The Strength Not to Fight: An Oral History of Conscientious Objectors of the Vietnam War
Books / Hardcover
Books › History › Military › Vietnam War
ISBN: 0316851124 / Publisher: Little Brown & Co, July 1993
Interviews with forty conscientious objectors cover such issues as faith and the struggle to prove sincere opposition to the war
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Even as American troops fought in an unpopular war in Vietnam, a divisive battle raged at home. The antiwar movement drove a national debate that forced an entire generation to answer the question "Where do I stand?" Hundreds of thousands of men decided that they had no choice but to refuse to fight. Ruled by their consciences, these ordinary people faced extraordinary struggles to make a principled stand against the warThe Strength Not to Fight captures the experience of conscientious objection in a moving and enthralling narrative. In their own words, conscientious objectors tell the stories behind the classification: the depth of their convictions, their efforts to prove sincere opposition in the face of persecution and criminal prosecution, the alternatives most were forced to consider, such as exile to Canada and noncombatant military service, and their feelings today about their actions during the Vietnam WarThis oral history has the compelling drama of the best fiction, brought to life by real moral dilemmas with profound consequences. The Strength Not to Fight is a significant step in understanding this complicated chapter in America's recent past and a lasting testimony to personal freedoms.
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