The Anti-War Movement Of The Late 1960s

The anti-war movement of the late 1960s is often credited as having positive outcomes such as 18-year-olds being granted the right to vote and the end of the draft, and is glorified for its role in bringing people together along with shaping activism to this day. However, as with any movement, there are unintended consequences, which have shaped important events and values within American society in the decades since the war and at present. This paper will explore some of these unintended consequences, and how they have manifested themselves during and after the Vietnam War.
First, the motives behind the movement are clear from the start- it began with the intention to end the war. Though there is no way to conclusively know how it impacted
In an already divisive climate, many who where against the movement saw it as a rise of hippie culture and erosion of traditional American values . With the media seeming to play to both sides of this split, it shows that there was growing sense of trust in media despite the lowered trust, on behalf of one side at least, in older institutions. Largely rooted in the societal divide amplified by the media, the anti-war movement sparked the end of what is known as minority mentality within American society, which remains significant
The rise of the anti-war movement also largely marked the end of the idea that patriotism was the “passport to equality” and acceptance. This is largely explored by Jefferys-Jones in his 2001 book Peace now! American society and the ending of the Vietnam War. He looks at three groups- students, African Americans, and women- as groups that came into their own in the anti-war movement. The impact that these groups had within the movement were broad and varied, such as burning draft cards and forming groups such as Black Women Enraged, but cumulatively added diversity and passion to the movement for various reasons . On the other side, he looks at organized labour as another group, and noted that their reluctance to largely question or go against the government played a large role in the rise of Nixon and the conservative’s idea that there was a “great silent majority” of American citizens who were in favour of the war . This marks the start of the “new left” that remains relevant today in how the liberal people identify and are seen, and how the labour movement has largely been left out of that category . This left-right divide has only broadened in the decades that