Student Protests of the 1960s

Student Protests in the 1960s

• Students in the 1960s and 1970s protested various societal issues like women's rights, poverty, and the Vietnam War.
• The main period of student protests spanned from 1964 to 1970.
• A rise in college attendance after World War II led to increased awareness of American social issues.
• Students advocated for a greater voice in their educational experiences.
• Encouraged by the Civil Rights Movement, students adopted protesting as a means of change.
• Student protesters related closely to the Vietnam War, given that the average soldier age was 19.
• The rise of a counter-culture influenced by the hippy movement and drugs like LSD fueled the desire to rebel against their parents' established culture.

How Students Protested

• Students joined existing groups such as SNCC and CORE.
• Students joined the Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS.
• Students actively participated in anti-Vietnam War protests.
• Some students embraced the hippy lifestyle.
• Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, many participated in non-violent sit-ins and marches.
• Radicalized students resorted to extreme methods like those employed by the Weatherman or Weather Underground, a violent offshoot of SDS.

Key Events of Student Protests

• Sit-ins and marches at Berkeley University in 1964 led to the creation of the Berkeley Free Speech Movement.
• Protests occurred at Columbia University in 1968, involving the occupation of university buildings.
• Protests at Kent State University in 1970 resulted in 4 students fatally shot by the National Guard.

The Achievements of Student Protests

• Unlike the Civil Rights Movement, the student movement never gained widespread support from American society.
• While groups like the Berkeley Free Speech Movement met some objectives, the variety of issues addressed posed a challenge.
• Opposition to the Vietnam War became the unifying cause for the student movement.

The Student Movement Defined

• The student movement was a left-wing effort aimed at transforming American society and addressing social, political, and economic justices.
• It gained momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Reasons for the Student Movement's Development

• Students sought greater participation in their education at colleges and universities.
• Students desired a participatory democracy with more influence in politics and governmental decisions.
• Ending racism and promoting civil rights was a major goal.
• Opposition to the Vietnam War was a central cause.

Opposition to the Vietnam War

• Media coverage of the war increased opposition.
• High casualty rates: 12% of soldiers were either killed or seriously injured, with 300% more amputations than WWII.
• The killed American GI's average age was 23.
• The draft forced 2,000,000 men to fight in Vietnam betwen 1964-1972.
• Leaders such as Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali highlighted racial inequality in the military.
• The South Vietnamese government was perceived as corrupt, brutal, and undemocratic.
• Politicians questioned the war's impact and distraction from domestic concerns like education and healthcare.
• The U.S. struggled against the Vietcong and events like the Tet Offensive and My Lai Massacre affected public opinion.

Forms of Protest Against the War

• About 500,000 gathered in Washington on November 15, 1969, for the largest anti-war protest in US history.
• Hippies rejected traditional American life by not working/studying, growing their hair long, and consuming illegal drugs.
• Student protests grew increasingly violent with frequent clashes with police.
• A bomb detonated by student protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 1970 killed one and injured others.
• Protests at Kent State University in May 1970 led to four student deaths.

Factors Contributing to Media Coverage of Student Protests

• Protesters, though a small fraction of students, garnered attention as white, middle-class individuals rebelling against societal norms.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

• The SDS was a student activist group led by Tom Hayden, grew to 3,000 members on 80 campuses by 1965, and by the decades end had over 100,000 memebers in 150 colleges.
• The SDS released the 'Port Huron' statement in 1960, campaigning against racism, war, and for human rights.
• The SDS actively participated in civil rights protests, advocating for better students' rights in universities and opposed university rules.
• The SDS saw considerable growth due to student opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War.
• Internal disagreements resulted in the SDS splitting into different groups by 1969.

Weatherman Student Movement

• It was formed in 1969 as a radical student group after the collapse of the Students for a Democratic Society.
• They advocated violence to stop the Vietnam War and revolutionize society.
• Its domestic terrorism acts included bombings in New York, Boston, and Washington between 1970 and 1971.
• Members were pursued by the FBI.

Student Movement Relevance to the Vietnam War

• The movement significantly contributed to the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam.

Berkeley Free Speech Movement

• The movmement was formed 1964-65 by Berkeley students, challenged university regulations restricting free speech.
• In September 1964, a ban on protesting on university grounds led to student demonstrations. to lift such.
• Students who defied the ban faced suspension which resulted in a sit-in, supported by 6,000 students, leading to 750 arrests.
• The University allowed on campus protests with restrictions on how, when and where protests could occur.

Kent State University Protests

• Unarmed students protesting against the Vietnam War were shot and killed at Kent State.
• The protests took place May 1-4, 1970, and ended with the shootings
• Nixon's announcment of invading Cambodia and the need for 150,000 troops spurred the protests.
• Ohio's governor sent in the National Guard, resulting in the protests turning violent.
• On April 30, 1970, President Nixon announced the Cambodian invasion.
• Protests broke out across American universities, including Kent State.
• Conflicts between protesters and police escalated with smashed windows and vandalized police cars.
• On May 4th, 1,000 National Guardsmen were sent to disperse protesters but violence erupted. Students threw rocks, and the National Guard responded with tear gas.
• At 12:24 pm, National Guardsmen began shooting, killing 4 students and injuring 9 others, including Jeffrey Miller.
• National Guardsmen started firing guns into a crowd of student protesters and students.
• Developments include clashes between anti-war and pro-war supporters.
• There were occupied university buildings students, and setting fire to the Reserve Officers' Training Office on campus.
• 900 National Guardsmen, with tear gas and rifles were sent in and the students threw gas canisters and bricks at them.
• The National Guard fired, killing four and injuring nine.
• The events were deemed "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable" due to the lack of solid evidence justifying the use of deadly force. 8 were arrested, but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.
• Public reaction was divided with some horrified and others supporting the Guardsmen.
• Strikes led to the shutdown of other universities and 2 million students not attending classes.
• The killings sparked public outcry because the victims were white, middle-class students while violence against Black students garnered little public attention.
• These Kent State shootings escalated anti-war sentiment and demand withdrawal from Vietnam.

The Hippy Movement

• This movement was comprised of young people rejecting society and societal norms.
• In the 1960s a counter culture movement developed that was against police and authority.
• It was a reaction to the political and social issues at the time, like the Vietnam war.
• Hippies promoted peace, love, and happiness as well as music/art, and experimented with sex and drugs.
• Hippies lived in communes, traveled in buses, frequently wore long, colorful clothing.
• Hippies got involved in protest movements pertaining to environmental and various other social issues.
• While hippies failed in their efforts to influence policy, they did manage to influence some American youths to adopt various lifestyle modifications like music, and drug use.

The Vietnam War Summary

• There was a war that began in 1954, where North Vietnam sought to reunite the country under communism while South Vietnam tried to remain as it was.
• The Vietnam War started in 1955, and ended in 1975.
• The 1st phase was between 1945-1954, and the French tried to push for imperial rule, which resulted in the signing if the Geneva Accords where Vietnam was split into 2 countries.
• The 2nd phase was between 1957-1963, and South Vietnam, under Ngo Dinh Diem, fought against Vietcong. Diem was eventually assassinated right before John F Kennedy.
• The 3rd phase was between 1964-1968, and there was huge conflict with the USA and America, and in order to stop the spread of communism.
• The 4th phase was between 1969 and 1973, and it was defined by what America was trying to do with their efforts to withdraw with the last personnel being withdrawn in 1973.
• France, Ho Chi Minh, USA, USSR, China, and South Vietnam were all countries that were involved.
• America became involved to stop communism, but the domino theory was its major concern.
• The USA gave $1.6 billion in aid and sent political advisers between the years in 1950. The USA then sent military advisors in 1960, and the finally sent combat troops in 1965.
• President Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon were all presidents that were involved in the war.
• There was protest against the war because of the money, soldier deaths, abuse from US soldiers, an the draft.
• Protest included rallies and sit-ins in addition to the burning of draft cards.
• Over $167 billion was spent into the war.
• War power act in 1973 meant that the president couldn't go to war without congress support, there was restricted size for parties for the election, the preisdent couldn't use government money, and the federal government was told to let people look into documents.
• Some historians say that it wasn't winnable because America knew very little about Vietnam, and America alienating the Vietnamese, Vietnam had a history of not following countries, it was hard to close the HI Chi Minh Trail, American soldiers were not used to battle, and South Vienamese government was unstable.

Media Coverage of the Vietnam War

• 1964: <10 jouranlists, 1968: >600 journalists. Television brought in the conflict in American homes.
• Tet Offensive in 1968, General Nguyen Ngoc Loan's execution of a Vietcong fighter, My Lai massacre in 1969 were all media coverage events in the war.
• Initially 900 military advisors were sent in 1960, and this number eventually swelled up into 400 news reporters. American homes saw television rise to 93% from 1948.
• Journalists were able to capture stories using advanced technology, without censorship, and showed that the USA were 'goodies' and North Vietnam were the 'baddies'.
• The media helped spread anti-war ideas, and Walter Cronkite played played a large part in the movement.
• The government realized that people did not trust the lies from the government regarding the conflict.
• The US army took a hit to its reputation which affected morale overall.
• The public began to question if the war was winnable, with more and more soldiers dying.

Women's Movement in the 1960's

• Inspired by civil rights movement and wanted equal rights
• Traditionally woman were mothers/housewives
• Women were also unhappy about no equal pay
• The 1960s were about protesting
• There were more labor saving devices
• They had control over contraception pills
• Civil rights movements helped and had an increased desire to help
• Betty Friednan wrote "feminine mystique"
• Equal Rights Amendment was another factor to help
• STOP with "Stop taking your privileges" made people mad.
• There was negative media
• Verbal abuse in many protests, and that stopped women who just wanted to be homemaker.
• The Equal Pay act in 1963 was helpful
• NOW, or Natural Organization helped them win cases and be paid the same as men.
• Women were illegal to not pay based on gender which was a Civil Rights Act in 1964.
• There was sexism that was prevalent throughout
• There was a landmark decision that women had legal access to abortion (Roe V Wade)
• There continues to be anti-abortion protests till this day

Eleanor Roosevelt

• Was a wife of Franklin D Roosevelt (the 32nd president) and campaigned for women
• campaigned between 1933-1962
• held press conferences, put pressure, made tv broadcasts for her opinion
• She helped women get jobs
• There was a status commission on women in 1961
• 2 laws were passed 1960
• She was "internationally respected"

Betty Friedan

• She was a journalist to help women's movment
• she believed women and men should have equal rights
• The book that she helped with was influential

Phyllis Schlafly

• She was an anti-feminist
• Took action in protests, forums and wrote articles.
• She helped people not ratify ERA

Equal Pay Act, 1963

• Was an helpful measure
• Helped end gender pay gaps
• Helped by Eleanor Roosevelt and Esther Peterson
• there were power groups fighting against it and Republican politicians

NOW

• created to get support
• Betty Friedan a co created
• Was set up to help in activism not for civil rights
• There are "equal" laws set out
• Made around 40,000 members by 1960
• used different methods to help bring change
• increased awareness, and many challenged
• had successes and some failures
• not radical enough

Equal Rights Amendment 1972

• Designed to give equal rights to women
• ERA was not able to fix it
• the act was presented since 1923 , and has to be ratified by other states
• The Schlaflys stop era helped her protest

The Womans Liberation Movement

• very radical
• wanted women to be from a "male driven society"
• it was very aggressive, like throwing bras away at contest.
• the actions changed, as they set up local disscussion groups
• Helped women deal domestic abuse and rapes

Legalities of Abortions

• In the 1960s, abortion was illegal unless woman was at risk
• some states changed it, and had abortion if rape
• the ERA helped get abortion get legalized.

Roe V Wade, 1973

• Landmark ruling to women wanting a legal abortion
• Many are still anti decision.

Watergate Scandal, 1972

• It was about the scandal of President Nixon
• Event took place between the years 1971 to 1974
• Nixon resigned is the aftermath
• Nixon, the committee to re-elect the president. Bernstein, Woodward and the fBI were involved.
• Nixon refused to hand over the conversations to the FBI and then he resigned
• CREEP and the White House Plumbers also helped Nixon with cover ups
• They stole into the watergate stealing and repairing
• Mitchell also denied link CREEP
• they uncovered it happened due to CREEP.
• the government was involved in illegal actions
• Nixon ended up getting sacked
• People were still shocke and made the white house looked.
• there was some officials that were sent to prison
• More Americans lost trust too
• Presidents can't go to war without congressional support.
• Campaign elections were had restrictions
• Privacy action set some limits about collecting data
• It ruined politics and the war