Vietnam
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cooperate with the military draft; they burned draft cards and declared themselves conscientious objectors (individuals who refuse to serve in the military because they oppose war in any form). Many refused to obey draft notices telling them to report for possible military duty. A much smaller group of antiwar protesters embraced more radical tactics; they disrupted draft boards, bombed and destroyed government property, and declared their support for America’s Communist enemies in Vietnam.
II AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM
Direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam began in the mid-1950s after the Vietnamese had won their independence from France, which had colonized the country in the 19th century. After nearly nine years of fighting, the French defeat came at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 when the Vietnamese destroyed a major French military base. Following the French withdrawal, Vietnam was temporarily divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
Elections were to be held in 1956 to create an independent, unified Vietnam. However, ...