After watching this short informative film I understand why it is titled “The 20th Century: Vietnam Protest Movement” because wow, there were a lot of protests and a lot of different sides as the war in Vietnam continued. Divides in the country were formed.
It is always a red flag when the authority (the government) is being violent and oppressive to a large group of people. I feel that when there is a large group of citizens, nationwide who feel a certain way their thoughts should be heard and dealt with in a regimented protocol that gives voices to the people in a way that they can be heard effectively. The tensions that arose between the government forces and antiwar protesters were all due to fear on both sides. Fear for the lives of loved ones or oneself being sent to kill or die in a country halfway around the world for reasons that were unclear and unjust and fear of the countries reputation stays intact. The government’s murdering of protestors is also a red flag that in my opinion dirties the reputation of the US government around the world and for those who live in it.
Also- something that infuriated me was Nixon’s comment on how we as a country could not let North Korea win because that would be embarrassing and American’s dont loose….. LIKE WHAT. I understand it is important to have pride and to give each effort your all, however, with an incitative that was unclear and not supported by so many, including those who were being legally forced to fight, kill, and risk their own lives it is poor leadership and unjust. This just brings me back to how many early presidents (GWashington) played a long hands-on role in the battlefields in battles that were fighting for conflict in our own country; I wonder if the pride and reputation of America would come first if government officials or Nixon himself were forced to be on the battlefield.
I believe the government considered the action of sending out troops to be an act of indirect violence, so it became an excuse to do whatever. One would think that American democracy would call for the government to be more intensely influenced by the American people. Yet, in reality, the American people are granted the opportunity to voice their concerns without the promise of being heard and not being silenced. The U.S. government definitely prioritized its status as the most powerful country over the safety and livelihood of the people.
I, too, question whether or not Nixon and other government officials would be willing to physically fight for the U.S.
I like that your brought up the violence against the protestors. Most the protest were non violent and things escalated quickly. With this violence brought about even more protest.
I agree. It is absolutely baffling that the government, as powerful as it is, can be so ‘threatened’ by civilians. To me, if the government is so fearful of its constituents that it can not resort to nonviolent actions, then it needs to be in power! There is no excuse for the lost lives at KSU–none.