Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.46
Object Name
Poster
Title
Stop backing U.S War in Vietnam
People
Harold Wilson
Date
around 1965
Description
A communist party poster campaigning for Harold Wilson to condemn US involvement in the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war began in 1954 and ended in 1975. The US sent troops to Vietnam at the start of the war to ally itself with South Vietnam in order to weaken communist North Vietnam. US involvement peaked in 1969, when over 500,000 US soldiers deployed to fight. The Communist Party were against US involvement in Vietnam as they supported North Vietnam and the right of Vietnam to govern itself according to communist principles. During the war, the US put significant pressure on Britain to aid in the war effort by sending troops. This pressure peaked during the mid 1960's, when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister of the UK. Wilson was against British involvement in the war but refused to condemn US involvement, causing
groups such as the Communist Party to demand he do more in speaking out against it. This poster is printed on a white background and with orange letters reading 'Stop backing U.S War in Vietnam'. There is a space underneath framed by text reading 'Vote' on either side that has been left blank but was possibly intended to write in a candidate who opposed war in Vietnam, showing that this was an election issue. The Communist Party's address is in small red print at the bottom of the poster.
