Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.585
Object Name
Poster
Title
Stop America's brutal war on Vietnam
Events
The Vietnam War
Date
1978
Description
A3 screen-printed poster. Has a red border and says "STOP" in large red writing, underneath in black letters it says "America's brutal war on Vietnam." Underneath it says a Communist Party Poster "16 King St. London W.C.2 Printed by Farleigh Press Ltd. (T.U) Watford Herts." Vietnam war was from 1955-1975.Millions died - Vietnamese civilians and American Soldiers. The United States provided funding, armaments, and training to South Vietnam's government and military since Vietnam's partition into the Communist North and Democratic South. Opposition to American involvement was widespread, condemning the decision to put troops in Vietnam, as well as opposition to the violence, war crimes and human rights abuses. War crimes were committed by both sides, with American forces initially denying massacres, mass rape and unnecessary murders. Sexual violence was also used as a war crime. African Americans died at a higher rate in combat and suffered huge amounts of racism. Communists would have definitely opposed the war due to unnecessary violence and capitalist expansion. The war was widely condemned and sparked several peace movements and anti-war movements across the world. The poster is mainly a large black and white photograph of a Vietnamese woman crying holding a baby, with a young child holding onto her, another child behind her and an older man on the right. This photograph is well publicised- but the image portrayed does not offer any information about this woman, and who she is. It is assumed her and/or have family have experienced violence/pain/torture/grief, at the hands of the American military. The photograph of the baby is blurry, but could potentially be a napalm victim. Napalm is a firebomb fuel gel mixture which burns the skin, and was used by the American military.
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