Before watching this video, I understood that the Vietnam War was a highly contested, extremely divisive moment in American history. I had heard about the shooting at Kent State and the enormous role students took in the protests. One thing I wasn’t taught in school was the way the draft targeted specific populations. By getting married or going to college, men would be deferred from the draft, leaving those without the means to do so vulnerable. It also led to a disproportionate amount of young black Americans being killed in a war many of the troops fighting didn’t even believe in, as evidenced by them throwing away their medals during protests.
Another thing I didn’t understand was the government – particularly Nixon’s – role in fostering division among the American people. When Nixon took office, he promised a quick, peaceful end to the war and removal of American troops from Vietnam. However, within the year following his inauguration he had not only not ended American involvement in Vietnam, but further increased it in what many viewed as an invasion of Cambodia. He also actively pitted anti-war protesters against those who supported it by calling those in favor of the war “patriots” and using derogatory terms for those who were against it. He added to this by defending the National Guard who open fired on college students merely using their right to protest. I knew Nixon because of his later mistakes as president, but learning this about him made me think about the president’s role in our country. Not only should they be transparent about their actions and follow through on their word – things Nixon didn’t do – but they should also work towards peace among the American people instead of quite literally the opposite.
It was interesting to hear that Nixon backed the National Guard during that incident because he was elected probably because of his platform to exit the Vietnam war and yet they were still in the war and protesting seemed to increase during his presidency. The video talked about all of the people who were silent for so long and then eventually just joined in the protests because of the extremes it came to .
I agree, I did not know that Nixon basically made empty promises to the American people about a speedy and peaceful exit from the war, when in reality he increased the number of American men there. I think that there could have been so much less damage and destruction in the world if the US were to have left Vietnam earlier.
I feel like throughout history politics has been something that divided people. I don’t think Vietnam wat is any exception. Nixon used words and actions to divide the American people more than they already were