Category Archives: Vietnam War

Dr. Spock convicted in anti-draft plot 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 14 1968)


Video: 'Dr Benjamin Spock defends Himself 1968

(Friday, June 14, 1968, 7:58 p.m. EDT; during the Opposition to the Vietnam War) — Dr. Benjamin Spock, an American pediatrician famous to two generations for the child-raising guide The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, was convicted tonight by a 12-man federal jury in Boston of conspiring to encourage young men to evade the draft during the Vietnam War, along with three of his four co-defendants. Continue reading Dr. Spock convicted in anti-draft plot 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 14 1968)

High court backs ban on draft card burning 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1968)


Video: 'U.S. v O'Brien'

(Monday, May 27, 1968, part of the Opposition to the Vietnam War) — The U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. O’Brien, upheld today the conviction of David O’Brien for destroying his draft card outside a Boston courthouse on Mar. 31, 1966, ruling that the act was not protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech. Continue reading High court backs ban on draft card burning 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1968)

LBJ defends decision to hold Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Tet! [7/13]' (May 23, 1968, at 41:41)

(Thursday, May 23, 1968, 11:38 a.m. EDT; during the Battle of Khe Sanh, part of the Vietnam War, the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — President Lyndon Johnson said today the marine defense of Khe Sanh greatly strengthen the American initiative toward peace talks “for they vividly demonstrated to the enemy the utter futility of his attempts to win a military victory in the South.” Continue reading LBJ defends decision to hold Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1968)

RFK campaigns in Eugene, Oregon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 18 1968)


Video: 'April RDTV Part One The 1968 Oregon Primary' (May 18, 1968, at 19:36)

(Saturday, May 18, 1968, shortly before 2:00 PDT; during the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 1968) — Senator Robert F.Kennedy, seeking the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, told 6,500 people today at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, that the Vietnam War “will not the settle the fate of Asia and it will not settle the fate of America, much less, the fate of the world.” Continue reading RFK campaigns in Eugene, Oregon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 18 1968)

Catonsville Nine burn draft files to protest Vietnam War 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1968)


Video: 'The Catonsville Nine original 5/17/68 footage'

(Friday, May 17, 1968, part of the Opposition to the Vietnam War) — Nine Catholic anti-war activists entered the Selective Service office today in Catonsville, Maryland, seized several hundred draft files and set fire to them with homemade napalm in the parking lot of the building to protest the Vietnam War before being arrested.

The Catonsville Nine, as they came to be known, included Father Daniel Berrigan, a Jesuit priest, his brother Philip Berrigan, a former Josephite priest, and artist Tom Lewis.


Video: 'The Catonsville Nine: Taking A Fiery Stand Against The Vietnam War Drafts'

American, North Vietnamese delegates meet in Paris 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (May 1968 at 52:39)

(Friday, May 10, 1968, 3:00-4:45 p.m. CET; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — American and North Vietnamese delegates met in formal conference for the first time today in Paris to discuss peace talks, agreeing to open their formal preliminary talks on Monday, May 13, 1968, at the International Conference Center of the French Foreign Ministry, located in the former Hotel Majestic. Continue reading American, North Vietnamese delegates meet in Paris 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1968)

Police forcibly remove student demonstrators at Columbia University 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1968)


Video: '50 Years Later: The Columbia University Student Protests of 1968'

(Tuesday, April 30, 1968, 2:30-5:30 a.m. EDT; during the Columbia University protests of 1968, the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War, and the African-American civil rights movement (1954–1968)) — New York City police officers stormed five occupied buildings at Columbia University early today and broke up a week-long student sit-in which had paralyzed the Ivy league campus. Continue reading Police forcibly remove student demonstrators at Columbia University 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1968)

‘China Beach’ debuts on ABC-TV 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 26 1988)


Video: 'China Beach 1x00a - Pilot Part 1'

(Sunday, April 26, 1988, 9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT)China Beach, an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War, debuted tonight on ABC. Continue reading ‘China Beach’ debuts on ABC-TV 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 26 1988)

Columbia students begin occupation of campus buildings 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 23 1968)


Video: 'Columbia Revolt 1968' (Apr. 23, 1968, at 5:15)

(Tuesday, April 23, 1968, 2:00 p.m. EST; during the Columbia University protests of 1968, the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War, and the African-American civil rights movement (1954–1968)) — Columbia University students began a non-violent occupation of campus buildings today at the the Ivy League institution in New York City that lasted nearly a week, taking over Hamilton Hall and barricading the Dean of Columbia College in his office. Continue reading Columbia students begin occupation of campus buildings 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 23 1968)

U.S. sets ceiling of 549,500 G.I.s in Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 11 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (Apr. 11, 1968, at 52:00)

(Thursday, April 11, 1968, 10:00 a.m. EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Defense Secretary Clark M. Clifford announced today a ceiling of 549,500 on the American troop strength in Vietnam and declared that the Johnson Administration had adopted a policy aimed at the gradual transfer to South Vietnam of the major responsibility for the war effort. Continue reading U.S. sets ceiling of 549,500 G.I.s in Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 11 1968)