Author: Gianna Ravi

The Ally – Vietnam War Newspaper 1968

1946-1989, Consciousness Raising, Date, Disruptive Spaces, Tactics of Disruption, The Home

The Ally, a newspaper directed toward the social, political, and humanitarian impacts of the war, provides an interview of a soldier and his interactions while in Vietnam

The Ally Newspaper

The “Ally” newspaper, Issue No. 3 (April 1968), was a publication produced by the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign (VSC) in the United Kingdom. The VSC was one of the most notable activist organizations advocating against the Vietnam War and played a key role in organizing protests. This interview was taken by a correspondent of a foreign newspaper and translated by “The Ally” where the soldier provides his feelings and what he witnessed during and after the war.

“I would say that the real split occurred after May of this year when we were in the U.S. and I saw the demonstrations, massive uprisings of protest against the Vietnamese War”
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Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts – Vietnam War

1946-1989, Authority, Black, Date, Defining the Enemy, Students, Subjectives of Refusal

Black activists and students across the United States have utilized their radical groups to protest the Vietnam War

Black “extremist” groups advocating against the Vietnam War

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Vietnam War was a major source of division in American society. The U.S. government’s escalating involvement in Vietnam was widely debated, and many political movements including the Black Power and civil rights movements began to protest the war. The FBI’s COINTELPRO was intended to monitor and disrupt movements that were protesting against the U.S. government. Black civil rights leaders and activists, especially Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, were outspoken against the war and were targeted under COINTELPRO to control any form of activism against the Vietnam War.

“A time comes when silence is betrayal. That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
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Women’s Strike for Peace – Vietnam War

1946-1989, Date, Strike, Subjectives of Refusal, Tactics of Disruption, Women

The Women’s Strike for Peace, founded in 1961, was a grassroots movement of women advocating to end the Vietnam War and nuclear disarmament.

Women’s Strike for Peace

The Women’s Strike for Peace (WSP) was a prominent movement that mobilized women across the United States to protest the Vietnam War and advocate for disarmament. The group was formed in response to the U.S. government’s involvement in Vietnam and its nuclear weapons testing. WSP organized large demonstrations, including a notable national strike in 1961, and lobbied government officials to adopt peaceful foreign policies. The organization played a key role in shifting public opinion about the war and contributed to broader peace and civil rights movements, highlighting women’s voices in political activism.

“They all have the same goal: peace, friendship, and happiness. That is why they support each other” – Hanoi
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Vietnam War or McNamara’s War? – 1964

1946-1989, Consciousness Raising, Date, Strike, Tactics of Disruption

McNamara’s War, referring to Robert McNamara’s Vietnam War policies, was the escalation of American troops in Vietnam.

McNamaras War

Robert McNamara was the Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon Johnson and continuously urged the president to escalate the United States’ involvement in the war through technology. This led to widespread protest against the “McNamara War” as McNamara utilized harsh policies, like the “body count,” which were portrayed as unjust, even in a war. This led to widespread protests about the inhumane policies that were enacted during the Vietnam War.

“I should like to know what the Foreign Ministers propose to do about bringing to an end the unjustifiable killing that is going on in South Vietnam.” – New York Times
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