How did the media and popular culture encourage opposition to US participation in the Vietnam War?

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Jade Hegarty                             History Coursework

Q1: How did the media and popular culture encourage opposition to US participation in the Vietnam War?

As we well know, the media and peoples opinions have a strong hold over a nation. The magazine articles we read the photographs we see, the music we listen to, the films we watch and the events that take place around us all have an impact on our opinions and beliefs.

     During the 1960s’ – 1970s’ American people had to decide on how they felt on the Vietnam War. Many people strongly opposed this war, but only a few were able to spread their own beliefs on a large scale. Some such people where the band Country Joe and the Fish. They were quite popular around that period and in 1965 they had a song about the then current War called “I feel like I’m fixin’ to die”. In this song they voiced their opinion, which was shared by many others, about the war. They sang words like;

“And you know that peace can only be won,

When we’ve blown ‘em all to kingdom come”

These two lines were sending a message that America was using harsh and destructive methods to fight the War, and the cynical tone in which this song is sung, only adds to the drama of the song, and would help send out their message. Other interesting lyrics are;

“Be the first one on your block

To have your boy come home in a box”

This is, again, cynically sung, and it disagrees with the war, it also is trying to influence people not to go and fight, as it basically says “don’t get involved, for you’ll enter a pointless bloodbath”. This is a catchy song which would have reached out to the white students of the east and may have shaped some of their opinions and encouraged them to oppose the war.

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     Another song, “War” by Edwin Starr (1970) would have reached out to the black community, mainly in the west. It is again anti-war and through this songs course it repeats:

“War-huh, what is it good for?

Absolutely nothing!”

It’s saying that the war is going to bring nothing positive, and a lot of death, and hence is pointless, so why fight? This song was another great way for a person who opposes the war, to try and influence a great amount of other people.

        There were a lot of famous people who opposed the ...

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