Analysis of Eugene McCarthy's Anti-Vietnam War Campaign Speech that would "Crystallize Dissent"

There was no doubt that in the late 1960's and early 1970's the US' involvement in Vietnam had spurred more than just a small protest; a significant amount of the population had turned against it. This was not just limited to civilians though, as a few politicians also spoke out. One of these people was Senator Eugene McCarthy. Using memories of Adlai Stevenson and JFK, McCarthy effectively sent his message through at a Conference of …

…cannot be accepted as an honest judgment as to why we are in Vietnam. It has become increasingly difficult to justify the methods we are using..." The casualties and losses of the war make proclaiming victory almost hollow. Eugene states that the US administration is "a message of fear, yes--even a message of fear of fear. This is not the real spirit of America." Eugene wants to revive the once strong and free American spirit.