The Political Effects of the Vietnam War on 1960’s Pop Culture

Tie Die, JFK, The Beatles, Drugs, Peace, Love, Dr. Martin Luther King, Woodstock, Go-Go Boots, Civil Rights, and Vietnam. When we study any of these words we moot of the 1960s. The 1960s were a landmark in history remembered for riging set come to the fore nicety. What lead to much(prenominal) a dramatic change? In the 1950s the style was scarves, poodle skirts, and letter sweaters. The carbonated waterular medicine was ab egress teenage boyfri prohibits and girlfriends. Then in that location was the 1960s. Could we work foreseen that the great unwashed would wear mini skirts? Could we have foreseen that women would burn their bras in differ? Could we have foreseen that music would take a huge turn toward lyrics of mollification, drugs, and chiefly rock and roll? Probably not. What could have happened that would change American set forth finish so much?There were many a(prenominal) g everywherenment issues that took place in the 1960s that had an affect on American citizens. The death of John F. Kennedy surprised and distressed many Americans. However, the Vietnam War had the most profound effect on American quinine water goal. The Vietnam War changed music, personal manner, and everyplace completely attitudes. Because of the Vietnam War and the undert wholenesss of the civil rights endeavour, 1960s refine culture significantly impacted our race in a way that exit be remembered for many years to come.2SzymanskiThe Vietnam War still effects many people. Today, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is commonly associated with vet whilens of the Vietnam War. (Berk 346) During the 1960s in that location was an Anti-War movement that evolved from the immunity of Speech purport. This movement began on college campuses and spread cross-country. (Radical Times) The Antiwar semipolitical campaign took place because people didnt understand why American soldiers were in Vietnam. People wanted the soldiers brought home. The granting immunity of S peech feces easily converted to the Antiwar Movement because of the similarity. People matte that this was not right and the issue was of such great importance that it take to be addressed. I feel that the Antiwar Movement was successful and important because it did act as a plow of change to the acres. This change was both political and pascal cultural. The Freedom of Speech Movement had limited success. In fact, the Antiwar Movement as well as the sound offs had a large effect on the termination of the Vietnam war. (Radical Times)In conjunction with the Antiwar Movement was the Civil Rights Movement. This even upt is commonly associated with Dr. Martin Luther King. However, the movement initially began with Rosa Parks and her ability to stand up for what she wanted, a seat toward the front of the bus. (Radical Times) At the time of the Black Civil Rights Movement a group called the Black Panthers evolved. This group arose as a competitory group of young black men led by H. whack Brown who risked his life to register blacks to vote in 1966. (USA Today) The difference amidst these civil rights groups is that Martin Luther advocated power by means of non-violence, whereas the Black Panthers promoted violence as a means to gain political footholds. (USA Today) For the African3SzymanskiAmerican race on that point was a lot of momentum gained in the 1960s and there was a lot of priming make politically.The impact of these movements was phenomenal. The Antiwar Movement changed the dress, the music, and the style of nearly all college campuses in the United States. When a person would walk past a college dormitory there would be love-in-idleness signs hung in windows. (Radical Times) The statement made was seen across America. A wonderful example of the effects of the Antiwar Movement on society is shown in Forrest Gump. There is a scene in which the sense of hearing sees an anti protest. The people there epitomize the effect that this had on pop cu lture. The clothes they wore and the music they listened to exemplifies the profound influence this had on the nation.The Civil Rights Movement is star that also made a lot of headway during the 1960s. The assassination of Martin Luther King had a profound effect on the American Society. This event impacted all races. Martin Luther King stood for the feeling of that time. His emphasis on peace was hotshot that effected the entire nation. (Carroll 173) Martin Luther King Jr. is a symbolisation of harmony, human understanding, tolerance, unity, justice and brotherhood-for every coevals. (Albright)Now that we have explored some of the political events that took place in the 1960s, we will explore some major changes in pop culture and how those relate to the political events in depth.The Antiwar Movement had a significant influence on the pop culture of the 1960s. This effect was shown through and through and through both music and fashion. The term flower children emerged from the anti war protesters. (Radical Times) They stood for peace love and harmony. They were the first to make tie die and hip huggers super4Szymanskipopular. They also had a large influence on the natural pure tone. Women with appear bras or makeup and men with long hair and grown come out of the closet facial hair. Prior to the antiwar movement, appearance was valued when one was neat and cleanly. (Walley)The pop culture of the 1960s was changed through the antiwar movement and one of the facets of pop culture changed was music. The succeeding(a) lyrics are from a popular song about the antiwar movement. Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now. (Forrest Gump) Popular artists such as the Beatles, Cat Stevens, and even the Righteous Brothers wrote music that inspired antiwar protesters and became associated with them. Further in this paper there will be information on Woodstock, a musical and historical event associated wit h the Anti War movement. The Antiwar Movement was not the only political event to have an effect on pop culture. Although the impact from the Antiwar Movement is seen the most the civil rights movement did have an important role in the evolution of the 1960s pop culture.The Black Civil Rights Movement did have an effect on American Society. The effect of this was not seen as much on pop culture, but it was there. The true effect is shown in the dramatic enlarge of popularity in rhythm and blues. Prior to rhythm and blues, jazz music was associated as black music. It wasnt played very much on the radio. However, in the 1960s more(prenominal)(prenominal) black artists emerged. The Black Civil Rights Movement heavily effected music. Toward the end of the 1960s African American5Szymanskistyles emerged as popular. Afros were a common and popular hairstyle. (NetFirst) The music styles of Jimmy Hendrix as well as many other African American artists became known as legendary. (SixtiesMus ic.com) Albeit, the civil rights movement and the political ground it gained, target African American styles of fashion and of music in the American pop culture arena.As touched on before, the effect of political relation (namely the Vietnam War ) had a significant influence on the fashion of that time. A feeling of the need for freedomof expression and speech swept over the nation. Because of this feeling, people verbalised themselves not only through words of protest and actions of protest, but through their clothing. This was the countries way of expressing themselves without saying a word, but through what they wore. As shown in an analytic pop culture web site, invent is never just about clothes, but attitude and expression as well. Up until about 1967, fashion had reflected a period of discover for juvenility fun-loving, outrageous and colorful.(Sixtiespopdiary. -fashion)So, what were these fashions that were about attitude and expression? Miniskirts (and even later small skirts), caused moral outrage and were one of the first dramatic styles to come out in the 1960s. Later, a sloppy look became popular with T-shirts and sandals. Skintight gasp also became popular, even so as a unisex article. (Sixtiespopdiary-fashion) The arena was changing as fast as the fashions. In a private opinion, looking back on this time of a political whirlwind, fashion was just as confusing as the world was.In this take having to with political science and society, Woodstock is able to show the political influence on pop culture in one single event. In a mere(prenominal) 3 days,6Szymanskithousands of people and influential artists were able to almost spontaneously put on one of the most historically significant pop culture events ever. The hippie look was ascendant. Rock and roll and music of expression were the dominant sounds. A feeling of freedom was dominant. In one event, the world expressed the feeling of an era. (Interview) Today, the world of pop culture ha ils this event by stressful to repeat it. Much to the dismay of many, the event cannot be repeated. The later generation looks at the event and realizes that this event was one of expression without even knowing the political events of that time.The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in August of 1969 reside a legend even today. The spontaneous event captured a generations honest feelings. Ironically, there were nearly as many Americans at Woodstock as there were in Vietnam. (Interview) Woodstock took place for 3 short days and there was a lot of rain. People didnt care about the rain, food, or bathrooms. No one wanted to let the essence or the aura go. Halfway through an era of bad news, in the middle of a horrible war, except a year after the wrenching, terrifying assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy, an entire, desperately wished -for era of good feeling was compressed into a single place and time. That crush produced a corresponding intensity of wonder and delight. (Interview) The reason for Woodstock is well understood. However, it amazes me that such a spontaneous event could have such an unbelievable turnout.7SzymanskiJimi Hendrix was one of the most influential musicians associated with Woodstock. It was there that he played his rendition of the track Spangled Banner. Jimis rendition was considered a brutal insult in its time. It was express that it sounded like a blastedseizure of the depicted object anthem. (Interview) However, today Hendrixs national anthem is popular. When Hendrix performed this there were approximately 30,000 people left at Woodstock. His exertion was spontaneous. It was described as his great No to the war, to racism, to whatever you or he might think of and want gone. But then that discord shattered, and for more than four and half long, complex minutes Hendrix pursued each out of sight crack in a vessel that had one been whole, feeling out and exploring and testing himself and the music against an guish, rage, fear, hate, love offered, and love refused. When he finished he had created an anthem that could never be summed up and that would never come to rest. (Interview)In unofficial, because of the Vietnam War and the undertones of the civil rights movement, 1960s pop culture significantly impacted our nation in a way that will be remembered for many years to come. Throughout the nineties, the hippie look became a popular style as a way of expressing ourselves. Popular artists have redone music from the sixties. For example, Natalie Merchant has late redone the popular sixties hit Peace Train. The movie Forrest Gump, which is a summary of both the political and pop culture America in the sixties, won best picture in 1994. Even today, the sixties are a political and pop cultural landmark for the nation.Does this say that the sixties were a period of more turmoil and more change than other decades? Does this say that the fashion change more dramatically and rapidly than8Szyma nskiother decades? Personally, I feel this decade did. From an outlook of a person who did not brisk during that time or during the time of many other decades, that decade stands out far above many others. Many political and pop culture figures are remembered and recognized by all ages today. In this era, the politics and pop culture overlap. To think that politics affected Americans so much that politics changed peoples perspectives is remarkable, even profound. The death of Kennedy and Martin Luther King had a devastating influence over an entire nation. Yet, everyone soon focused on that feeling of freedom and love. This pealing coaster of emotions had a roller coaster of an affect. Has any other decade changed a nation so much and so fast?