Speech on the Vietnam War - HRW version

At the beginning of his speech (Collections book lines 1–30), Martin Luther King Jr. explains that he is attacking the war in Vietnam because

• it is a foolish political mistake.

• the situation is too ambiguous

• he sees it as an enemy of the poor.

• we should be fighting in Russia.

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

King describes “the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together” (Collections book lines 38–39).

• racial segregation prevented them from even attending school together.

• people were able to watch the war on the evening news on TV.

• many of the young men recruited for the war were from wealthy families.

• most of the ground troops in Vietnam came from poor families.

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CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

In order to examine and try to understand the conflict from the perspective of the Vietnamese people, King provides

• anecdotes based on the history of one particular Vietnamese family.

• quotations from Vietnamese artists, politicians, and writers.

• excerpts from letters written by the National Liberation Front.

• historical facts about the conflict and the role played by the United States.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

King describes the governments that the United States supported in Vietnam as “singularly corrupt, inept, and without popular support” (Collections Book lines 163–164). This is an example of the author's use of

• repetition

• irony of situation

• onomatopoeia

• loaded language

In addition to noting the “brutalizing process that goes on in any war” (Collections Book line 278), King points out that the war is making our troops become cynical because

• prolonged war always causes soldiers to become cynical.

• they know that they are fighting for the right reasons.

• the things we claim to be fighting for are not really involved.

• they do not have enough equipment to carry out their mission.

King offers “five concrete things” that the U.S. government should do to end the conflict. The fifth thing, which receives sustained applause, is to

• grant asylum to North Vietnamese families.

• set the date on which we will remove our troops.

• rebuild the towns, cities, and roads of Vietnam.

• send more troops to Thailand and Laos.

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

According to King (lines 376–382), America is engaged in "a pattern of suppression" in other countries in order to

• promote democracy.

• protect profits and investments.

• help the downtrodden.

• conquer racism and materialism.

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

King declares that we need a revolution of values: “our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional” (lines 465–466). By this, he means that

• we must develop a concern for humankind that moves beyond loyalties to tribe, race, class, and nation.

• people's values have deteriorated to the point that their only concern is for material goods.

• only by engaging in anticommunist activities will be able to protect our materialistic values.

• Western nations must suppress the revolutionary spirit wherever it arises around the world.

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

An extortionist is a person who

• can twist his or her limbs into unusual positions.

• obtains something by force or threat.

• advocates for the freedom of oppressed peoples.

• expels people from their home country.

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CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

What was one of the main reasons Martin Luther King felt strongly against the Vietnam War?

• because King's name appeared as part of the military draft

• to show that U. S. Congress was spending more on military and less on anti-poverty programs

• to prove American tactics were the same as Nazis during World War II.

• He feels America does not have enough military power.

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CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1