Key Groups
Progressive Youth MovementThe progressive Youth Movement was founded by three younger teachers in 1964 and aimed to unite youth (generally university students) in radical protest against subjects such as the Vietnam War. This group was a major factor into the Anti-Vietnam War protests as they brought radical, provocative methods into the protests which gained significant attention from the general public. Along with this the movement also spread to several cities around New Zealand which united people/ youth together in their cause, creating a stronger stride in the movement. The movement was very much built by radical liberals who aimed to create vigor in the protests which they believed were, at that time, not strong enough to be a good enough stand against the actions of the government. The Progressive Youth Movement methods to attract attention and make a stand included handing out leaflets/magazines, demonstrations, vigils and holding of information/film evenings. Their stand was a powerful one which attracted far greater attention to their concerns than the Anti-Vietnam War protests had been before hand. Their radical movement drew the attention of the government and is considered to have been a large part in the decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam in 1971.
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Resistance Bookshops and Radical LiteratureResistance bookshops were set up to share and spread radical ideas and bring books to New Zealand which were previously unattainable in the country at the time. These books were on women’s liberation, illegal drugs, music and ect. The bookshops came around as the PYMs began to spread and grow. The two largest of these stores were in Wellington and Auckland and they not only supplied brochures and information to do with counter-culture activism, they also supplied a place for activists to gather and share information and have meetings. A publisher of radical literature, Alister Taylor, publish literature such as “Bullshit and Jellybeans” by Tim Shadbolt and “The South Island from the road” by Robin Morrison and radicals poetry by Sam Hunt. However Alister Taylor faced legal and financial difficulty and went on to completely change the nature of his publications. As the movement began to change, the “Resistance” shops disappeared too. In 1974 the Auckland store closed down and though slightly more well off the Wellington branch also shut down in 1977.
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Committees on VietnamCommittees on Vietnam were anti-Vietnam protest groups, also known as COVs. These were protests groups that were more united and structures than the Progressive Youth Movement protest groups were. They were established around 1965 and there were several across New Zealand all with a similar aim to convince New Zealand public to see the wrong in the government sending of troops to Vietnam.
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