After reading/listening to LBJ’s “Speech on Vietnam” and MLK’s “Beyond Vietnam,” determine which speech is more persuasive in arguing FOR or AGAINST America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Looking back half a century, it is reasonable to suggest that America’s involvement in the war in Vietnam proved unsuccessful and unnecessary and that the failures of the attempt to thwart the spread of Communism have now left a noticeable bruise on our nation’s history. However, during the 1960s, before outright involvement in militarized support (both forced and voluntary) of South Vietnam, there grew a large split between those in favor of the war and those who opposed it. Two of the country’s most influential figures, President Lyndon Johnson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., used their persuasive power of speech to gain support for battle (LBJ) or suggest an alternative method of peace (MLK) in Vietnam. After reading/listening to LBJ’s “Speech on Vietnam” and MLK’s “Beyond Vietnam,” determine which speech is more persuasive in arguing FOR or AGAINST America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.