The US vs John Lennon: Katherine Lung
Music has definitely played a part in promoting peace and help ending the war earlier, but what was vital in the change was having the presense of John Lennon constantly broadcasted throughout the nation's television. His insistance of ending the war and bringing the troops back home, and constant questioning of the government and authority stirred the youth especially, as many of them are religious followers of the Beatles. Speaking out publicly and using any media tools to spread his message allowed him to connect with others that are dissatisfied with the war and unite the anti-war group even stronger. Despite Nixon winning a reelection in a landslide, I don't think it accurate reflects the power of John Lennon, radical music, or pop culture, considering the Youth Vote amendement was just ratified. But there seem to be a limit to the differences he could make within society, but his effort to promote peace by inserting it in every picture taken of him and every action and word he took, he kept the idea and hope of peace in mind of the American people. The fact that the U.S. government had him under the watch of FBI and had President Nixon updated on his every moves, is enough to prove how powerful his influences was over the people of the United States. The difficult transition of having a unified country and economical success after WWII and Cold War, to a fractionized state where riots and peace marches and creating of subcultures within the nation was new, and threatening to the government.