Vietnam War Protests Movement

Vietnam War Protests Movement
Name of the Student
Institution
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
Vietnam War Protests Movement
In the ancient ages, most countries engaged in constant resistance against a foreign or local power that was deemed oppressive. This case was no different for Vietnam. The famous Vietnam War resulted from the country’s indigenous dwellers' efforts to fight for their perceived freedom. The U.S. was not among the parties causing the war. However, the attack on two American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in August 1964 led President to order a retaliation (Lieberman, 2019). The retaliation entailed launching bomb attacks on North Vietnamese military targets. However, attempts by the U.S. to participate in the war led to a minority group spearheading the vast majority into an anti-war movement resulting from moral claims and complaints regarding the U.S.’s spending on the war. 
First, the regular bombings of military targets in North Vietnam by the U.S. forces led some critics to question the government’s claim that it was fighting a democratic war. The government of the day hid behind the argument that their bombings intended to protect South Vietnam against oppressive Communist aggression. The bombing of North Vietnam by the U.S. government also contributed to this tenacious antiwar movement in American history. While the U.S. inflicted pain on the locals, its citizens also had to serve in the war, sustain injuries, and even die. In 1967, U.S. casualties had reached 109,527 wounded and 15,058 killed (History.com Editors, 2022). Increased casualties as the war progressed called for more troops from home. A survey indicates that as many as 40,000 male youths were enrolled in service to meet the demand of replacing wounded and killed soldiers (History.com Editors, 2022). This increased loss of American lives and exposed more American people to harm and death, adding wood to the movement's fire. Parents and other individuals who had lost their loved ones would associate with the damage to lives caused by the war. 
The discontent also came from individuals who felt that the war was against the morality and well-being of the American economy. On moral grounds, protestors shared the pain of the North Vietnamese, who were struggling to eliminate foreign aggressors. It was not right for an external force to travel across geographical boundaries to inflict suffering on foreign states. America’s involvement in the war through aerial bombings caused serious environmental damage. The chemicals utilized to launch the attacks were defoliating. Some movement leaders had figured that their country was supporting a corrupt and undemocratic regime of the south. Additionally, the protestors argued that the war caused young American citizens suffering and pain. 
The government's spending during the war while many Americans struggled to make ends meet was another cause of discontent. The money taken to the war took away other valuable societal social programs like urban renewal, housing, and welfare. The public had to associate with such losses and initiate sustainable resistance. It was determined that the country spent approximately $25 billion annually to continue its involvement in the war (History.com Editors, 2022). Taxpaying public who still experienced various difficulties aligned with the interests of the spearheads of the movement. They felt that the money spent in foreign nations to support a war that was far away from home could be utilized to address local challenges.   
The movement's initiators also hoped for the wider U.S. population to support their cause. These individuals started just as a minority group who desired for the U.S. not to involve harming citizens of a foreign country and its own by sending young people to war overseas. Also, the movement aimed to end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnamese war. Members desired to end excessive spending of the country on foreign lands. 
A source states that boxer Muhammad Ali was an influential figure during the anti-war movement that significantly resisted America’s involvement in Vietnam War (History.com Editors, 2022). This prominent individual resisted being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. At the time, Ali was a renowned heavyweight champion of the globe. Therefore, his actions in opposing the war and refusing to become a soldier in Vietnam inspired most of his fans. In his statement regarding his being drafted into service, Ali firmly stated that he was an ‘objector’ of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnamese war (History.com Editors, 2022). As a result, the government reacted by banning him from participating in boxing and serving him a prison sentence. Although the Supreme Court later overturned these rulings, Ali’s experience shows the commitment of the U.S. government of the time to continue its endeavors in Vietnam. Despite the claim that it was engaging in a democratic endeavor, it denied its citizens democratic rights just to become part of the war. Another powerful individual who joined the anti-war movement was Martin Luther King Jr. He opposed the war on moral grounds and felt that the money spent to support troops was adequate to address the national challenges of the time. Famous artists also crafted pieces that spoke to the public about the insignificance of America’s involvement in the war. Popular songs that became an anthem for the generation of the time were produced. Some of these artistic...