Antiwar movement of the 1960s

1. John Doe Sociology-7th October 9, 2009 Antiwar movement of the 1960s

2. Civil Rights Movement Women’s Movement Gun Rights Movement Environmental Movement Health Care Reform Movement Social movements

3. Slide 1 Cover Slide 2 Movement Description Slides 3-8 Six conditions of Smelser’s value- added theory Slide 9 Photo Description Slide 10 Photo Summarization Presentation outline

4. The antiwar movements of the 1960s and 70s was a movement resulting from the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Reasons for the United States’ involvement in the war centered around the desire to prevent the communist takeover of South Vietnam. This reformative movement against the war was fueled mostly by young Americans who did not believe the war was a just one. Protests against the war were conducted throughout the country, many of which taking place on college campuses. Demonstrations at Jackson State University and Kent State University resulted in shootings where demonstrators were killed. As a result of the widespread antiwar sentiment, the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam entirely by 1973. In the years to come, South Vietnam and surrounding countries surrendered to the communist forces of the South Vietnam. Make sure you include what type of movement in your description. Description

5. A revolutionary movement is a social movement that attempts to change the total structure of society. Mao Zedong leading a group of revolutionaries in a communist takeover of China. A reformative movement is a social movement that attempts to make limited changes to society. Antiwar movement during Vietnam. A redemptive movement is a social movement which seeks to change people completely. Religious cults similar to David Koresh. An alternative movement is a social movement that focuses on bringing limited changes. Zero Population Growth is an organization that seeks to pursuade people to limit the size of their families. Types of Social Movements

6. Neil Smelser’s value added theory: Structural conduciveness - things that make or allow certain behaviors possible (e.g. spatial proximity). Especially people must be aware of the problem and have the opportunity to act. Structural strain - something (inequality, injustice) must strain society, and existing power holders are unable (or unwilling) to deal with the problem. Generalized belief - explanation; participants have to come to an understanding of what the problem is. The problem should be clearly defined and this definition widely agreed by the participants. Precipitating factors - spark to ignite the flame, in other words a political opportunity Mobilization for action - people need to become organized. Failure of social control - how the authorities react (or don't). High level of social control by the power holders (politicians, police) often makes it more difficult for social movement to act. FYI

7. College campuses provided convenient sites for demonstrations against the war. Media coverage of the war made many Americans aware of the failures of the war. Freedom of speech and assembly made it possible for Americans to display their displeasure with U.S. involvement. Structural conduciveness

8. There were several reasons why people wanted change in the policy toward the Vietnam situation. First, despite immense resources being devoted the effort in Vietnam, government officials maintained the stance that there was no war. Second, there was a prevailing sentiment that the draft was unfairly administered, angering middle class and lower class citizens. Structural strain

9. Supporters of the antiwar movement believed that the presidential administrations of Nixon and Johnson were not telling the truth about the war. Also, many Americans felt that the war was “immoral,” because they felt that the U.S. had imperialistic goals motivating its involvement. Generalized beliefs

10. On April 30, 1970, President Nixon ordered the U.S. military to invade Cambodia, a country bordering Vietnam and neutral in the war. In February, 1971, forces attacked the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, another neutral country. These events were seen as indifferent about the loss of human life and sparked protest across the country, including the one at Kent State University. Precipitating factors

11. Demonstrations were taking place across the country at colleges and universities as a result of the Cambodian invasion. In addition, more than 100,000 opponents of the war marched on Washington, D.C. Many colleges were forced to close when an estimated 1.5 million students went on strike in protest to the war. Mobilization of participants for action

12. Efforts to control the antiwar effort actually fueled its existence. The Kent State shootings occurred after the Ohio governor sent the state’s National Guard to the school’s campus to maintain order. Ten days later, police shot and killed two students at an antiwar protest at Jackson State College in Mississippi. Actions by police and protesters in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention of 1968 resulted in a riot. Failure of Social control

13. Photo Description Describe the physical attributes of the picture you have chosen. Remember you are not trying to tell what is going on in the picture, only what you can see. Photo Analysis Research what is going on in the photo. Describe how it relates to the social movement to which you are assigned. Photo analysis

14. Photo description In the picture above, you can see a person laying on the ground. Just to the right, there is a young female frantically screaming. A stunned female stands further to the right staring downward. They are on a road or sidewalk. Behind them, there is a grassy area. Many people are walking by, some looking at the group on the sidewalk. Behind the grassy area appears to be a fence and a wooded area.

15. Photo Analysis Jeffrey Miller is lying on the ground, dead. Mary Ann Vecchio is kneeled above Miller, screaming with her arms opened. Both were part of the Kent State University shootings in 1970 that captured the nation’s attention. The photograph sparked much antiwar sentiment.