The essay depicts that people in the anti-war movement felt the Vietnam War was contrary to American values. David Harris shows that he grew up thinking America represented freedom and justice, but the war was exactly the opposite. He felt the war was to help bad leaders stay in power and to hurt regular people. Harris even wanted to go to West Point before he realized what the war was all about.

One of the questions this paper answers is "Why did they protest the war?" — because they felt the war was unjust and not something America should be fighting for. Another question it answers is "How did they protest the war?" — David Harris would not be drafted and became a draft resister. This is proof that some of them protested by not fighting. People like Harris wanted to stop a war that they knew was wrong.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote explains the spirtual damage that he belived was coming from the Vietnam War that was caused by the United States. He thought it was very wrong that it "poinsed" the soul of the U.S., meaning it caused some serious damage for what America stood for. The anti-war movement was about more then just stopping the war, it was about calling out the U.S. for fighting in a foreign country.

Antiwar supporters were usually seen as unpatriotic people. Many people believed that if you did not support the war in Vietnam, you were simply disrespecting the country and all the soldiers fighting there. The government and all the people that supported the war felt the anti-war protests would make the U.S. much weaker.

The war was perceived negatively by people who were not in support of it. Similarly to the last question this question also requires looking at the priest's signs. Again we can see that they are against the war and are scared that this war could ignite World War 3. The priests clearly do not like the war and did not like any ideas of war coming to america.

Document 3 is a picture of religious authority figures protesting against the Vietnam War. Through this selected document, it demonstrates how not only were normal American citizens against the war, but leading authority figures and religious prospects were against the killings and harm that was going on. One of the posters in this image states “For Christs Sake Stop the Killing”. Through this statement it shows how people were against all the violence entailed in this war and how it is truly not what God would want to happen.  

2. What role did the media have in changing Americans' opinions on the Vietnam War? Use specifics and details to support your response.

The role that the media played in changing Americans’ opinions and views on the war is that originally, the media convinced people that there was not a lot of fighting happening and that it was a very fair war. However, as the truths were revealed through the media and changes were made, it was understood that these were all lies. Therefore, Document 3 proves how the truths of the war were revealed and many people started to understand how much killing was truly going on.

Document four shows the betrayal felt by members of the anti-war movement, especially those who grew up believing in the American beliefs of freedom and justice. David Harris, the author of the document, described how he was raised in a patriotic environment, having a WWII veteran in his family and the influence of media showing that Americans fought for worthy causes. However, when the Vietnam war began, his views changed. He saw it as a conflict led by “petty dictators” who aimed to maintain control over people. This shows that many people in the anti-war movement opposed the war not because they were against the military, but because they believed that the US was contradicting it’s own values.

How was the war perceived by those who were against it?

Those who were against the war perceived it as a betrayal of American values and a way for corrupt leaders to maintain power. In document four, Harris expresses his disappointment that the war was not about defending democracy like previous wars but instead it was about keeping “a good portion of the population in servitude.” This suggests that many people apart of the anti-war movement believed that the US was supporting harsh government rather than promoting freedom.

The media played a crucial role in shaping public opinion regarding the Vietnam War. Unlike previous conflicts, Vietnam was the first war to be televised, showcasing vivid images of battlefield deaths and widespread destruction in American homes. As the war continued and the number of U.S. deaths climbed, the media revealed the harsh realities of the conflict, leading to increasing skepticism and numerous protests against it. The document indicates that after significant spikes in casualties, such as those in 1968 and into 1969, public support fell sharply. This suggests that the media's reporting on these events may have contributed to the growing anti-war sentiment.

Document 4 shows how protestors developed their anti-war stance through strong personal discouragement towards American principles. Harris shows how his personal development transformed him from a West Point recruit to a draft resister which shows that protestors came from patriotic backgrounds but left the military when America failed to keep its promises. According to him, Vietnam "was an extraordinarily obvious violation of everything that I had been led to expect" because America failed to live up to its claimed values through the Vietnam campaign.

How was the war perceived by those who were against it?

According to Harris the anti-war activists saw Vietnam as serving "petty dictators" who ruled through "servitude" against "a good portion of the population." The comparison between America's World War II bravery for freedom and justice and its present-day actions in Vietnam showed the war's contradiction with American moral values. The war showed itself as a plan for corrupt regimes when the author described it through phrases such as "popping up of petty dictators."

People against the war thought of it as a waste of time and a dangerous situation to even get in the first place. People often criticized the draft because they thought that it impacted and hurt lower income communities and minorities more. The document shows us that the soldiers became disillusioned. Some went AWOL, and the desertion rate tripled in years before, shows us the frustration that the troops had with the war. This shows that they wanted a withdrawal from Vietnam quickly. 

How was the war perceived by those who were against it? Harris and other anti-war folks saw Vietnam as a fight that went against what America was supposed to stand for. They didn't buy that we were fighting for freedom - instead, they thought America was fighting for "petty dictators." Harris felt the US was trying to force Vietnamese people to accept American ideas. This shows that protesters weren't against America itself - they just thought America wasn't living up to its own values. The document reveals how disappointed many Americans felt when they saw the difference between what America claimed to stand for and what it was actually doing in Vietnam.

This document tells us that the antiwar movement was increasing. The war causalities were much more troubling than the news portrayed it. So when people found out, they started to become a part of the antiwar movement. In the picture there are a lot of people protesting to stop the killing and in one of the signs it says "Stop inciting World War III which is significant because of the first two wars and now this war would cause destruction. Most of the signs say "For Christs Sake Stop the Killing". The priests are saying to stop the killings for Christ as Christ wouldn't want people killed.

For the people who were against war, they perceived it as dangerous and not the way to handle international affairs. The people of America did not want war in their lives. They thought that war was too harsh and that there are other ways that are much better to handle the affair. With the amount of killing, the people had more reason to be against war since killing is not the right thing to do. It is an improper way to handle the issue. The people who were antiwar saw the war in a very negative way. They believed that the war would create future problems for the countries and the people of those countries.

Those against the war, as shown in Document 6, felt it was based on lies and had corrupted American values. William Wyman's statement that "the good guys are really the bad guys in disguise" suggests a belief that America had lost its moral standing. The reference to "Mickey Mouse is dead" implies a loss of innocence. Wyman's own experience as a veteran who "killed and killed and killed" points to the war's brutal reality and the moral conflict it created for some soldiers.

Document 3 shows that the war was perceived as a very negative/dangerous event and could lead to world war 3 if tensions do not stop rising. Because of this, the anti war group in the United States perceived the war as playing with fire. They believe in this idea so much that they try to say things like "for Christs sake STOP THE KILLING!" shedding light on the fact that murder is a sin.

We learn the people are confused about what we are fighting for. The people were told that they were fighting to defend the freedom in Vietnam but in the peoples eyes it doesn't seem that way. The war was perceived to be the move of "first act of the of a dictator". Many people in the anti-war movement saw the conflict as morally wrong and an unnecessary loss of life.

What does your selected document tell us about the anti-war movement?

The anti-war movement believed the U.S. was not truly fighting for freedom in Vietnam. Paul Potter said that instead of protecting democracy, the U.S. was supporting a dictator and suppressing political opposition in Vietnam. Many in the movement saw the war as unfair, unnecessary, and more about power than helping the Vietnamese people.

The document highlights the growing resistance to the Vietnam War through the actions of draftees, as 2,400 out of 4,400 men ordered to report for induction did not show up in May 1969. This defiance signifies widespread opposition to the war, as many Americans were no longer willing to support a war they viewed as unjust. This defiance reflects a broader societal shift, with more people openly protesting and questioning the war's legitimacy and moral justification.

What role did the media have in changing Americans' opinions on the Vietnam War?

The media significantly influenced public opinion about the Vietnam War, exposing Americans to the brutal realities of the war through graphic television coverage and reporting from frontline journalists. This led to widespread disillusionment, spreading anti-war messages and fueling protests. The media brought the war into people's homes, making it impossible to ignore its human and moral costs, and prompting many to question the war's worth.

What does your selected document tell us about the anti-war movement?
Document 4 highlights the deep disillusionment within the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War. David Harris, a draft resister, explains how he was raised to believe that American wars were fought to uphold freedom and justice. However, his experiences led him to see the Vietnam War as a betrayal of those ideals, as the U.S. was not spreading democracy but instead supporting oppressive regimes. His testimony reflects a core belief of the anti-war movement: that America’s involvement in Vietnam was not a noble cause but an unjust war that contradicted its own values. Many activists, like Harris, protested against the government’s decisions, the draft, and the overall military campaign.

How was the war perceived by those who were against it?
Critics of the war saw it as immoral, unnecessary, and a misuse of American power. Harris’ statement suggests that, instead of protecting democracy, the U.S. was actively backing governments that oppressed their own people. This view was shared by many in the anti-war movement, who believed that the war’s human and political costs far outweighed any justification for U.S. involvement. For resisters like Harris, participating in the war would mean betraying the very principles of justice and freedom that they had been taught to uphold. His perspective reflects the growing realization among Americans that the war was not only failing but also compromising the nation's moral standing.