Question

What were the roots of the antiwar movement, and what student organizations grew from them?

Answer 1

The roots were found in pacifist beliefs and sometimes even in religious beliefs. People believed that the government was being corrupt and lied about the war motivation. As intellectuals opposed the war, they were soon joined by students who created groups like Students for a Democratic Society, who were instrumental in the antiwar campaign.

Answer 2

The antiwar movement grew from earlier groups such as Quaker and Unitarian peace activists, SANE, the Old Left, and socialists. Students also learned from their experience in the civil rights movement. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Michigan and the Free Speech Movement at the University of California at Berkeley were the two main student groups at the start.