Fifth Estate Collective

Fall Offensive

1969

The Fall Anti-War Offensive has begun. Ending the war in Vietnam is the most important task facing the American people and the American people must be the force to end it.

We urge every Fifth Estate reader to actively take part in every rally, march, and demonstration that calls for immediate withdrawal of all troops NOW!

Following the SDS actions in Chicago described on this page there will be a nation-wide moratorium or strike on Oct. 15, demanding that the war be ended. The strategy of the action is to not allow “business as usual” while Vietnam is being destroyed and U.S. troops are being killed and injured.

The action calls for a cessation of all “regular” activity and participation in anti-war activities scheduled for that day.

If the government does not stop the war in one month’s time, there will be a two day strike Nov. 14 and 15 with a mass march in Washington, D.C., three days in December and on.

We join with this call for a massive strike and ask our readers not to attend school or work on Oct. 15. The scope of this action is so broad that several U. S. Senators and Congressmen have supported the call as well as many Universities that will close for the day or part of it.

It is of particular importance that Detroit area high schools, junior and community colleges and universities cease to function on this date. Students and faculty in each school should ask their administration to cancel classes for that day.

If this is refused, the schools should be closed by a walk-out of students and faculty. Students constitute the largest single organized segment of the population that opposes the war as well as the most active. They must be in the vanguard of this action.

Groups that will help In preparation for such a strike are the High School Liberation Union, 822–3248; Motor City SDS, 923–5812; or Detroit Anti-War Coalition, 873–4508.

Also, in Detroit on Oct. 15, the Resistance, an anti-draft group, will occupy the Wayne County draft boards in the downtown Cadillac Towers. Persons will read a list of the U.S. war dead beginning at 8:30 am and last until the list is completed or until they are put out.

A showing of 500 to 1,000 persons will give a much different character to the action than will the participation of a few.

Other activities are being planned too late for inclusion in this issue, but up to the minute information can be had by listening to the WABX-FM news prepared by this newspaper or by calling the Detroit Anti-War Coalition at 873–4508.

In Ann Arbor, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the New Mobilization Committee will be holding an anti-war rally in the Special Events Building on the U-M campus from 11 am to 1 pm.

U-M President Robbin (ROTC) Fleming has canceled University classes during the hours of the rally to allow students and-faculty to attend.

Students on several other Michigan college campuses are asking that their classes also be canceled.

The war in Vietnam must be ended. Our support of the Vietnamese revolution demands it. Our support of our brothers in uniform forced to fight a losing war in Vietnam demands it. Only the American people—each of us—can end it and we must.

SUPPORT THE FALL ANTI-WAR OFFENSIVE. BRING THE WAR TO THE PEOPLE.

CHICAGO, OCT. 8–11

STRIKE OCTOBER 15

HIT ‘EM WHERE YOU LIVE NOV. 8

STRIKE AGAIN NOV. 14

MILLION PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON NOV. 15


Fifth Estate #89, October 2–15, 1969