America's Music - The Vietnam War

          The 1960�s and 70�s were a time of national turmoil in the United States. The USA was in the middle of a 20-year war that many people did not agree with. There were generational divides: the older generation who remembered World War II were highly patriotic and carried a belief that the government was doing the right thing and what was necessary to secure liberty for the Vietnamese people. The younger generation of college-age people had not lived through WWII and had very different ideas about freedom that included a mistrust of authority, especially the government. This generational divide led to clashes between college students and police that turned violent. Many young men did not want to be forced to join the armed services and go to war. These difficult times created an atmosphere where powerful music was created to express differing perspectives on the war.