Changing Public Opinion and War's End
The My Lai Massacre in March 1968 shocked America when it was revealed that US soldiers had killed up to 1,000 innocent civilians, including women and children. Only Lieutenant William Calley was imprisoned (1971-1974), but the damage to America's moral authority was done.
Television coverage brought the war into American living rooms, showing the brutal reality of combat and civilian casualties. The draft system forced men aged 18-26 to register, leading to draft dodgers fleeing to other countries and massive protests.
Public opinion shifted dramatically as the war's human and financial costs mounted. Martin Luther King spoke against the war in 1967, arguing America should focus on civil rights instead. By 1969, 500,000 people protested in Washington, forcing Johnson's replacement by Nixon in 1968.
Key Point: Vietnam became America's first "television war," proving that public support can't survive when people see the true cost of conflict in their homes.