A quick biography about the Vietnam Veterans against War(VVAW):
The group was founded in New York City by six Vietnam war veterans in 1967. The thought of a group formation was brought up by Jan Crumb after a march in April of 1967 that consisted of 400,000 people. The VVAW organized anti-war demonstrations as well as public hearings and education efforts. Also, the group would help war veterans attain post-war health care through the Veterans Affairs hospital system. Considering chemical elements like Agent Orange were a big issue during the Vietnam war, the program would also help victims of the terrible substnace. The group remained small until 1969, when Nixons invasion on Cambodia and the Kent State shootings attracted new members. The VVAW had grown from 1,500 members to 12,000 in four months in 1971, due largely to the fact that an advertisement for the group appeared in Playboy magazine. By the end of 1971, the group consisted of 30,000 veterans, and 20,000 non-veterans. The groups protests in Washington were televised on televsion that same year. As the Vietnam war neared its end, the groups members began to decline. The group still fought for veteran benefits.
Notable sponsered events by the VVAW:
Winter Soldier Investigation: Eary in 1971, the Vietnam Veterans against War sponsered an event to out the out the crimes that American soldiers were being told to commit in Southeast Asia. The event lasted three days, while bringing together over 100 veterans in Detroit, Michigan. Each person was given time to tell of their experiences in Vietnam. After the three day event, Senator George McGovern and Rep. John Conyers stated that they would investigate the crimes. Despite making a video on the affairs, the investigation was never seriously looked into.
Operation Dewey Canyon lll: The operation took place in Washington between April 19, 1971, to April 23. Veterans(over 1,000) of the war were lead by Gold Star Mothers (mothers of killed soldiers group) to the opening of Arlington National Cemetary. After not being allowed in, they marched to the Capitol. After hearing proposals by the Senate Foreign relations Committee on ways to end the war, the veterans marched back to the cemetary, and were allowed in this time. The next few days resulted in veterans and political figures speaking out against the war. Those include political figures Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. Veterans even went as far as to march to the Pentagon and turn themselves in for crimes they committed in Vietnam. Most notably, on Friday April 23, Vietnam veterans tossed their accolades and discharge papers on the steps of the Capitol building.
Walter Reed Memorial Service: Half way through 1971, the VVAW set up a service for injured veterans at the Walter Reed medical center. Reverend Jackson Day organized the events.
Operation Dewey Canyon lll: The operation took place in Washington between April 19, 1971, to April 23. Veterans(over 1,000) of the war were lead by Gold Star Mothers (mothers of killed soldiers group) to the opening of Arlington National Cemetary. After not being allowed in, they marched to the Capitol. After hearing proposals by the Senate Foreign relations Committee on ways to end the war, the veterans marched back to the cemetary, and were allowed in this time. The next few days resulted in veterans and political figures speaking out against the war. Those include political figures Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. Veterans even went as far as to march to the Pentagon and turn themselves in for crimes they committed in Vietnam. Most notably, on Friday April 23, Vietnam veterans tossed their accolades and discharge papers on the steps of the Capitol building.
Walter Reed Memorial Service: Half way through 1971, the VVAW set up a service for injured veterans at the Walter Reed medical center. Reverend Jackson Day organized the events.
John Kerry's speech to the U.S. Senate Committee of Foreign Affairs: 4/23/1971
In April of 1971, the VVAW sponsered an event called Operation Dewey Canyon lll. Many veterans spoke out against the Vietnam war in the three day event. John Kerry was one of the speakers on April 20, 1971, who spoke out about the soldiers admitting the war crimes being committed by United States soldiers in Vietnam. "They told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians.." he states in his speech. This was not all though. "shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam.". Throughout John Kerry's speech, he speaks about how many of the Vietnamese citizens didn't even know the difference between Communism and Democracy, and how the biggest problems most citizens in Vietnam were facing were how to make rice paddies without helicopters flying overhead. " They wanted everything to do with the war, particularly with this foreign presence of the United States of America, to leave them alone in peace".
Throughout John Kerrys speech, he attempted to hone into his listeners the crimes that were being committed to innocent civilians in Vietnam. The disgusting methods of torture and forms of punishment. John Kerry also mentioned how we are fighting a war that should have been handled by the two parties at hand, South Vientm and North Vietnam. This was not a United States matter. It seems that the United States might have even pushed the matter, as many Vietnamese civilians didn't have an issue with the present form of government. He also tried to push sentimental emotion out of there listeners by repetitive mention of the amount of American soldiers being killed in Vietnam, and for what?
Throughout John Kerrys speech, he attempted to hone into his listeners the crimes that were being committed to innocent civilians in Vietnam. The disgusting methods of torture and forms of punishment. John Kerry also mentioned how we are fighting a war that should have been handled by the two parties at hand, South Vientm and North Vietnam. This was not a United States matter. It seems that the United States might have even pushed the matter, as many Vietnamese civilians didn't have an issue with the present form of government. He also tried to push sentimental emotion out of there listeners by repetitive mention of the amount of American soldiers being killed in Vietnam, and for what?
A Veteran speaks out against the war: 6/23/1971
On July 23, 1971, a veteran of the Vietnam war named Bob Muller, spoke his mind to people at Columbia University in New York. The man rolled onto the stage in a wheel chair and told the people that Vietnam wasn't like he expected. "Vietnam is something you have to experience firsthand to believe. I know I didn't believe what anybody told me about Vietnam before I went; it was something I had to go through myself.". Lt. Muller starts off his speech by telling the listeners how he was swayed into being a marine. One day attending class at Hofstra University, he walked by a marine and was instantly mesmorized by his sharpness. As well as the discipline contained by the mans face. Bob didn't know why they were going to Vietnam, but he thought his government must be right, ". I just took it on blind faith that my government knew a hell of a lot more than I ever could, and that they must be right.". Muller begins to show hostility in his voice as he talks about friends being shot to death. The stories he contained were gruesome. Just as his time in Vietnam was winding down, he began to start questions, "After I made up my mind that the war was wrong, I still fought. The last day I was in Vietnam, the day I got shot, I knew the war was wrong.".
The basis of Bob Muller's account was that the war was wrong. People stood outside Columbia University and listened to a man that had witnessed it all. He was there to see his friends head blown up, as well as stab Vietnamese soldiers in the throat. He was there to see his own men violate innocent civilians in Vietnam. The impact his speech had on people was defounding.
The basis of Bob Muller's account was that the war was wrong. People stood outside Columbia University and listened to a man that had witnessed it all. He was there to see his friends head blown up, as well as stab Vietnamese soldiers in the throat. He was there to see his own men violate innocent civilians in Vietnam. The impact his speech had on people was defounding.