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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