22/1968
This item is the speech given by Benjamin Spock at an anti-Vietnam draft rally. This document was digitized by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2013 Summer Workshop at our Boston location.
This primary source comes from the Records of U.S. Attorneys.
National Archives Identifier: 7419672
Full Citation: Benjamin Spock Speech; 5/22/1968; https://catalog.archives.gov/#/id/7419665; Precedent Case Files, 1928 - 1976; Records of U.S. Attorneys, ; National Archives at Boston (RE-BO), Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/benjamin-spock-speech, May 5, 2024]Benjamin Spock Speech
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Benjamin Spock Speech
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