From impassioned demonstrations against the Vietnam War and apathy during the Gulf War, to growing activism at the present, Dartmouth students' responses to recent U.S. wars have varied throughout the decades.
The tactics, however, are usually the same: petitions, teach-ins, rallies and busing to major anti-war demonstrations in New York, Washington D.C. and Boston.
During the Vietnam War, vehement anti-war sentiments among the Dartmouth community led to the storming of Parkhurst Hall on May 6, 1969, and Dartmouth's participation in a nationwide, weeklong strike beginning on May 5, 1970.
Anti-ROTC dissidents seized Parkhurst Hall, only yielding after 12 hours to state troopers who ascended the Parkhurst stairs amidst the chant of "abolish ROTC," which spread to the crowd of 1,000 onlookers outside the building.
Fifty-four demonstrators were detained, including approximately 12 enrolled in an American Revolution history course taught by Professor Jere Daniell '55.
The students decided to leave Parkhurst Hall in order to take Daniell's exam on the origins of the American Revolution, but were arrested and spent the rest of the term in jail. Daniell said he had his students write "diaries of a revolution era" as they completed the term in their cells.
Vietnam was a war that directly affected the college community, and all young men of ages 19-26 were eligible for the draft. The lottery drawing list that determined the fate of thousands of men across America was published in The Dartmouth on Dec. 2, 1969.
Students' anti-war protests increased as the Vietnam War dragged on.
On May 5, 1970, more than 2,500 Dartmouth community members voted to support a weeklong strike.
The strikers had two demands: the end of war in southeast Asia with the immediate withdrawal of American troops and support from the area and the end of repression of dissenters and of the African-American community.
That day, College President John Kemeny cancelled classes and other academic activities to allow the community to engage in discussion relating to the Vietnam War.
By Friday, May 8, 1970 the National Student Association estimated that 350 colleges and universities across the nation were on strike to protest the war in southeast Asia and political repression.
In contrast, Dartmouth response to the start of the Gulf War was muted.
"The campus was surprisingly apolitical as comments gathered by the Dartmouth were largely profane and expressed simple shock," The Dartmouth said in a Jan. 17 1991 article.
The College responded to the American bombing of Iraq with an open mike discussion and widespread disbelief.
Campus activity carried on, and The Dartmouth's Fortnightly news magazine depicted Winter Carnival '91 as "A Winter Under The Sand." With an image of bombing on the horizon, the cover illustration showed an ostrich with its head in the sand and a beer in its beak.
Selected students objected to this attitude and sprayed red paint -- symbolizing blood -- on the snow sculpture of Neptune in a chariot.
Those responsible for the "redecoration of the snow sculpture" criticized the college community for responding to the war with a "drunken stupor" and College President James Freedman for trying "to suppress dissent by totally denying its existence," an anonymous group said in the statement it left for the Dartmouth on Feb. 10, 1991.
Student response to the defacement of the sculpture was vehement; it did "severe damage to the anti-war cause" and was "a mockery of the blood spilled in the Middle East," Anthony Lipp '94 said in Feb. 11, 1991 editorial.
"The result was not a campus united against war, but a campus united against peace protestors," The Dartmouth wrote in an editorial on Feb. 11, 1991.
Anti-war activity during the period was limited.
On Jan. 15, 1991, two days before the first U.S. strike on Iraq, 250 Dartmouth students rallied against war. The draft, oil-driven U.S. motives and concerns of racial profiling of Arab-Americans were among student concerns, but protesters apparently had little impact on the Dartmouth community.
"Easily understood was President Freedman's response to an alum who asked 'What is being done on campus to protest the war?' Freedman said 'Nothing,'" The Dartmouth said in a Feb. 11, 1991 editorial.
Random students were mainly supportive of a ground war in the Gulf, when asked by The Dartmouth on Feb. 21, 1991.
"Yes, because it's only way that we'll win," Schuyler Henderson '94 said.
In contrast, the current Iraq crisis has generated more widespread opposition to war: of those who responded to the Dartmouth's recent survey, nearly 50 percent of respondents are against a war, with only 22 percent backing an immediate use of force to resolve the standoff.
Lack of international support, insufficient evidence linking Iraq to Al-Qaida and the potential death of American soldiers as well as a U.N. estimate of up to 500,000 Iraqi deaths are high among student concerns.
These are "casualties for a war that we haven't been able to justify to most of our allies, haven't been able to justify to most of our people," Why War? activist Clinton Hendler '05 said.
Why War? leads the peace movement at Dartmouth, and works to "raise questions and to help people make more informed decisions," Why War? activist Alex Kirigin '06 said.
Why War? has held protests in the community, bussed students to rallies in New York and Washington D.C. and organized two teach-ins.
They are currently planning to approach the Student Assembly with an anti-war petition.
"We'd like to see the college take a stance," Kirigin said.
