Vietnam Veterans Throw Medals Back (1971)

Fri Apr 23, 1971

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On this day in 1971, more than 800 veterans collectively tossed their medals, ribbons, discharge papers, and other war mementos on the steps of the U.S. Capitol as part of a multi-day demonstration against the Vietnam War. The protest, titled “Operation Dewey Canyon III” was organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), one of the most influential anti-war organizations in the U.S. at that time.

The event began on April 19th with a march led by Gold Star Mothers (mothers of soldiers killed in war), more than 1,100 veterans marched across the Lincoln Memorial Bridge to the Arlington Cemetery gate. On April 22nd, John Kerry, as VVAW spokesman, testified against the war for two hours in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The event ended on April 23rd, 1971, with more than 800 veterans throwing their combat ribbons, helmets, and uniforms on the Capitol steps, along with toy weapons.

  • pop
    72·
    7 months ago

    This kind of history revisionism really grind my gears. When it’s your side that’s doing the killing, it’s all a bunch of “kid’s trying to get out of a bad situation”, “defending themselves”, "had no choice, “gaining class mobility, wtaf?”. When it’s the other side, they’re all terrorists, orcs, scum, savages, cannon fodder.

    Fuuuuck off and try to take accountability for once for god sakes, no one wants the propaganda pity story everyone has read a hundred times. Brainwashing doesn’t absolve you of war crimes.

    Send your war criminals to the hague and and we’ll talk. Oh wait… your country will invade if that were to happen. So stop trying to shove that guilt-as-a-deflection propaganda to seem like you’ve learned your lesson, you’ve not.