11/21/1970: Operation Ivory Coast – Son Tay POW Prison Raid
By 1970, the U.S. knew there were at least 350 American prisoners of war in North Vietnamese prison camps, in addition to POWs shuffled between makeshift camps in South Vietnam and Laos. One such camp was in Son Tay, some 23 miles west of Hanoi, North Vietnam’s capital. Despite being only a few miles away [...]
11/15/1969: Second Vietnam Moratorium Protest
During the Fall of 1969 a coordinated campaign of anti Vietnam War protests was held across the U.S. The largest were the nation-wide Moratorium Against the Vietnam War on October 15th, and a second Moratorium on November 15th, preceded by the March Against Death on November 13th. The second Moratorium crowded over half-a-million demonstrators around [...]
11/14/1965: Battle of Ia Drang Valley
The Battle of Ia Drang Valley was the conclusion of a series of engagements that had begun with the North Vietnamese Army laying siege to the Special Forces camp at Plei Me four weeks earlier. At this early stage of direct involvement of U.S. ground troops in the war, no major battle had occurred between [...]
11/13/1969: March Against Death
The March Against Death was conducted over thirty-six hours in Washington D.C. on November 13th-15th 1969, as part of a nationwide campaign of protests conducted in the Fall of 1969. Starting at midnight on Thursday November 13th, a solemn procession of some 45,000 marched single-file from the Arlington National Cemetery, past the White House to [...]
The Rolling Stones – Paint it Black
The Rolling Stones‘ 1966 #1 hit “Paint It Black” was a popular track on Armed Forced Radio in South Vietnam during the war. While it wasn’t intended as Vietnam War music, it expressed a sentiment of depression and despair that must have resonated with some of the U.S. servicemen in Vietnam. At the same time, [...]
11/12/1969: Story Breaks of My Lai Massacre
The My Lai massacre took place on March 16th 1968, when a unit of U.S. infantry massacred an entire village of over 300 civilians including men, women and children in a collection of hamlets in South Vietnam. Although this atrocity had occurred in March 1968, it took 20 months for the story to reach the [...]
11/11/1972: Direct U.S. Troop Engagement in Vietnam Ends
Direct U.S. troop engagement in the Vietnam War ended on Veterans’ Day 1972. Over the previous three years, the U.S. had been gradually withdrawing troops and transferring responsibilities, bases and equipment to South Vietnamese forces according to the Vietnamization policy of President Nixon’s administration. The final base to be turned over to South Vietnam was [...]
11/11/1967: Viet Cong Releases Prisoners For Racial Propaganda
On Veteran’s Day, 1967, the Viet Cong released three U.S. prisoners of war in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This was one of several occasions when the communist forces (Viet Cong and North Vietnam) released a handful of prisoners either for propaganda purposes or as part of an exchange. In this case, the Viet Cong was aware [...]
11/09/1967: Lance Sijan’s Heroic Ordeal
Lance Sijan’s story is one of immense bravery, perseverance, and tragedy. On November 9th, 1967, Lt. Col. John Armstrong and 2nd Lt. Lance Sijan flew a bombing mission over North Vietnam in an F-4C Phantom. The F-4C was a fighter-bomber flown by two pilots who sat in tandem, usually with the less experienced pilot in [...]
11/07/1966: “Ugly Demonstration” at Harvard Targets McNamara
The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was the major student protest organization in the 60s. With chapters in many colleges and universities across the U.S. its primary focus became the draft and the Vietnam War. In its initial years, it emphasized non-violent forms of protest, but became increasingly radical as the War progressed. Robert [...]
11/07/1973: Congress Passes War Powers Resolution
Towards the end of 1973, the United States’ lengthy and harrowing involvement in the Vietnam War was drawing to a close. As a result of January’s Paris Peace Accords, the U.S. had withdrawn its troops, leaving fewer than 250 in South Vietnam by the end of July. Congress passed the Case-Church Amendment in June, which [...]
Jimi Hendrix – All Along The Watchtower
In September 1968, Jimi Hendrix released his single “All Along The Watchtower“, from the Electric Ladyland album. It wasn’t intended to be about the Vietnam War, but it conveyed feelings and sentiments that the soldiers serving there related to, and is thus very much a piece of Vietnam War music. 1968 had probably been the [...]
Bruce Springsteen – Lost in the Flood
In January 1973 Bruce Springsteen released his first album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.“, which contained “Lost in the Flood“, the first of many songs Springsteen would write about Vietnam Veterans. Born in 1949, Springsteen was the right age to serve in Vietnam, but managed to avoid that fate. Apparently he was classified 4-F (not [...]
Thom Parrott – Hole in The Ground
Many Vietnam War songs have fallen into obscurity because they were never commercially recorded, or if they were, failed to sell many copies and were quickly discontinued. Fortunately, some have been gathered and reprinted on CDs. One superb example is Thom Parrott‘s “Hole In The Ground“published in Broadside Magazine issue #58 in 1965 (Broadside was [...]
11/05/1968: Nixon Elected President
Richard Nixon won the November 5th 1968 Presidential election, and would succeed President Johnson in the Whitehouse. He had outlined his platform at the GOP convention earlier in the year: “Tonight I do not promise the millennium in the morning. I don’t promise that we can eradicate poverty and end discrimination in the space of [...]
Black Sabbath – War Pigs
In 1970, while recording their second album, Paranoid, British rock band Black Sabbath were working on a song called “Walpurgis”, which was basically a musical horror story, much like the song “Black Sabbath” on their first album. However, the band was getting tired of being accused of witchcraft and dabbling in the occult, and didn’t [...]
The Animals – We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
By all accounts, The Animals‘ 1965 hit “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place” was one of the most popular Vietnam War songs among U.S. soldiers serving in Vietnam. Getting out was something most of them wanted dearly, and when they were on a one year tour of duty, they knew exactly when it would [...]
John Prine – Sam Stone | Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
John Prine‘s self-titled 1971 debut album was a masterpiece of song writing. His country sound was captivating and easy to listen to, and his dry lyrics grabbed the listener’s attention with wit, sarcasm and irony, and delivered some deep and often depressing messages without being smug or preachy. Amazon.com WidgetsOf the two Vietnam War songs [...]
11/03/1969: Nixon’s “Silent Majority” Speech
President Richard Nixon had won the 1968 Presidential election on a campaign that included promises to end the Vietnam War. For example, his campaign aired a TV commercial stating: “Never has so much power been used so ineffectively as in Vietnam. If after all of this time and all of this sacrifice and all of [...]
11/03/1967: Battle of Dak To
On November 3rd 1967, a series of engagements collectively known as the Battle of Dak To began in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. In the preceding months, the U.S. 4th Infantry Division and 173rd Airborne Brigade, together with South Vietnamese infantry & airborne units, had pursued heavily engaged North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong forces in [...]
Buffy Sainte-Marie, Donovan – Universal Soldier
Donovan‘s Amazon.com Widgets 1964 #1 U.K. hit “Universal Soldier” was brought to the U.S. in 1965, where it was a minor hit, reaching #53, and was included in the U.S. release of his “Fairytale” album. Donovan wasn’t the first to record the song, but it’s his recording that made the song well known. The song [...]
The Guess Who – American Woman | No Time
Canadian band The Guess Who‘s 1970 song “American Woman” is often cited as an anti-American criticism of U.S. war policies, especially the draft. The American Woman being referred to could be a metaphor for the U.S. or the Statue of Liberty. The song can be seen as a rejection of the U.S., with lines like [...]
11/02/1965: Norman Morrison Sets Himself On Fire At Pentagon
On the afternoon of November 2nd 1965, 31-year-old Norman Morrison went to a garden area outside the Pentagon, drenched himself in kerosene and set himself on fire in a suicide protest against the Vietnam War. The ghastly scene was witnessed by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, as it took place below his third-floor office window. In [...]
11/02/1963: Oppressive South Vietnamese President Killed
On November 2nd 1963, South Vietnamese Army officers deposed and assassinated President Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem’s government was corrupt and oppressive, but had been supported and tolerated by the U.S. because of its firm anti-communist stance. Diem was a wealthy former member of the French Catholic ruling class. His government was biased towards members of [...]
11/01/1968: Rolling Thunder Bombing Against North Vietnam Ceases
Operation Rolling Thunder, the aerial bombardment campaign against North Vietnam, came to an end on November 1st 1968, after three years and eight months of bombing. The purpose of Rolling Thunder was to prevent the flow of personnel and supplies into South Vietnam, to destroy the transportation systems of North Vietnam, to intimidate North Vietnam [...]
11/01/1964: Viet Cong Escalates with Mortar & Rocket Attack on Bien Hoa Air Base
In the early hours of November 1st 1964, the Bien Hoa Air Base, situated 12 miles North of Saigon, came under fierce rocket and mortar fire from the Viet Cong. A squadron of B-57 bombers was immobilized, with 5 destroyed, and a further 15 damaged. Four U.S. servicemen and two Vietnamese were killed, and a [...]
11/01/1968: Accelerated Pacification Campaign and Phoenix Program Begin to Combat Viet Cong
The Accelerated Pacification Campaign was launched on November 1st 1968. In the wake of the Tet offensive at the beginning of 1968, the goal of the Accelerated Pacification Campaign was to strengthen the security of at least 1,000 hamlets, and to significantly weaken the Viet Cong presence and influence in South Vietnam over a period [...]
10/30/1970: Monsoon Halts Fighting
Vietnam experiences a monsoon severe enough to practically halt fighting. This was the worst monsoon in six years, resulting in 293 deaths, and 200,000 homeless. (Article for “Vietnam War Timeline” / “Vietnam Timeline” for October 30th 1970)
10/28/1965: Viet Cong Commando Attacks on U.S. Air Bases
During the night between October 27th and 28th 1965, the Viet Cong launched simultaneous attacks on the U.S. air bases at Chu Lai and the Marble Mountains (near Da Nang), using explosive charges to attempt to destroy aircraft. The Chu Lai attack resulted in two fixed wing aircraft being destroyed. The Marble Mountain attack resulted [...]
Steppenwolf – Monster | Draft Resister
Steppenwolf’s 1969 album “Monster” featured two Vietnam War songs: “Monster/Suicide/America” which sang about the injustice of America’s domestic and Vietnam War policies; and “Draft Resister” which portrayed the bravery and just cause of those who went to prison rather than go to war. Neither song has the anthem power of Steppenwolf’s earlier hit “Born to [...]
Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A Changin’
Bob Dylan intentionally conceived and wrote “The Times They Are A Changin’” as an anthem for the era of change he saw occurring. The early 60s had already seen the Cuban missile crisis, and almost a decade of the civil rights movement. Indeed, the recording of the album was completed only days before the assassination [...]
Edwin Starr – “War” and “Stop the War Now”
Edwin Starr‘s July 1970 single, “War“, Amazon.com Widgetsis a remarkably powerful performance of Vietnam War Music, expressing firm, impassioned and uncompromising opposition to the war. The well known chorus “War … What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” repeats with gusto throughout the song, with the word “War” followed with exclamations like “good God, y’all!”, [...]
The Beatles – Revolution
It was very uncommon for The Beatles to make an overt political statement in their songs, and 1968′s “Revolution” was a rare exception. Written by John Lennon, it suggests that he wants to see changes, but is uncomfortable with the violent radicalism many advocates for change are espousing, with lines like: “We all want to [...]
10/26/1955: Diem Declares Republic of Vietnam and Self as President in Rigged Election
On October 26th 1955, South Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem declared the creation of the Republic of Vietnam with himself as president. This declaration came three days after a referendum held on 23rd October to choose the form of South Vietnam’s government. The voters were asked to choose between a republic ruled by Diem [...]
10/25/1966: Manila Summit Results in Ignored Declaration of Peace
As part of his 1966 tour of Asian & Pacific countries, President Johnson met with other leaders from Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and South Vietnam for a two-day summit in Manila. The product of the summit was a 3,000 word document declaring “our unity, our resolve, and our purpose in seeking together the [...]
SSgt. Barry Sadler – The Ballad of The Green Berets
Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler‘s “The Ballad of the Green Berets”, is a definitive piece of Vietnam War music. In contrast to the growing volume of popular protest songs, Ballad of the Green Berets instilled pride in the soldiers, commended their bravery, and commended the bravery of their families. Lines like “Fearless men who jump and [...]
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
“Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” is an anti-war folk song about the pointlessness of war, and the need for more peace and goodwill. The lines “Where have all the flowers gone | Young girls have picked them, every one” are a metaphor, and mean the same thing as lines like “Where have all the [...]
10/23/1965: Operation Silver Bayonet Begins
Following the lifting of the Siege of Plei Me, the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division and a division of the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) commences Operation Silver Bayonet, with the mission to find and destroy the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces that had attacked Plei Me. This would ultimately lead to the Battle of the Ia [...]
Joan Baez – Saigon Bride
Joan Baez sang “Saigon Bride” on her 1967 album “Joan”. Baez was politically active, and lent her voice to the social causes of the time, in particular the civil rights movement and anti-Vietnam War movement (and in the decades since, human rights, gay & lesbian rights, the environment, and against the wars in Iraq, against [...]
Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man
Street Fighting Man, released by the Rolling Stones in August 1968, is a commentary on the civil unrest that was happening around the world. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mick Jagger referred to the May 1968 student riots in Paris, which resulted in the massive general strike of eleven million workers for two weeks, [...]
10/21/1957 – First U.S. Fatality in Vietnam
Green Beret Captain Harry G. Cramer, of the newly formed 1st Special Forces Group, becomes the first US soldier killed in Vietnam, by an explosion during a training mission. Capt. Cramer’s son is the well known folk singer Hank Cramer, who was quite persistent in uncovering the details of his father’s death, and earning him [...]
10/21/1967: 30,000 Protest At Pentagon
After a week of protests across the country (see timeline entries for 10/16 and 10/20), 100,000 people gather for a peaceful demonstration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. After the rally, 30,000 demonstrators made their way to the Pentagon (U.S. Department of Defense headquarters), some waving the Viet Cong flag, for another rally and [...]
The Fugs – “Kill For Peace”
The Fugs are generally described as the “first underground rock group”, with a music style that foreshadows the punk bands of the ’70s and ’80s. Their opposition to the Vietnam War was present in their music, and in actions such as their “exorcism” of the Pentagon at a rally in 1967. Their first album, originally [...]
10/20-23/1966: Thousands Protest President Johnson in Australia
While in Australia on 20th-23rd October 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson was met by thousands of anti-Vietnam war protesters in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In Sydney, Johnson’s cavalcade was blocked by hundreds of protestors lying in the road. In Melbourne, after attempting to dodge the protestors by changing route, the cavalcade was met with chants [...]
10/20/1967: Further Protests in Oakland California
In a continuation of “Stop The Draft Week” (see also timeline entry for 10/16/1967), protestors demonstrate again in Oakland, California. Earlier in the week, police had used night sticks and chemical sprays to disperse protestors. Many protestors were surprised at how violent the police response had been. On the 20th, protestors barricaded roads, briefly preventing buses [...]
The Doors’ “Unknown Soldier”
The Doors’ “Unknown Soldier” is an anti-war song from their July 11th 1968 LP “Waiting For The Sun”. The song was controversial enough for many radio stations to refuse to play it. It was also quite popular, with the single reaching #39 on the charts. The message of the song is delivered very dramatically with [...]
10/19/1965: Siege of Plei Me Begins
On October 19th 1965, North Vietnamese Army (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC), under the leadership of Brigadier General Chu Huy Man, attacked the Special Forces camp at Plei Me in the central highlands of Vietnam. General Man’s mission was to draw the US 1st Cavalry Division into combat, and learn about its weapons and air mobility capabilities. His [...]
Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre”
Arlo Guthrie‘s anti-draft, anti-war song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre“, was released in 1967. It was very popular, as evidenced by the album “Alice’s Restaurant” being certified “gold” (500,000 units sold) in June 1969. At over 18 minutes long, the bulk of the song is a humorously exaggerated account of a series of partially true events that [...]
Jimi Hendrix – Machine Gun
Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” is a lengthy piece of anti Vietnam War music on the “Band Of Gypsys” live album, recorded on New Year’s Day 1970, released on March 25th 1970. No studio recording of the song exists, although there are a variety of recordings of live jams of the song, each of which is [...]
10/17/1966: President Johnson Tours Asia & Pacific
President Lyndon B. Johnson leaves for a 17-day tour of Pacific and South-East Asian countries including New Zealand, Australia , Philippines, South Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Korea. The tour included attendance at a conference in Manila (Philippines), where a “Declaration of Peace” was drafted, together with pledge to withdraw troops within 6 months if North [...]