I would like to thank you for helping to bring the VietNam war to an end. It was only because people like you took to the streets that our troops finally came home.
You don't really believe that do you??
I certainly don't.
The war lasted almost 16 years.
Organized protests had been taking place for at least 11 of those years with 1967-1972 being the loudest and most significant.
The war "ended" in '75
How much longer would it have gone sans protests??
Not very.
It would still be going.
No politician said "I think this is a bad idea" until after people were marching in the streets. And it still took 11 years of marching in the streets, dying at Kent State, filling jails to get enough attention to convince congress to quit funding it.
Do you think they changed their minds because we were winning every battle? Because the NY Times wrote a mildly critical opinion piece? Because the Viet Cong drove us out? Because we were afraid Russia would enter the war? Because Senators decided on their own that it was immoral?
NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.
Public opinion amplified by marching in the streets ended the war.
This war will not end until the people stand up and demand that politicans end it.
Comments
It would still be going.
No politician said "I think this is a bad idea" until after people were marching in the streets. And it still took 11 years of marching in the streets, dying at Kent State, filling jails to get enough attention to convince congress to quit funding it.
Do you think they changed their minds because we were winning every battle?
Because the NY Times wrote a mildly critical opinion piece?
Because the Viet Cong drove us out?
Because we were afraid Russia would enter the war?
Because Senators decided on their own that it was immoral?
NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.
Public opinion amplified by marching in the streets ended the war.
This war will not end until the people stand up and demand that politicans end it.
Thank you for standing up.