Why were people objecting to the Vietnam war?

Answer 1

Previously, whenever the US became involved in a war, it was because the opposing country had done something to us. Impressment in the War of 1812, Pearl Harbor in WW2 etc. In Vietnam, the US helped the democratic Southern Vietnam prevail over the socialist Northern Vietnam. This was a response to our new doctrine of Containment (contain communism instead of actually trying to defeat it). Nothing had provoked the US to become involved, but we did anyway. So that made people upset. Secondly, the US was spending lots of resources (like people) to a war that shouldn't be fought. There was a draft, so it's not like men had a choice to go or not. And thirdly, the US government performed secret bombings from neutral countries like Cambodia. The American Public knew nothing of this until the release of the Pentagon Papers. This led to the distrust of the government that we know today.

Answer 2

Many US citizens felt our country had no business in that war, and that our soldiers were being killed for reasons that (they felt) didn't concern us.

Answer 3

People objected to the Vietnam War as it was the first televised war and civilians at home could see the true horrors of war