Interview 1
Who am I interviewing:
My Dad
When was he born and where?
He was born in 1937 in Portland, Oregon.
Did family members contribute to the Vietnam war?
My dad was in the military during the Vietnam war.
What were some details about it?
He said, “There was great resentment among Americans about the war.”
My dad was in the navy Jag corp and he represented as an attorney for people that had fought in the war that were being prosecuted for crimes. His first contact with the war was in 1963 when he represented a commander who had been stationed in Vietnam. The US was not officially in war, the general population didn’t know that we were yet in a war but my Dad did know.
What did you think about John Kennedy as a President?
He was a great president, full of imagination and a strong leader.
What did you feel about the Cuban Missile crisis?
He didn’t believe in it and didn’t think it was as big of a deal as the US made it seem it was.
What do you remember about Lyndon Johnson?
He danced with his daughter, but he didn’t think he was a good president. He was the one who got us involved in the Vietnam war.
Did you agree with the Vietnam war and do you consider yourself a hawk or a dove?
He didn’t think we should have been involved in the war and he considers himself a dove.
Do you remember anything from the Civil Rights movement?
He remembers that there were several whites were killed in their efforts to help
end segregation in the south.
-Christine Grant
Interview 2
Cole:
Jim- Cole’s Uncle
Cole: What did you think of JFk?
Jim: I liked him. Overall I think he was a good President. I think he was probably the perfect man for the Cuban Missile Crisis. It’s a shame what happened to him.
Cole: Tell me about your reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis? Were you afraid?
Jim: At the time, myself and most people I knew were almost sure that we were going to die. Heck yeah I was scared.
Cole: Vietnam, what did you think of it?
Jim: It’s a shame what happened to the soldiers during and after the war.
At first I thought the war was worth it, but that quickly changed when I realized how it was dividing our country, and destroying the Vitamins’.
Cole: You a hawk or dove?
Jim: I never considered myself either.
Cole: Did your community benefit from LBJ’s Great Society?
Jim: No. At that time I was just out of college with my first job. I wasn’t poor, I just wasn’t rich. And I’m not really sure how much that Great Society really helped.
Cole: What do you remember of MLK?
Jim: Strong man. Strong icon. He was a force that could not have been stopped. He was intelligent, knew what he wanted, knew how to get it, and eventually got it. It was a sad day for a lot of people when he got shot.
Cole: Who were your favorite musical artists from the 60s and 70s?
Jim: Once a stones man, always a stones man. I loved/love the Rolling Stones, Beatles, and Bruce Springsteen.
Cole: Did you know anyone who did drugs in this era?
Jim: Yes sir. I had a few friends from college who would due drugs. Also had old friends who went to Woodstock and did a lot of drugs. Mostly marijuana, but you would get the occasional acid freak, or cocaine addict.
Cole: Opinion on Nixon?
Jim: He did some good things. He also did some bad things politically that are now being dwarfed by Obama. He didn’t have the press on his side…
-Cole Dieterle
Interview 3, Michelle:
Michelle’s Grandma – Shirley Williams
What year were you born?
I was born in 1936.
What did you think of JFK?
I loved him. He was the best president ever! I was devastated when he was killed. I voted for him, it was my first time to vote so I was really happy when he was elected.
What were your opinions on the Vietnam War?
I was opposed.
Would you consider yourself a dove then?
Yes, I guess I was.
What was your reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Scary! But Kennedy was right.
What do you remember of the Civil Rights movement?
I remember King and the speeches and the marches. When I married your grandpa in 1957, Poppa worked in Las Vegas and black people weren’t allowed in many places. I agreed with the movement and was really sad when King was killed.
What is your opinion on the music of the 1960s and 1970s?
I loved the Beatles, it was a big change from the 50’s rock.
What was your opinion on Nixon?
In those days he was called “Tricky Dick”. We were ashamed of him and watched tv when he impeached and left office.
-Michelle Barquer
Interview 3: Liz Kappes
Marylin Kappes- My Gramma
When and where were you born?
1937 Govenors Island, New York
What do you remember the most about Vietnam War?
” My brother went to fight in the war in 1967 as a military advisor. he seemed to be there forever. When the US decided to retreat from Vietnam my brother felt bad for the Vietnamese people living outside of the US embassy. He was the last to leave out of his sector.”
What do you remember about Watergate?
” It was extremely disturbing to have a leader that manipulated his way to win an election. I did feel sorry for Nixon’s family thought because they had to deal with Nixons consequences without a say.”
What were the civil rights movements like?
” Well, I lived in Pennsilvanina at the time. The first blacks to move in were not treated fairly, but i helped one of the little boys get into an all white preschool. I was not very popular by doing this. I also marched with the African Americans as they marched after MLK’s death.”
-liz Kappes
Interview #4: Mickinze ELlis
Bob Jones- Next door Neighbor
1. Were you drafted or did you volunteer for military service?-
“I volunteered for Vietnam, at age twenty-two (1965), nine months after I was first discharged. I was inducted in Jacksonville, Florida. After training, I was sent to Vietnam. I was considered an “old man” by the young Marines around me, and I could not believe how young they were”.
2. What did you feel like when you decided to volunteer?-
“I was in the best shape of my life. I had served four years, got out, and was asked by the secretary of the navy to volunteer for Vietnam. At that time, I felt it was an honor to serve my country two more years.”
3. How did your family and friends react to your going into military service?
“They were against it. They knew I would be sent to Vietnam.”
-Mickinze Ellis
cclmhistory 