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Lyndon Johnson Told The Nation

Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation is a song by Tom Paxton written in 1965. This song was released in the middle of the Vietnam War, and lyrics discuss President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson's approach to the conflict and some effects of the war. United States involvement in Vietnam was a point of contention during the conflict , and public Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War commonly surfaced in the culture and music of the time. Nenders (talk) 23:02, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

Overall Idea Behind the War

The song voiced the issue over the killing of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Over 500,000 American military personnel were stationed in Vietnam by 1969 and 58,200 American soldiers died The United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, China, and the Soviet Union were the key actors among the conflict. North Vietnam wanted a communist regime and were supplied by China and the Soviet Union, while South Vietnam wanted a government modeled after the West and were supported by the United States to fight communism. The American public opinion towards the war shifted based on what the media was reporting and the level of American casualties (Marissa Neuer)

Context

Economic Context

The song was released in 1965 in the middle of the Vietnam War. Back home people were dealing with their sons being sent to war, the death of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and the economy taking a turn for the worse. President Johnson was unwilling to raise taxes even though the country needed to pay for the war. This resulted in a cycle of inflation. Inflation and Great Society Programs caused many baby boomers to become skeptical of the government. This caused many families to struggle throughout the 1960s, another reason so many people were anti-war. (Jaden McNeil)

Political Context

The song Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation by Tom Paxton focuses on a growing distrust of the newly-elected President Lyndon Johnson by the American population. President Johnson ascended to the presidency after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and finished out President Kennedy’s unfinished term which ended in 1964. President Johnson then chose to run for re-election in the 1964 presidential election. During his re-election campaign, he promised that he would not further escalate the Vietnam War and even attacked his Republican opponent, U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, as a war-mongerer who would put American lives in danger by increasing the chance of a nuclear conflict However, after President Johnson won his re-election campaign he went back on his campaign promise, and by 1968 had actually increased the number of troops in Vietnam to around 550,000. This policy reversal was not received well by the American people, with many Americans believing that the President had only pledged to not further escalate the conflict to win his re-election bid. This distrust is portrayed in the song’s lyrics: Nenders (talk) 00:04, 12 December 2020 (UTC)

“Yet how sadly I remember / Way back yonder in November / When he said I'd never have to go” Nenders (talk) 22:26, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

Reception

Paxton’s work ranged from sorrowful ballads (“The Last Thing on My Mind,” “Ramblin’ Boy”) to topical political and social protest songs (“Whose Garden Was This,” “Peace Will Come”) to children’s tunes (“The Marvelous Toy.") Despite the satirical tone that Paxton's songs could portrayNenders (talk) 22:45, 11 December 2020 (UTC), the music connected to a wide range of people. Beyond the stereotypical Anti-Vietnam War Protestors, the message of Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation connected to the public sentiment of religious individuals. Among the anti-war movements of the time a significant resistance in the Catholic clergy was a uniting factor throughout those efforts. The Vietnam War Petition collection offers insight into the thoughts and concerns of 2000+ catholic clergy representing populist thought that mirrors modern social justice movements. Today these efforts exist in the Community Alliance of Lane County formed in 1966 in direct response to protect against injustice. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Isabellewoodrum (talk • contribs) 02:09, 23 November 2020 (UTC)

Paxton’s song wasn’t the only controversial anti-war song of it’s time, nor was it the most popular. Eve of Destruction came before Paxton's song, which held the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100 pop charts. Paxton's song was followed by Fortunate Son, which was critically renown and to this day is played by radio stations across the nation. Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation, regardless of immediate success, still played a key role in the development of an anti-war culture. JonahCMay (talk) 01:42, 12 December 2020 (UTC)

Influences

A Bristow, Oklahoma native, Tom Paxton drew inspiration from an era where folk music captivated American culture in such a way that allowed for anti-war sentiments to be mainstream. Paxton drew significant influence from his predecessor, the late Woody Guthrie, whose twists on classic folk songs like Pretty Polly and This Land is Your Land subjected listeners to political and progressive lyrics. Guthrie's influence extended to "Woody's Children" a group that included artists such as: Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, and Joan Baez, all of whom were devoted to extending political criticism to the masses. Guthrie laid the groundwork for what his successors would become: modern musical artists who had a large impact on their respective era's political and social justice discourse. (Abimael Herrera-Santillan) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Th3mex1can5878 (talk • contribs) 20:46, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

Legacy

The public sentiment to recall troops from abroad and disengage in foreign conflict is not unique to the Vietnam War. This sentiment exists towards the War in Afghanistan which is another long engagement abroad that the US has been involved in. President Trump campaigned on the promise of bringing back our troops, saying that after 20 years, 'it's time' for US troops to exit Afghanistan.

Tom Paxton rewrote Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation in 2007 and named it George W. Told the Nation. This song critiqued the U.S. Invasion of Iraq and the subsequent Second Gulf War. Nenders (talk) 23:05, 11 December 2020 (UTC)