Antiwarriors: The Vietnam War and the Battle for America's Hearts and Minds

Vietnam: America in the War Years

by Melvin Small

The anti–Vietnam War movement marked the first time in American history that record numbers marched and protested to an antiwar tune―on college campuses, in neighborhoods, and in Washington. Although it did not create enough pressure on decision-makers to end U.S. involvement in the war, the movement's impact was monumental. It served as a major constraint on the government's ability to escalate, played a significant role in President Lyndon B. Johnson's decision in 1968 not to seek another term, and was a factor in the Watergate affair that brought down President Richard Nixon. At last, the story of the entire antiwar movement from its advent to its dissolution is available in Antiwarriors: The Vietnam War and the Battle for America's Hearts and Minds . Author Melvin Small describes not only the origins and trajectory of the anti–Vietnam War movement in America, but also focuses on the way it affected policy and public opinion and the way it in turn was affected by the government and the media, and, consequently, events in Southeast Asia. Leading this crusade were outspoken cultural rebels including Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, as passionate about the cause as the music that epitomizes the period. But in addition to radical protestors whose actions fueled intense media coverage, Small reveals that the anti-war movement included a diverse cast of ordinary citizens turned war dissenter: housewives, politicians, suburbanites, clergy members, and the elderly. The antiwar movement comes to life in this compelling new book that is sure to fascinate all those interested in the Vietnam War and the turbulent, tumultuous 1960s.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, War

200 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2002

About the author

Melvin Small is a distinguished professor of history emeritus at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan after receiving his BA from Dartmouth College. Over the past two decades he has concentrated his research and writing on the postwar era, with an emphasis on the Vietnam War, the antiwar movement, and presidents Johnson and Nixon.

Reviews

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considered the most fair account of the anti-war movement, emphasizing its broad base of support. What also comes across is the movements tactical failures, but not its strategic failures. That is Nixon was right. The protestors were more upset about being drafted than they were about the bombs falling on Cambodia, because war means no sex, drugs, and Rock n Roll, or at least the kind where you are not being shot by an Ak-47.

[Adron · Rating 1 out of 5]

This propaganda piece masquerading as a historical account speaks for itself - at the point at which protesters are consistently called "vulgar" and "rude" and pro-war hawks are called "adults," it's pretty clear who the author agrees with. It's also not a good look that COINTELPRO is mentioned once and then justified.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is written for a non-scholarly audience so it is not nearly as complete as An American Ordeal by DeBeneditti, but the overall treatment is a similar middle-of-the-road analysis by an historian who has written extensively about specific aspects of Vietnam era, especially in the Nixon years.

[Michelle Miao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent overview and quick read - read this for tutorial and regret a bit choosing this one in-depth, as the author justifies federal intrusion and perhaps exaggerates the extent to which Americans were accepting of illegal actions towards protestors.

[Jason · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second book about the Anti-war movement by Melvin Small that I have read.

Regrettably, I don't have a lot of good things to say about this title. I think Mr. Small got most of his insight on the subject out in At the Water's Edge (page back a few posts to read my review). Its interesting, Mr. Small professes in his introduction to both books that he joined the anti-war movement. He does not seem to have been a leader, but he agreed with the sentiment, and was able to observe the movement from its lightly engaged edge.

That said, I believe his view of the movement is very well balanced. If anything, on the whole, he is very critical of the movement and its limited accomplishments. But that cynicism about the movement shows more heavily in this book, and it surfaces in ways that are not helpful to the reader.

To analogize, it reminds me of media reporting on Congress. Its lazy. Since reporters don't like getting into detail about disagreement when they are dealing with a collective, they often reduce substantive debate to "squabbling." So it is in this book. Small frequently notes the fracturing and disagreement within the movement, but rarely provides much insight or substance as to the nature of the disagreement. One gets the feeling while reading that he found these ideological fights petty, and unworthy of further analysis. He may be right. But its hard to say, because he does not give you sufficient detail to evaluate for yourself.

He does frequently reiterate the obvious disagreement between those who want to focus on "stunty" acts of civil disobediance, and those who wanted more Joan Baez concerts. But even this tends to be a very surface level discussion.

Many of the other conclusions are straight from At the Waters Edge. The movement did not bring the war to a close one day earlier. It did constrain escalation somewhat. It did provide some encouragement to the North Vietnamese. It success was always constrained by the crazy fringe that alienated the majority of the American public. And, the press always liked to cover the crazy fringe and ignore everyone else. That's about it folks, no nead to read further.

The important personal piece that came from this book is that Christian and I have decided to abandon the idea of an anti-war Vietnam game. Chris read at the Water's Edge and both of us concluded independently (though were reluctant to admit), that there is no game here.

Small cites another historian of the movement who quipped that it was "filled with more clowns than heroes." Regrettably, that is my conclusion as well. I have a hard time imagining an historically correct set of attainable goals for the movement. If there are such a set, it is unlikely that there would be a variety of strategies to attain them.

So, sadly, we are going to abandon this topic and move on to another. We have already selected it. Its the first topic I ever thought would make a good game. I've already done a ton of reading on it, Christian is workign on it now, and I am going to read a few refreshers. I don't want to jinx it by talking right now, but stay tuned.

[notabattlechick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short synopsis of the Vietnam anti-war movement in the United States. Small calls himself a "participant observer" - and occasionally his sympathies with the cause belie his analysis, but for the most part the work is even handed and reasonable in its claims. Small pretty soundly refutes the grandiose claims that the protest movement ended the Vietnam War, but he does say that it affected Vietnam policy and American politics. The extent to which these claims are true remains the subject of some debate. Small's analysis of the Nixon years is, I think, the most interesting and important part of the book - especially when it comes to disambiguating the relationship between war protesters and the media. This is an important point, and one that's often left behind. Because the work is synthetic, it is VERY light on citations and specific evidence - though the bibliographic essay at the end and the notes are sufficient to lead interested readers to other sources.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small gives a compelling argument about the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War. Students who are learning about the anti-war movement should read this book. It can be used as a way to spark interest in the movement itself. The sources at the end of each chapter lead the reader to other resources on the given subject. However because Small uses few primary sources I would not use this as a main source in a research paper but as a stepping stone to find other more useful sources.

[Erik Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent social and political history of various anti-Vietnam groups. Realistic and even handed, it is fair and honest in the successes and shortfalls of the movement.

[David Horney · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for school