Vietnam Veterans Against the War: A Brief Introduction Founded in New York City in 1967 by Vietnam veteran, poet and activist Jan Barry Crumb (variously known as Jan Barry), VVAW was slow to grow at first.

What was the purpose of the VVAW?

The Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) started in 1967 with six Vietnam veterans marching for peace in New York City. The purpose of the organization was to give voice to the returning servicemen who opposed the on-going war in Southeast Asia.

Does Vietnam Veterans Against the War still exist?

VVAW still exists today. The VVAW of the 1990s is quite different from the VVAW of the 1960s, but still maintains an active presence as a veterans’ peace organization. As the number of American soldiers in Vietnam decreased in the early 1970s, membership in the VVAW (along with antiwar activism in general) waned.

Why would a veteran of Vietnam not support the Vietnam War?

Veterans’ views of the antiwar movement



Many Vietnam veterans blamed the antiwar movement for the chilly reception they got upon returning to the United States. They believed that it was not fair for antiwar protesters to question their actions during the war. After all, most protesters had not been to Vietnam.

How many members did Vietnam Veterans Against the War have?

30,000

The organization has claimed a peak membership of over 30,000. Counting non-veteran supporters, VVAW had “roughly 50,000” members. By 1972, negotiations at the Paris peace talks were in full swing, signaling the beginning of the end of the war, meaning the end of VVAW’s primary mission.

Why did Vietnam vets throw their ribbons?

The veterans were there to protest the brutal and unwinnable war that the United States was perpetrating in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia — the war in which those veterans earned those medals and ribbons in the first place.
 

Who founded the VVAW?

Founded in New York City in 1967 by Vietnam veteran, poet and activist Jan Barry Crumb (variously known as Jan Barry), VVAW was slow to grow at first. By 1970, however, it had emerged as one of the most prominent, effective and respected anti-Vietnam War organizations the United States.

How many US Vietnam veterans are still alive in 2022?

Approximately 7,500 women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. More than 300,000 Veterans were wounded during the Vietnam War. VA’s Veteran Population Projection Model estimates that there are approximately 6.1 million living Vietnam War-era Veterans, as of 2021.
 

How old would a Vietnam veteran be today?

61 to 103 years old

Today, Vietnam Veterans range in age from 61 to 103 years old. Nearly ten million Veterans are age 65 or older, but within the next five years, around 700,000 more Vietnam Veterans will reach retirement age.

How can you tell if someone is a Vietnam veteran?

In most cases it will be listed on he DD214 in Box 26, “Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized.” It can also be found in the OMPF (Official Military Personnel File) – aka Service Jacket – on the page “History of Assignments” or something similar.
 

How much money do Vietnam veterans get?

For veterans who received VA’s disability payments in addition to their other income, the average annual payment was $18,100. Those disability payments made their income higher than other veterans’ income, on average.
 

What is the divorce rate for Vietnam vets?

Related to impaired relationship functioning, a high rate of separation and divorce exists in the veteran population (those with PTSD and those without PTSD). Approximately 38% of Vietnam veteran marriages failed within six months of the veteran’s return from Southeast Asia.
 

Should you say welcome home to Vietnam vets?

It is a recognition of what the Vietnam veterans endured during the war and coming home. “When you see a vet, walk up to him and say, ‘thank you for your service and welcome home,'” said Roberts.
 

What was the goal of the Vietnam Memorial and why would the VVMF have added fourth design criteria?

The chief design criteria were that the memorial be 1) reflective and contemplative in character; 2) be harmonious with its site and environment, 3) make no political statement about the war itself, and 4) contain the names of all who died or remained missing.

Why did Martin Luther King take a stance against the Vietnam War?

King came to view U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia as little more than imperialism. Additionally, he believed that the Vietnam War diverted money and attention from domestic programs created to aid the Black poor.

Why didn’t American citizens support the Vietnam War?

Many Americans opposed the war on moral grounds, appalled by the devastation and violence of the war. Others claimed the conflict was a war against Vietnamese independence, or an intervention in a foreign civil war; others opposed it because they felt it lacked clear objectives and appeared to be unwinnable.

What did MLK call the Vietnam War?

Later that year King framed the issue of war in Vietnam as a moral issue: “As a minister of the gospel,” he said, “I consider war an evil. I must cry out when I see war escalated at any point” (“Opposes Vietnam War”).