Off the Map | Historical Context

Off the Map Historical Context

Social Effects of the Vietnam War

Off the Map takes place in the present and, mainly, the early 1970s. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the United States of America was fighting the Vietnam War. In the wake of John F. Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to take offensive action against the North Vietnamese. This launched what would prove to be a gruesome, tiresome and poorly organized war against the North Vietnamese. In the years that followed, Johnson increased the number of young Americans sent to battle in Vietnam. As the number of troops drafted increased, so did the number of protesters back in the States. "United hippies" emerged in full force. Hippies were seen as outsiders, advocating a counterculture and rejecting the mores of established society. Long hair, bright clothing, and recreational drug use are often associated with hippies. Because of their participation in anti-war activities, hippies were propelled to the forefront...
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