History HW - For 15 points, create a set of Priestley style notes based upon 30-3 attached

Others were more radical in their view. David Harris, who would spend 20 months in jail for refusing to serve in Vietnam, explained his motives.

A PERSONAL VOICE DAVID HARRIS “ Theoretically, I can accept the notion that there are circum- stances in which you have to kill people. I could not accept the notion that Vietnam was one of those circumstances. And to me that left the option of either sitting by and watching what was an enormous injustice . . . or [finding] some way to commit myself against it. And the position that I felt comfort- able with in committing myself against it was total noncoop- eration—I was not going to be part of the machine.”

—quoted in The War Within

Draft resistance continued from 1967 until President Nixon phased out the draft in the early 1970s. During these years, the U.S. government accused more than 200,000 men of draft offenses and imprisoned nearly 4,000 draft resisters. (Although some were imprisoned for four or five years, most won parole after 6 to 12 months.) Throughout these years, about 10,000 Americans fled, many to Canada.

In October of 1967, a demonstration at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial drew about 75,000 protesters. After lis- tening to speeches, approximately 30,000 demonstrators locked arms for a march on the Pentagon in order “to dis- rupt the center of the American war machine,” as one orga- nizer explained. As hundreds of protesters broke past the military police and mounted the Pentagon steps, they were met by tear gas and clubs. About 1,500 demonstrators were injured and at least 700 arrested.

WAR DIVIDES THE NATION By 1967, Americans increas- ingly found themselves divided into two camps regarding

the war. Those who strongly opposed the war and believed the United States should withdraw were known as doves. Feeling just as strongly that America should unleash much of its greater military force to win the war were the hawks.

Despite the visibility of the antiwar protesters, a majority of American citizens in 1967 still remained committed to the war. Others, while less cer-

tain about the proper U.S. role in Vietnam, were shocked to see protesters publicly criticize a war in which their fellow Americans were fighting

and dying. A poll taken in December of 1967 showed that 70 percent of Americans believed the war protests were “acts of disloyalty.” A fire- fighter who lost his son in Vietnam articulated the bitter feelings a

number of Americans felt toward the antiwar movement.

A PERSONAL VOICE “ I’m bitter. . . . It’s people like us who give up our sons for the coun- try. . . . The college types, the professors, they go to Washington and tell the government what to do. . . . But their sons, they don’t end up in the swamps over there, in Vietnam. No sir. They’re deferred, because they’re in school. Or they get sent to safe places. . . . What bothers me about the peace crowd is that you can tell from their attitude, the way they look and what they say, that they don’t really love this country.”

—a firefighter quoted in Working-Class War

This sign reflects the view of many Americans that the antiwar protests undermined the war effort in Vietnam.

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▼ DIFFICULTDIFFICULT

DECISIONSDECISIONS

RESIST THE DRAFT OR SERVE YOUR COUNTRY?

As the fighting in Vietnam intensi- fied, young men of draft age who opposed the war found themselves considering one of two options: register with the draft board and risk heading off to war, or find a way to avoid military service. Ways to avoid ser vice included medical and educational deferments. But a great many men did not qualify for these. The choices that remained, such as fleeing the countr y, going to jail, or giving in and joining the ranks, came with a high price. Once a decision was made, there was no turning back.

1. Imagine you oppose the war and are called to ser ve in Vietnam. What decision would you make? Would you feel guilty if you avoided the draft? If you chose to ser ve, how would you view those who did not ser ve your countr y?

2. Do you think more young men would have been willing to ser ve had this been a dif- ferent war? Explain.

MAIN IDEAMAIN IDEA

D Evaluating

Do you think it was right for the government to imprison draft resisters? Explain.