People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)


Vol. XXIX

No. 35

August 28, 2005

40 YEARS AGO

 

American People Against Johnson’s War

 

THE American people’s action against President Johnson’s war in Vietnam has been gathering momentum. Here below we give a chronicle --- by no means complete --- of such actions that took place in June and till the middle of July. They have been collected from the New York Times Index dated August 15.

 

June 1--- Anti US policy demonstrators picket Columbia University commencement.

 

June 3--- Poet R Lowell rejects invitation to White House Art festival as protest.

 

D R Inglis warns the US against trying to police the world alone.

 

June 4 --- Twenty writers back Lowell.

 

June 6 --- Four representatives of the “Anti-US Policy Student Peace Union” distribute pamphlets outside the US Pavillion in the World Fair.

 

June 9 --- Nearly 17,000 people attend anti-policy rally at Madison Square Garden, sponsored by the “Sane Nuclear Policy Committee.” About 2,000 march to the UN.

 

June 11 --- J P Warburg in open letter criticises Johnson and charges him with violating US Charter.

 

June 14 --- New York Times’ survey finds sharp opposition in academic circles, Washington and abroad.

 

June 17---Professor Christian decides to turn in his army discharge as protest.

 

June 24 --- “Women Strike for Peace” members picket White House demanding end of war, mothers of US casualties in Vietnam participate.

 

June 25--- US Lt. Steink faces cout-martial for refusing to join jungle unit because of opposition to US policy.

 

June 26 --- Steink convicted. Women’s’ demonstration

 

June 27 --- People stage sympathy demonstration in Milwaukee.

 

July 2 --- Hundred writers and artistes picket the US mission to the UN, urge Ambassador Stevenson to resign because of his complicity.

 

July 6 --- Assembly Committee probing Professor Genovese’s voicing of hope for Vietcong victory (Rutger University, April 23) found him not violating national rule.

 

July 11 --- “Women Strike for Peace” delegation leaves for Jakarta to confer with Vietnamese women on ways of ending war.

 

--- People’s Democracy, August 29, 1965