What caused soldiers’ disillusionment? How did antiwar movements shape soldiers’ perceptions abroad? How might the fiery protests that targeted the U.S. Divisions at home corresponded with growing tensions in the armed forces. They asserted that soldiers deserved more support since they were dying for the idea of freedom and doing their duty as Americans.
Other soldiers expressed feelings of betrayal by their own country. Letters from soldiers abroad often described confusion and guilt about their military service. Many soldiers joined the antiwar movement by producing underground newspapers and holding strategic meetings in coffeehouses. Growing violence and tensions at home resonated among soldiers in Vietnam who started to question military involvement abroad because of increasing domestic disputes and a prolonged war. Students demanded an end to the war, and a political agenda that reflected true equality and democracy. They organized protests that inspired older generation’s harsh criticism. The youth, for the first time, were not accepting traditional norms of American society. The Kent State shooting and Woodstock define the American collective memory of the Vietnam War and antiwar movements. What began as peaceful demonstrations in 1964, quickly turned into draft card burnings, antiwar music recordings, and even went as far as torching ROTC buildings. One of the most remembered youth protests of the 1970s was the antiwar movements. The youth were passionately standing up for what they believed in, shaping the mold of America’s future. Pre- and college-age youth participated in the civil rights movement, engaged in politics to improve their education and equality, and called for a true democracy in American culture. During the 1960s and 1970s, youth activism and culture shaped American society.
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