These Vietnam War and Civil rights Struggle extracts are all taken from Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
This is only a small sample of the items about the Vietnam War and Civil Rights struggle – Vietnam War & Civil Rights Extracts
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled‘s unique three-part structure tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots to mid-1970s punk. Not just the story of the music but also the social factors which influenced it, such as the Vietnam War, Civil Rights struggle and America’s war against communism. Vietnam War & Civil Rights Extracts
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Vietnam War – 7 May 1954: Dien Bien Phu
Vietnam became a French Colony in the late 19th century. In 1940 France lost control to Japan, after surrendering to Germany in the Second World War. In 1941 the communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh organised the Viet Minh as a nationalist force to fight the Japanese for Vietnam’s independence. After Japan and Germany were defeated in 1945, France tried to re-establish its colonial control of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh simply saw the French as the new army of occupation and continued his struggle. Thus began nearly a decade of conflict between French troops and the revolutionary forces of the Viet Minh.
Vietnam War & Civil Rights extracts
This struggle culminated in the final battle at Dien Bien Phu. The Vietnamese attack on the French position started on 13 March. Fierce fighting continued, until the French were forced to surrender on 7 May.
Shortly after Ho Chi Minh’s victory, the Geneva Agreement divided Vietnam at the 17th Parallel, creating North and South Vietnam as two separate entities.
At the time of Dien Bien Phu, America was bankrolling France’s attempt to subdue the forces of Ho Chi Minh. When France withdrew from Vietnam, America stepped up its involvement by sending in military advisers and funding South Vietnam’s war against the North. America’s motivation was its fear of the “domino effect”. This was the belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, then the rest of South East Asia would surely follow suit.
Civil Rights – 28 August 1963: Martin Lither King’s Speech, I Have a Dream
Martin Luther King Jr delivered the most famous of his speeches, I Have a Dream. The March on Washington demonstration also included performances from: Peter Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Odetta and Blind Boy Grunt, better known as Bob Dylan.
Martin Luther King Jr’s speech I Have a Dream
To be continued…
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