The Role Of Music In The Anti-War Movement

Throughout history, war antagonists transformed their concern, empathy, and anger into emotional poetry, visual art, or music. Although war culture typically fell into the pro-war category, the Vietnam War’s musical culture was different from other wars in that its song fell into the anti-war category because of the negative sentiment towards the war that new technology and the media were perpetuating. Rock and Roll eventually became knows as the “weapon of cultural revolution”, as it influenced changed amongst all American, including African Americans, women, and teenagers. Although anti-war music was not the only source that ended the Vietnam War, the political, anti-Vietnam War music did raise spirits and liberate previously suppressed …show more content…
The African American musicians of the late 50’s, early 60’s “bleached” their music in order to be heard by America’s youth during the civil rights movement. White artists transformed black music into hits by simply changing a few lyrics and maybe the tempo so that it would appeal more to the white, youth population. In fact, Elvis Presley, an immensely popular musician, “bleached” Willie Mae Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and transformed it into it a number one hit around the country. Another African American, Chuck Berry, performed at mixed race clubs; he would change his dialect so that it was “harder and whiter”. A while later, The Beatles took the sixties by storm. The “most popular group in the United States” generated a huge influence on American youths; this influence, this counter-culture, provoked controversy as it went against all traditional values of earlier generations. Disliked by the older generations and dismissed as “noise”, it attracted, inspired, and exhilarated the young people. This new art, paired with sexual experimentation, and a civil rights movement created a culture that carved out spaces for experimentation, new thinking, and a happier society – this was “counterculture”. Furthermore, the New Left, supported …show more content…
Protests from coast to coast, with a particular fire in Washington, D.C. and college campuses across the country, plead for the end of war and civilian destruction. President Richard Nixon wanted to continue South Vietnam war efforts, but felt pressure to end the war due to intense anti-war sentiments and continued casualties in Vietnam. Nixon gave in and started an exit plan with the National Security Advisor Henry Henry Kissinger and General Alexander Haig. In 1973, using the media, Nixon announced the plan to cease-fire and to end offensive actions in Vietnam. The plan, outlined in the Paris Peace Accords, was finalized with North Vietnamese officials in Paris on January 27, 1974. One provision of the Paris Peace Accords was the release of non-Vietnamese prisoners of war; one important prisoner, future senator John McCain, was released on March 14, 1973. Hundreds of POWs were released, but many, almost 1,800, POWs were unaccounted