Lessons from the 1960s

Lessons from the 1960s

The 1960s was a decade of violence, confusion, and rebellion. African Americans fought both violently and peacefully for their rights and pre-adults were being drafted into a war that was considered pointless by the public. Although the decade was filled with problems, these problems help citizens today by remembering the consequences of certain events such as the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and presidential elections.

            The Civil Rights movement was period anger and hate between blacks and whites on whether blacks deserved rights. This period was filled with the brutality of segregation and racism from whites to blacks. Whites would fight blacks if they went to a white only area and blacks began to fight back violently until an increasing hate from both sides became unbreakable. The greatest lesson Americans have learned from this is that using violence to stop violence only leads to more violence. Martin Luther King Jr. proved this by being the greatest addition in ending segregation without using any form of violence.

            The Vietnam War was a pointless war in which America invaded Vietnam, a growing communist country, intending to stop communism from expanding. Instead, the war became greater every day becoming a war of attrition. A draft was enacted and students just leaving high school were forced into the war. More people were dying and the U.S. was losing the war. Citizens began to fight back with protests and peace revolutions. In realizing the war was a failure, America pulled back its troops and North Vietnam took over South Vietnam. The war was broadcasted and Americans could see the reality of war. Many that were sent were either killed, wounded, or a prisoner of war. Lessons to be learned from this war are taught in the present to try to avoid every having another war.

            Americans also learned what to look into when voting for a president. Nixon demonstrated that the government and president cannot be trusted. Distrust for the government grew and citizens revolted. Nixon promised that he would pull troops out of Vietnam, but papers were leaked showing that he was secretly bombing Vietnam. Americans now know that everything a president and/or the government say is happening may not always happen.

            The 1960s showed Americans the realities of the world. It showed them the horrors of war, the dreadfulness of violence, and the secrets of the government. Lessons that were learned from the era are taught today, to make sure that Americans do not repeat the past.