Student Protests in 1968 and 1970: A Rebellious Generation Essay

In the year 1968, the Vietnam War had taken control of the minds and the hearts of millions of Americans and other individuals around the world. The Tet was initiated by Vietcong warriors in South Vietnam, where the warriors launched a full scale attack on every major city in the south of the country. This shattered the dreams of those who had hoped that the war would end quickly and that there would be peace and not Communism in the country of Vietnam. Nixon decided to spice things up a bit and invade nearby Cambodia in 1970 saying that he would not allow the biggest superpower in the world to appear â€Å"like a pitiful, helpless giant.† Meanwhile, in many different universities across the U.S, several students felt a spark in them evoked by the war in Vietnam and by the restrictive punishments of their respected colleges. To fight this, they organized gatherings and student strikes to promote their way of thinking to their parents and to anyone who would listen. These stud ents were protesting against the Vietnam War, conformity, and the harsh rules of the elite colleges, to prove that their voices were worthy to be heard. In universities all over the world, there arose a rebellious spirit in the lives of many students. Why were these students protesting? In France, they were protesting against the strict policies of their schools and against the Vietnam War. These ideals spread from there to close by countries such as England, Italy, and Germany and also in countries across the world such as Japan and South Korea. The War had left everyone questioning whether or not the United States and its allies were going to be able to win this war or not. The window of victory grew smaller every day. In the United States, there were similar... ...s just proves the point that students are people too. They may be inexperienced, but they are gaining knowledge and awareness about the world around them and becoming brave enough to speak up for themselves. References: Brown , Victoria , and Timothy Shannon. Going to the Source. 3rd ed. . 2. Boston : Bedford/St. Martin's , 2012. 270. Print. Grace , Tom . "The Shooting at Kent State (1970) ." From Camelot to Kent State. N.p.. Web. 5 Dec 2013. . Norton , Mary Beth, Carol Sheriff , David W. Blight , Howard P. Chudacoff, Fredrik Logevall, and Beth Bailey . A People & A Nation . 9 ed. . 2. Boston : Wadsworth, 2012. 946. Print. Ruffner, Howard. " Introduction by Howard Ruffner." The Digital Journalist . N.p.. Web. 5 Dec 2013. .