In All

I would like to say that the Vietnam war was trivial to all those whom experienced it. People had tendencies to be swayed into opinions of others. I feel as if this is the most important showcase in history of how media, protest, and war can impact the mass of a single nation. Since there was more advanced technology in the 1960's people were able to publicize the events. Media has made such an imparative impact on how rhetorical strategies were displayed to people. I feel as if this was the breaking point in which emotions ran wild. More ways of influencing people were easily implemented into the lives of Americans. I feel that this has been carried out even now. People have used the persuasive techniques to bring into perspective, the ideas of wars. Lastly, I would like to say that by doing research on the Vietnam war I have gained so much knowledge. I have gained knowledge on the rhetorical styles as well as historical facts of the time.

Power of Short Phrases

Short phrases and short rhetoric became key. Vietnam became NAM, the war became known as Americas mistake. No one knew what to explain or how to say it. Love became the word for the peace movement. Rainbow was a name for a child that was born into hippie camps or establishments. Trip was used to describe becoming high or drug use. Word play became a part of life. Much like today new short phrases arouse to explain everday life.

Protests

Protests against the war were very common during the 60’s. The interesting thing is that these protests might not have worked toward their efforts for the promotion against the war. Some of the people witnessed these protests thought that they should protest against the war as well. The protest made them open their eyes toward the peace, and influenced the witnesses to join in and protest as well or to become more anti-war. But, other people who witnessed these protests thought the exact opposite that these protests were ridiculous, the people protesting don’t even know what this war is for, and these witnesses became more pro-war because of the influence of the protesters.

Flower in Gun

This picture had a powerful influence on people as a whole. This photograph shows that many of the protesters were protesting the war itself, not the soldiers fighting it. The hippie is placing a flower in the gun. The flower symbolizes peace, and the gun symbolizes war. Guns are issued to all soldiers; it shows that they are in some way attached to the war. The flower in the gun symbolism pro-peace but also pro-soldiers, the flower is in the gun held by the soldier. This means that the protesters are peace for the soldiers but against the war.

Music in The 60's

The music in the 60’s was another great persuasion method. There were many songs created by bands that created anti-war or pro-peace songs. Some of these musicians were The Doors, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and many more. These bands had a lot of influence over the people who listen to them. When a band writes a song about being anti-war, some of their listeners would completely agree and keep their anti-war beliefs. But, sometimes the bands would be criticized for taking sides on the war and would possibly risk swaying some of their listeners to become pro-war. The music persuaded people to either be pro-war or anti-war, depending on the meaning of the song and how the people interpret and analyze the music.

Presidential Rhetoric

Througout the Vietnam war The presidents involved such as Johnson and Nixon left a massive bread trail of speechs that showcase persuasuve rhetoric at it peak. They constantly used rhetorical tools such as assertion justification shown in Johnson's speech Why Are We In Vietnam. It was key for presidents to be able to try and sway positive opinion in the war especially as American involvement in Vietnam increased. Presidents used rhetoric in order to attempt to alter words such as "world order" and war for "freedon, peace and defense" instead of words like "control, battle, and death" it was a play on words. The war dragged on and presidents needed to be able to speak to the people to seem like they knew what was going on in the conflict. Rhetoric became key.

60's Advertisement

Many advertisements where printed, heard, and watched so that young men could be persuaded to join the war. There where posters saying “WE WANT YOU” with uncle Sam’s face on it. The posters where meant to call your attention by being so bold. They would make is so that you looked bold and like a hero for joining into the war.

On the other hand, many civilians were against the war and advertised for the war to be over. Many sisters and mothers were left behind while their husbands and brothers went to war. They started the peace convoy in order to try to bring their families home.

Hippies and The Vietnam War

The hippies first sprouted during the Vietnam War, and they used various slogans and symbols to protest against the war. They wanted to "spread the wealth" among the people and live in peace in communes in nature, especially in California. Their biggest and most used symbol was the peace sign; they made great use of the peace sign by using it as a symbol for peace and love. Most hippies wore the peace symbol around their neck to represent their beliefs. For example in the picture above the soldier wears a peace symbol juxtaposed with a bandoleer, in addition to some religious medals to show his opposing views of the war.  The hippies became rebels against the American government shortly after Kennedy's assassination  and all the controversy and conspiracy's behind it. They questioned America's involvement in the Vietnam War and participated in various peace marches across the United States to stop the war. They used popular anti- war slogans such as "Make love, not war" to popularize their beliefs.

Vietnam

I feel as if the Vietnam was especially exemplary of how propaganda can sway how people thought. I watched a movie called "Hamburger Hill." In the movie is showed how easily peoples ideas could be swayed. One of the guys had a girlfriend and she had sent him a letter stating that she had talked to her friends and she would not write any more letters based on the fact that she does not support the war. This seemed very evident during the time because I feel like the people who weren't in combat were stictly opinionated against the war or for the war. I believe that the representation of this in the movie is showcased very nicely because it incorporates love and war. Those two words seems contradictory but it all ties in. The hippie movement embraced the idea of love, but they showcased hate toward the soldiers.

Birth of A New War

This image really gave a grim reality of the situation in Vietnam. It portrays a South Vietnam officer bluntly executing a North Vietnamese insurgent. This image shows the execution. Its powerful and had the effective on swaying even more the idea that the war was unjust and overtly violent. More anti war movements were aroused due to this image. Look at the power, you can see the victims head shock as the bullet ends his very life. A truly powerful image.


This Image of the Anti war movement is trying to portray that Uncle Sam (symbolizing the U.S. Military) is death. That sending troops to Vietnam only will bring them death and to mobilize against the war is to halt the death thats occuring under uncle sam in Vietnam. This was yet another image that helped sway the anti-war movement. There also is strong word choice "Mobilize" sounds much more powerful that just "meet" or "gather" it gives off a feeling of importance and power for the anti war movement.

The Vietnam War was the first war to be completely photographed and released to the pubic. Its video and photographic rhetoric really changed the way the war was fought. No more would the public be shadowed by propaganda as in World War Two. It was now war as it happened. The death,suffering,crime,inhumanity. The imagery of Vietnam altered how the war was fought and who supported it. The protest movement really exploded due to this. Anti war became common and civil rights, college reforms, and peace movements became landmarks through the 60's and 70's. What do think is the largest impact Vietnam images and rhetoric had on American society?? Does violence really show through in images?? While walking on a street would a poster truly be able to sway your opinion on an issue?

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