SSStttooonnnyyy BBBrrrooooookkk UUUnnniiivvveeerrrsssiiitttyyy The official electronic file of this thesis or dissertation is maintained by the University Libraries on behalf of The Graduate School at Stony Brook University. ©©© AAAllllll RRRiiiggghhhtttsss RRReeessseeerrrvvveeeddd bbbyyy AAAuuuttthhhooorrr... The Other Side of Vietnam: The Conservative Movement and the Vietnam War A Dissertation Presented by Seth Offenbach to The Graduate School in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Stony Brook University December 2010 Copyright by Seth Offenbach 2010 Stony Brook University The Graduate School Seth Offenbach We, the dissertation committee for the above candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, hereby recommend acceptance of this dissertation. Professor Michael Barnhart – Dissertation Advisor History Department Stony Brook University Professor Herman Lebovics – Chairperson of Defense History Department Stony Brook University Professor Themis Chronopoulos History Department Stony Brook University Professor Alan Brinkley History Department Columbia University This dissertation is accepted by the Graduate School Lawrence Martin Dean of the Graduate School ii Abstract of the Dissertation The Other Side of Vietnam: The Conservative Movement and the Vietnam War by Seth Offenbach Doctor of Philosophy in History Stony Brook University 2010 The conservative movement was one of the few political movements which supported the Vietnam War. This dissertation looks at the reasons why most conservatives supported the Vietnam War and how that affected the Right‘s political philosophy. The Right‘s anti-communist and anti-liberal identity explains much of the reasons why it supported the war, but supporting the unpopular war greatly affected the movement‘s makeup and ideology. Complicating movement cohesion was the presence of a conservative anti-war protest movement. This dissertation‘s central argument is that the politics of supporting the war helped unravel the movement‘s various intellectual factions, largely resulting in the separation of conservatives who supported the war from those who did not. The Right‘s internal debates about the Vietnam War help explain why the American conservative movement underwent a significant ideological transformation in the wake of Barry Goldwater‘s defeat in the 1964 presidential election. The late 1960s and early 1970s witnessed the rise of the Religious Right and the declining influence of libertarians. By explaining how libertarians dissented against the Vietnam War, and examining the hateful rhetoric by mainstream conservatives toward libertarians, I argue that this helped weaken the connection between libertarians (who supported individual freedom) and the Right. Simultaneously, Christian anti-communists, who were often Christian Evangelicals, strongly endorsed the war. This helped strengthen ties between the Religious Right and conservatism, which developed into a fruitful relationship, forever changing the ideology of the conservative movement iii To my family, for your friendship through the years, for offering me loving support, and for helping me through my trying times. Table of Contents Acknowledgements: .................................................................................................................... vii Introduction: The Other Side of Vietnam .................................................................................. 1 The Conservative Movement and the Vietnam War ................................................................... 6 The Birth of Modern Conservatism .......................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1: Victory in Vietnam .................................................................................................. 22 Anti-Communism and Vietnam ................................................................................................ 23 The Right and Vietnam Before 1965 ........................................................................................ 27 Following the Commander-in-Chief ......................................................................................... 38 The Stench of Failure ................................................................................................................ 46 Convincing the Increasingly Skeptical Public .......................................................................... 49 The Politics of Stubbornly Supporting the War ........................................................................ 54 Chapter 2: A Lost Cause: Supporting Nixon’s Vietnam War ................................................ 58 Mr. Right vs. Mr. Vietnam........................................................................................................ 59 Frustrated by the War................................................................................................................ 62 Dealing with Mr. Nixon ............................................................................................................ 68 Fearing for the Future of Capitalism ......................................................................................... 78 The Paris Peace Accords ........................................................................................................... 83 Chapter 3: Dissent and Disunion: A Libertarian Exodus ....................................................... 88 Fusionism Forms ....................................................................................................................... 90 Young Americans for Freedom ................................................................................................ 97 Fusionism Falters .................................................................................................................... 112 The Ugly Divorce ................................................................................................................... 115 Chapter 4: Opposing Hedonism: The Rise of Christian Anti-Communists ........................ 123 Religion within Fusionism ...................................................................................................... 126 The Christian Anti-Communists ............................................................................................. 132 A Religious Movement ........................................................................................................... 145 Replacing Libertarianism ........................................................................................................ 152 Chapter 5: Opposing Liberalism ............................................................................................. 156 Opposing Liberalism ............................................................................................................... 158 Negative Self-Identity ............................................................................................................. 162 Attacking Liberalism .............................................................................................................. 174 Media ...................................................................................................................................... 181 Effects of Serving in the Opposition ....................................................................................... 189 v Chapter 6: The Problem of Richard Nixon ............................................................................ 193 Falling in Love with Nixon ..................................................................................................... 195 It‘s Complicated: Conservatives During Nixon‘s First Two Years ........................................ 202 Nixon Kills Fusionism ............................................................................................................ 205 China and Abandoning Nixon ................................................................................................ 213 Ending the War in Vietnam .................................................................................................... 221 Conclusion: The Birth of the New Right ................................................................................. 227 Early Support .......................................................................................................................... 228 Nixon Divides the Right ......................................................................................................... 234 War Causing Fissures ............................................................................................................. 240 The Birth of the New Right .................................................................................................... 244 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 252 vi Acknowledgements: I have long described the dissertation as a marathon, a long and difficult journey which tests one‘s endurance and character. As with a real marathon, one needs assistance along the way. Marathon runners need help, support, and training. I have received all of that in great abundance. Throughout my journey, I have had support from countless individuals. You have helped inspire me, guide me, and encourage me. Despite my best attempts to thank everyone, this list will no doubt fall short. To all of