Inside the Vault: Senator Ted Kennedy on Caring for Veterans and Healing the Nation after the Vietnam War
“But the first and immediate task is to care for the addict, the jobless, and the wounded veterans home from Southeast Asia.”
— Senator Ted Kennedy
Many service people who had suffered physical and psychological injuries during the Vietnam War found limited support systems when they returned home. In addition, unlike earlier generations, Vietnam War veterans often faced a hostile reception due to antiwar sentiment and disappointment with the war outcome. After receiving a letter in 1973 calling for amnesty for conscientious objectors, Senator Ted Kennedy wrote a response that expressed his support for the idea while pressing for improved care for veterans. We’ll be looking at this letter to examine the end of the Vietnam War and the needs of veterans as Kennedy saw them.
Join us on May 1, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT) when our curators discuss Senator Ted Kennedy’s 1973 letter with Dr. Barbara Perry, Professor of Governance at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center.
Submit your questions for Dr. Perry here.
Featured Documents
Related Resources
- Essay: “The Consequences of Defeat in Vietnam” by Mark Atwood Lawrence (University of Texas at Austin), History Now 27 (Spring 2011)
- Essay: “The Sixties” by Harvard Sitkoff (University of New Hampshire)
- Essay: “The First Saddest Day of My Life: A Vietnam War Story” by Sharon D. Raynor (Johnson C. Smith University), History Now 43 (Fall 2015)
- Essay: “Vietnam Veterans Memorial” by Maya Lin, History Now 45 (Summer 2016)
- Video: “The Origins of the Vietnam War” by John Prados (George Washington University)
- Infographic: The Vietnam War: Military Statistics
I cannot attend the live program. Will it be recorded?
Yes! The program is recorded and sent in an email the following day to everyone who registers.
Future Programs
Inside the Vault: Building the Transcontinental Railroad
Join us on June 5, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT) when our curators discuss the construction of the transcontinental railroad with Stanford University Professor Gordon Chang.
Inside the Vault: The Olive Branch Petition
Join us on July 3, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT) when our curators discuss the Olive Branch Petition with Denver Brunsman, Associate Professor of History at George Washington University.
About Inside the Vault
Inside the Vault: Highlights from the Gilder Lehrman Collection is an online program that highlights unique primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. From iconic historical treasures, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation, to personal letters that reveal the contributions of ordinary American citizens, each session will investigate primary sources and discuss their background, impact, and potential use in the classroom.