The Vietnam War

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    Doves

    Dove: A person in favor of the United States withdrawing from the Vietnam War.
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    Hawks

    Hawk: Someone who believed the United States should continue its military efforts in Vietnam.
  • Credibility Gaps

    Lack of trust or believability. The Vietnam war was the first televised war. This meant that people could watch the war with their own eyes. With that, many media accounts began to contradict governments reports.
  • Tet Offensive

    Tet Offensive

    The Vietcong and North Vietnamese launched a surprise attack during the Vietnamese New Year. Guerrilla fighters attacked mostly large cities and American Air bases.
  • President Johnson

    President Johnson

    on March 31st, 1968, President Johnson shocked the nation with an announcement he televised. His announcement stated that he would not run for president again. This was because with both the country and his own political party divided, he knew he would not win again.
  • MLK Jr.

    MLK Jr.

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated Memphis by James Earl Ray.
  • Robert Kennedy

    Robert Kennedy

    Robert Kennedy, who was most likely to win Democratic vote, was shot to death by Sirhan Sirhan, an Arab nationalist.
  • Lottery System

    An estimated 500,000 draftees refused to leave their homes and fight in the war. Between 1965 and 1968, officials prosecuted over 3,000 Americans who refused to serve. In 1969, a lottery system was instituted, so only those with with low numbers were subject to the draft.
  • 26th Amendment

    26th Amendment

    The 26th Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified, giving all citizens age 18 the right to vote.
  • Teach-Ins

    Teach-Ins

    An extended meeting or class held to discuss a social or political issue. In March 1985, a group of faculty members and students at the University of Michigan joined together in a teach-in to discuss the war.