Interviews

Wei: 3
Keegan: 2



Interview #1

Interviewer: Wei Gordon            Person: Bernie Dulberg          Relation: Step-grandparent

1.)   Where did you live during the Vietnam War?

San Francisco, California.

2.)   Did you know anyone who served in Vietnam?

Yes, and those I knew were against the war.

3.)   What was your opinion of the war and did it change?

At first I was indifferent towards the war, but as time passed I gradually came to oppose the war. I felt that we invaded a country for no legitimate reason.

4.)   Did you do anything to support your opinion?

No.

5.)   What part did television play in informing people about the war?

A fair part; about as much coverage as any event really receives.

6.)   Do you remember any of the music associated with the war?

No.

7.)   What was your opinion of:
-- Lyndon Johnson?

I thought Johnson was a good president overall. He did the best he could under the circumstances.

-- Richard Nixon?

            I didn’t like him to begin with, and Watergate certainly didn’t help.

-- Democratic Convention in Chicago

            I don’t remember, sorry.

-- Marches on Washington

            I don’t remember this either, sorry.

8.)   Do you remember the Tet offensive?

There’s very little I remember. I can’t give an appropriate response.

Interview #2

Interviewer: Wei Gordon            Person: Bette Gordon           Relation: grandmother

1.)   Where did you live during the Vietnam War?

Either New York or Washington D.C.

2.)   Did you know anyone who served in Vietnam?

Not personally.

3.)   What was your opinion of the war and did it change?

I always opposed the war. I didn’t change my opinion of the war, but I changed my attitude about the soldiers who fought. I became more understanding of their choosing to fight.

4.)   Did you do anything to support your opinion?

Yes, I wrote letters to Congressmen and plastered peace signs around my house and car.

5.)   What part did television play in informing people about the war?

A large part. There were individual politicians and representatives of anti-war groups, and there were both liberal and conservative news reports.

6.)   Do you remember any of the music associated with the war?

No.

7.)   What was your opinion of:
-- Lyndon Johnson?

I didn’t like him, but I respected his position on race relations.

-- Richard Nixon?

            I disliked him.

-- Democratic Convention in Chicago

            All I remember is that the convention was a complete mess.

-- Marches on Washington

            I don’t remember the outcome of the marches.

8.)   Do you remember the Tet offensive?

No.

Interview #3

Interviewer: Wei Gordon            Person: Carol Gordon           Relation: grandmother

1.)   Where did you live during the Vietnam War?

New York

 

2.)   Did you know anyone who served in Vietnam?

I had friends and family members that knew people who served in Vietnam, but I didn’t.

 

3.)   What was your opinion of the war and did it change?

I was never pro-war.

 

4.)   Did you do anything to support your opinion?

I never did anything openly, but when people asked me my opinion of the war, I’d give them a detailed explanation for my position.

 

5.)   What part did television play in informing people about the war?

I think TV helped create further opposition for the war.

 

6.)   Do you remember any of the music associated with the war?

No.

 

7.)   What was your opinion of:
-- Lyndon Johnson?

I think Lyndon Johnson had the misfortune of being president at the wrong time. He was good with social issues, but he escalated the war and ruined his presidency.

-- Richard Nixon?

            Does anyone like Richard Nixon?

-- Democratic Convention in Chicago

            I don’t remember it.

-- Marches on Washington

            I don’t remember the outcome of the marches.

8.)   Do you remember the Tet offensive?

I found it funny how Johnson claimed that the Tet Offensive was a failure and then lost virtually all support when the public found it wasn’t.



Interview

Interviewer: Keegan Marquis

Interviewee: James Anderson

Relationship:Grandfather

1) What did you think about JFK as a President?

-I felt as if he was a very confident man. He seemed to know what he was doing.

2) What did you think about the Cuban Missile Crisis?

-I was afraid that the Commie b******s were going to get us and we wouldn’t be able to hit them back. If we were going to hell, I wanted them to go with us.

3) How did you feel when you heard JFK was killed?

-I was sad and disappointed. I thought he was going to be the man that was going to keep America on top. The next presidents really f****d us over, and maybe JFK could’ve stopped that.

4) What do you remember about Lyndon Johnson?

-I didn’t like him. He got us into Vietnam, and that war really hurt our country.

5) Did you agree with the Vietnam War?

-No. If the Communists wanted Vietnam, they could’ve had it. It’s such a s**t hole that it wouldn’t have been able to hurt us even if it did become Communist.

6) Did you protest the war?

-No. I don’t care enough about politics.

7) Would you have considered yourself a hawk or a dove?

-Neither. I didn’t like either of them.

Interview

Interviewer: Keegan Marquis

Interviewee:  Ben Marquis

Relationship: Grandfather

1) What do you remember about MLK?

-He was inspiring in the way he spoke. He was very courageous for risking his life for the sake of other people. His words were a rallying cry for the change that the country needed.

2) Do you remember any racism in your community?

-It was everywhere. My mother was very racist against blacks and Latinos.

3) What do you remember of the MLK assassination?

-I remember how big of a deal it was. One of the most influential men on the planet had just been shot.

4) What do you think of Richard Nixon?

-He seemed like a very tough leader. He was probably very good at his job, but nobody will remember that because of Watergate.

5) What do you remember of Watergate?

-President Nixon was, in fact, a crook.

6) What did you think about Vietnam?

-I didn’t like the war. I didn’t support the war. But I did show respect to the soldiers who served in that war.

7) Did you protest the war?

-No. I felt it was a waste of time to do that. The President didn’t make a good decision based on his advisors, so why would he listen to a crowd of angry people?