Vietnam Day Committee
Encyclopedia
The Vietnam Day Committee (VDC) was a coalition of left-wing political groups, student groups, labour organizations, and pacifist religions in the United States of America
that opposed the Vietnam War
. It was formed in Berkeley, California
in the spring of 1965 by activist Jerry Rubin
, and was active through the majority of the Vietnam war, organizing several rallies and marches in California
as well as coordinating and sponsoring nationwide protests.
The VDC was formed by Jerry Rubin
, Paul Montauk
, and a number of others including Abbie Hoffman
and Stew Albert
, between May 21 and May 22, 1965 during a 35 hour long anti-Vietnam war protest that took place inside and around the University of California, Berkeley
, and attracted over 35,000 people. The VDC laid out three main objectives: to achieve national and international solidarity and coordination on action, to take part in militant action, including civil disobedience and to work extensively in the community to develop the movement outside of the university campus. Attending the event were several notable anti-war activists, including Dr. Benjamin Spock, however the State Department declined to send a representative, despite the burning of an effigy of president Lyndon Johnson.
On May 5, 1965 the VDC were involved in a march of several hundred students from Berkeley on to the Berkeley Draft Board, where staff were given a black coffin as a gift, and a number of students set alight their draft cards.
Later that year, the VDC planned a nation-wide protest known as the International Days of Protest Against American Military Intervention, which was scheduled to take place between October 15 and October 16. In arranging and coordinating the protest movement, the VDC headquarters in Berkeley communicated with numerous anti-war groups in New York
, Boston
, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago
, Madison
, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Los Angeles
, Portland
and Atlanta. The planned movement attracted attention from some newspapers like the National Guardian:
Similar groups began to form outside of California, notably in Mexico City
and Tokyo
. In California, what was now known as the International Days of Protest was to culminate with a peace march towards the Oakland Army Terminal, where men and materials were sent to Vietnam
. On October 15, 1965 the protests took place across the country, with the VDC itself organising a sit in at the San Francisco State College, which saw a performance by Country Joe and the Fish
.
The VDC organised another peace march which took place on November 21, 1965, and saw over 10,000 people marching through Oakland. The march was the first of its kind in California, and was one of many orchestrated by the VDC from 1965 through until 1972, illustrated partly by the number of pro-war protesters who lined the route holding signs that stated "Stamp out VDC".
By this time, the activities of the VDC had attracted the interest of the California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities
. On March 25, 1966 the VDC were involved in and sponsored another 'Teach-In' at UCLA. This clashed with a second rally which supported America's involvement in Vietnam. The anti-war meeting had a number of guest speakers including Simon Casady, a former president of the California Democratic Council
, Dorothy Healy, the Southern California chairman of Communist Party USA
, and the British
philosopher Bertrand Russell
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that opposed the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. It was formed in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
in the spring of 1965 by activist Jerry Rubin
Jerry Rubin
Jerry Rubin was an American social activist during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s, he became a successful businessman.-Early life:...
, and was active through the majority of the Vietnam war, organizing several rallies and marches in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
as well as coordinating and sponsoring nationwide protests.
Activities
Jerry Rubin
Jerry Rubin was an American social activist during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s, he became a successful businessman.-Early life:...
, Paul Montauk
Paul Montauk
Paul Montauk was an American communist and lifelong member of the Socialist Workers Party.Paul Montauk was born in Staten Island, New York, in 1922. His father was a jeweler and watch repairman, whose small business collapsed under the impact of the Great Depression of the 1930s...
, and a number of others including Abbie Hoffman
Abbie Hoffman
Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ....
and Stew Albert
Stew Albert
Stewart Edward "Stew" Albert was an early member of the Yippies, an anti-Vietnam War political activist, and an important figure in the New Left movement of the 1960s....
, between May 21 and May 22, 1965 during a 35 hour long anti-Vietnam war protest that took place inside and around the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, and attracted over 35,000 people. The VDC laid out three main objectives: to achieve national and international solidarity and coordination on action, to take part in militant action, including civil disobedience and to work extensively in the community to develop the movement outside of the university campus. Attending the event were several notable anti-war activists, including Dr. Benjamin Spock, however the State Department declined to send a representative, despite the burning of an effigy of president Lyndon Johnson.
On May 5, 1965 the VDC were involved in a march of several hundred students from Berkeley on to the Berkeley Draft Board, where staff were given a black coffin as a gift, and a number of students set alight their draft cards.
Later that year, the VDC planned a nation-wide protest known as the International Days of Protest Against American Military Intervention, which was scheduled to take place between October 15 and October 16. In arranging and coordinating the protest movement, the VDC headquarters in Berkeley communicated with numerous anti-war groups in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Atlanta. The planned movement attracted attention from some newspapers like the National Guardian:
Similar groups began to form outside of California, notably in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. In California, what was now known as the International Days of Protest was to culminate with a peace march towards the Oakland Army Terminal, where men and materials were sent to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. On October 15, 1965 the protests took place across the country, with the VDC itself organising a sit in at the San Francisco State College, which saw a performance by Country Joe and the Fish
Country Joe and the Fish
Country Joe and the Fish was a rock band most widely known for musical protests against the Vietnam War, from 1966 to 1971, and also regarded as a seminal influence to psychedelic rock.-History:...
.
The VDC organised another peace march which took place on November 21, 1965, and saw over 10,000 people marching through Oakland. The march was the first of its kind in California, and was one of many orchestrated by the VDC from 1965 through until 1972, illustrated partly by the number of pro-war protesters who lined the route holding signs that stated "Stamp out VDC".
By this time, the activities of the VDC had attracted the interest of the California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities
California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities
California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities was established by the California State Senate under authority of paragraph 12.5 of the Standing Rules Committee of the State Senate. The committee was a subcommittee of the general Research Committee of the California State...
. On March 25, 1966 the VDC were involved in and sponsored another 'Teach-In' at UCLA. This clashed with a second rally which supported America's involvement in Vietnam. The anti-war meeting had a number of guest speakers including Simon Casady, a former president of the California Democratic Council
California Democratic Council
The California Democratic Council , an unofficial umbrella organization of volunteer Democratic Clubs, was founded at conferences at Asilomar and Fresno conferences in 1952-53 by future U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, State Senator George Miller, Jr...
, Dorothy Healy, the Southern California chairman of Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
, and the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
philosopher Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
.