The Vietnam Era in The United States of America: The War and The Civil Rights Movement

The Vietnam Era was a very hard time for many people. Americans had to cope with the loss of a president whom some saw as the next Lincoln. The nation, and especially the South, was learning to accept and live with the racial integration and the issues that were brought about when it began, Women were beginning to be accepted as equals in the workplace, and were demanding equal treatment everywhere else. In the minds of most, this was no time to be fighting a war, especially one that many Americans viewed as immoral. Many young men were drafted and forced to fight the war. Both violent and non-violent protesting became a common sight in towns and on the evening news. Issues arose out of the war that are still being dealt with In today’s society. There are still many veterans who suffer from PTSD, or other diseases stemming from the experimental chemical warfare that took place on both sides of the battle lines. These ingredients produced, as a whole, arguably the most free thinking and radical generation in history. There isn’t a doubt that the influence that society had on young Americans especially, was a major contributing factor in the thought process of these individuals.

Many of the soldiers that were fighting in Vietnam were young men. Since President Johnson had rejected the view of mobilizing the United States reserve forces, the military was forced to rely on the draft. The young men who were fighting were more likely to be poor or part of the working class. “The armed services recruited hard in poor communities, many of them heavily African American and Latino, advertising the military as an avenue of training and advancements; very often, the pitch worked.” (Norton, 925) Some of the first signs of opposition in the United States to the Vietnam war came out of the civil rights movement-perhaps because the experience of black people with the government led them to distrust any claim that it was fighting for freedom.

These free thinking youth brought about some good changes as well. The Civil Rights Movement of 1964 came about because of actions of a few youths in Kansas and Alabama, as well as the many that were following Martin Luther King, Ir. The Civil Rights Movement played a connection to the Vietnam War. “Some of the first signs of opposition in the United States to the Vietnam war came out of the civil rights movement-perhaps because the experience of black people with the government led them to distrust any claim that it was fighting for freedom.” (Zinn 484) During this time, women began to take control of their lives.

They now had more choices on important everyday topics, such as where they wanted to work. They were no longer confined to the restraints of society, but instead were burning their bras as a symbol of their freedom. This era marked a time of change and personal freedom and responsibility. This generation has grown up to redefine business and technology, and shape a society previously thought of. The Vietnam era is a great example of how the events of society can influence not just a small group, but an entire generation, which in turn influences a society, and so comes full circle. Could it be possible for a war to change our generation like the Vietnam War did?

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