The longest documented and arguably one of the most controversial wars in American history is the Vietnam War. In 1959, the communist government of North Vietnam had masterminded a guerrilla campaign in democratic South Vietnam. The government of North Vietnam had the goal of uniting both countries under one communist regime. The United States quickly became an ally of South Vietnam because it feared the spread of communism. The aftermath of the war resulted in the deaths of sixty thousand Americans and two million Vietnamese. Today many people question the necessity and rationality of war. It is still debated today whether the American force in Vietnam was a mistake or a noble cause. As the war raged there was a rise of two groups in America, the Hawks and the Doves. The Hawks were a group of people who supported the war and wanted to increase the number of military troops fighting in North Vietnam. The Doves consisted primarily of college students, professors, anti-war protesters, and citizens who believed the war was immoral. The Doves believed that the war brought no benefit to the United States, would result in increased casualties among troops, and was a waste of billions of dollars. The Doves believed that the war was a civil war between North and South Vietnam and that the United States should not interfere. There are other reasons why the Doves opposed the war, including: the unfairly administered wartime draft tactics, the unwanted aid in Vietnam, and the graphic scenes of the war broadcast on television. As the escalation of troops sent to Vietnam hit an all-time high, there was an outbreak of anti-war protests and "teach-ins" on college campuses. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) were campus activists dedicated to... middle of paper... the war gave rise to the anti-war movement. The anti-war movement was fueled by other musicians because they created songs that conveyed their feelings about the war. Their songs were so influential because they gave different views and opinions on the war. It raised important questions, such as whether the Vietnam War was necessary or whether the U.S. government was making the right choices in its battle plan. Ray Pratt states that "(...) music promotes the creation of lasting community and subcultural relationships (...)" (Pratt 14). This was demonstrated when anti-war music aroused a variety of emotions in citizens and music. gave people a reason to take action against the Vietnam War. The effectiveness of the movement was not necessarily the music but the messages contained in the music. It was a form of communication and a unifying factor for Americans who felt helpless during the war.