Richard Stacewicz

On April 15, 1967, the first mobilization against the war— organized across the country on college campuses—brought between 200,000 and 400,000 people out to march in the rain in New York City. About 50,000 marched in San Francisco, and other cities had smaller protests. There were many groups with different agendas who opposed the war in Vietnam. Perhaps those with the most insight into the horrors of the war were the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), a group made up of former soldiers who had seen action in Vietnam. These vets, some in uniform and some in civilian clothing, marched at the front of these huge antiwar demonstrations.

Many of the vets had mixed feelings about the marches. Since so many civilians were dying in Vietnam, some in the peace movement called the veterans "baby killers." Others only wanted the vets...