In the early sixties, many men who marched in antiwar demonstrations wore suits and ties, women wore skirts and sweaters. This was done so as to not distract average Americans from the protesters' thoughtful message. When these protesters began taking LSD and were joined by thousands of wildly dressed hippies, the movement took on an entirely different tone of "us" versus "them."

The early cries for peace fell on deaf ears in Washington, and the protesters became increasingly angry as their demands went unanswered. In response, media-savvy leaders began to manipulate reporters. Instead of organizing huge demonstrations which were mostly ignored, activists like Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin staged outrageous events— such as dumping hundreds of dollars onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange—that were sure to attract the television cameras. The picture of hundreds of stock traders jumping over...