How effective was the protest movement in stopping the Vietnam war?
Very Effective Numbers opposed to the War rose as the war went on. (See polls below)
Poll on Johnson 1964;
Not Very Effective Protesters of the time were so radical they repelled others = “Negative Follower Group”- One group of people (protesters) bothers the other (normal Americans) to the point where others join the enemy (Pro-war Americans) – For example, the hippy movement offended many sectors of American society.
How would you rate the job President Johnson has done on (READ STATEMENT BELOW) excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor? Item: Handling the situation in Vietnam 5.50 % Excellent 28.20 % Very Good 23.20% Only Fair 16.90% Poor 26.20% Not Sure -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Poll on Nixon October 1969 Item: President Nixon was wrong to say he would not pay any attention to anti-Vietnam protests; 53.40% Agree 33.50% Disagree 13.10% Not sure -------------------------------------------------------------Poll 1974 Item: We should never again commit American soldiers to a war like Vietnam; 75.40% Agree 18.10% Disagree 6.50% Not Sure
The Moratorium Rally of 1969 (Washington DC) - Between 250500,000 present – Largest ever anti-war protest in history
It was not public protest, but the cost of the War that turned people against the War – Growing social unrest and the collapse of the Great Society. Other factors such as My Lai, the draft, the release of the Pentagon Papers (1971) were more important than the protest movement,
1970 – Kent State Demonstration – Against Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia. The killing of 4 students propelled Anti-War sentiment
It was actually radical activity in universities, not public protest; Date: 06/1965 Poll
Do you think the disagreement of college professors and students with U.S. policies in Vietnam is mainly the result of honest disagreement, or do you think it is mainly the result of organized radical activity in colleges today? 25.90% - Honest Disagreement 56.30% -Radical Activity 17.70% - Not sure
Protests kept the war in the public’s mind.
Most Americans felt that it was un-American to protest against a War whilst US soldiers were fighting; Poll;1969 Item: President Nixon is right to ask that people not support protests against the war because it hurts his chances of getting peace 57.50% Agree 29.00% Disagree
April 1971 – Anti – War Veterans March – Loyalty of Brave soldiers actions could not be questions – Threw medals on the floor
Most American opposed withdrawal at any cost from Vietnam; 1969 Poll; Do you favor or oppose an immediate withdrawal of all American troops from Vietnam? 57% Opposed an immediate withdrawal from Vietnam