Topic Exploration: Anti-Vietnam War Protest

1. The protest that I am focusing on in my research paper is the Anti-War protests of the Vietnam War. These protests included individuals that were strongly against the war, especially the draft, which caused more and more Americans to go to war and come back in body bags. The Vietnam War caused so many people to die, and therefore large amount of people was strongly against it. Men burned their draft cards in protest, and there were also physical protests against the war. For my paper, I am mainly going to be focusing on the music that was produced during this time period in protest of the Vietnam War, and it’s strong influence on the protest movement.

2. The identity that will be explored through the paper is American people who were affected by the war. This includes those who were directly affected by the increased draft rate, and the draft in general. This identity was directly tied to the anti-Vietnam War protest because those influenced by the war, and especially the draft, desperately wanted for the United States to remove themselves from Vietnam. Since the anti-war protests wanted to removal of the United States form the Vietnam War, the identify that I have chosen was directly involved in the protest, and was actually created as a result of the war in Vietnam.

3. There was variety of ways that individuals participated in this protest movement. Men who were subject to the draft burnt their draft cards in protest, an act that was an seriously unlawful offense. Others physically participated in protests that were against the Vietnam War, holding signs reading messages like, “Get out of Vietnam” and “Resist the Draft, Don’t Register.” Many musicians also protested, creating songs that explicitly spoke out against the war movement.  

4. The one thing that I am concerned about for this research paper is being able to find enough evidence and information to make it a good essay. I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to find enough information to convey the points that I want to make, and so I wont be able to create an essay that reaches the 15 page minimum for this assignment. I am also concerned about my ability to write an essay this long without making it boring and tedious. I think that part of this project that will be most difficult for me is simply the research.

Erika is also doing a similar essay to mine surrounding the Vietnam War. However, she is focusing on the SDS' involvement with the protests, while I will primarily to focusing on the music that was produced during the time and its influence on the protest movement.