President Johnson (Political Cartoons)

The anti-Vietnam War movement was important for the youth of United States because students gathered and projected their collective voice. College students used posters in order to protest along with marches and demonstrations. The Student Mobilization Committee was a national organization which encouraged the formation of campus committees to end the war, such as thee poster Bring the Troops Home Now. The phrase was a common slogan for antiwar organizations and rallies; the phrase was also the name of a newspaper that was dedicated to reduce the amount of troops sent to Vietnam. The designer of the poster is Nancy Coner. Johnson saw the Vietnam War as a struggle in order to end the expansion of communism as part of the containment policy. The public slowly grew in opposition to the war that dragged on especially after televised events of the Tet Offensive. Americans were divided into "hawks" and "doves" in which the doves led anti-war demonstrations. 

The political cartoon is trying to convey the truth of Vietnam. The significance of the cartoon was before the media became involved the citizens were lied about the motives to fight in Vietnam.

Once the media became involved it exposed the cruelties and true horrors of what was happening there.  This also was the beginning of people’s distrust in the government.  The bucket in the left side of the picture explains how the government dealt with the Vietnamese.  They would go into their territory and kill off as much of their culture and families as they could. The police officer is painting over what they wanted to cover up during the war.  In the end, there was no victory in the war. Many were killed and that was the truth that many Americans did not see.

In this particular cartoon from The Washington Post, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is reinterpreted in such a way that the administration is plagued with problems. Furthermore, this critique of Lyndon Johnson’s handling of the Vietnam War was satirized as being Caesar-like.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

President Johnson (Seminar)

President Johnson presidency was from 1963-1969 and he took charge after JFK was assassinated. President Johnson led the United States effectively through the Cold War because he nurtured the people after JFK's assassination.  Johnson was very dedicated to his job as presidents till the point he memorized names and faces. But the Great Society, a social plan, for Americans represented how much he cared to bring up his people and out of poverty. He titled a program War on Poverty designed to help the many American go to college and find job. The Civil Rights Movement was also important and he believed equal rights was necessary for every American. The Civil Rights Bill and the Voting Rights of 1965 ensured and reinforced the rights of African American and any minority in the future. 

Working with his predecessors work Johnson already had a foreign policy that he was obliged to work with. An example is the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution where it asked Congress for money to support a war against communism of North Vietnam. Johnson did not have other choices than to proceed with the proposition because of the Domino Theory and Truman and Eisenhower doctrine dictated. Although America lost the Vietnam War, Johnson led the country by always being updated and trying to end the war. Left with horrifying images from the Tet offensive Americans and Johnson truly saw what war was. 

Truman did not to a good job leading America through the Cold War. He set up expectations against communism that would cost a lot of money and that money could be used to help American in other aspects. President Eisenhower used a lot of money to create weapons and with realization the Eisenhower doctrine was a fail because excessive fund must be placed to fight against communism.