On this day, 1969: Americans rally nationwide to end the Vietnam War
On Oct. 15, 1969, huge crowds across the United States joined the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, BBC News and The Harvard Crimson reported. People marched, prayed and held candlelit vigils. It was called the largest protest in the nation's history at the time.
On Oct. 15, 1969, Americans across the country stopped their usual routines to protest the Vietnam War, in what was then seen as the largest demonstration in U.S. history, according to BBC News and The Harvard Crimson.
The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam drew more than 2 million people, BBC News reported in a look back on the 50th anniversary. The Crimson, reporting the next day, said at least a million Americans took part.
People joined religious services, rallies and meetings, BBC News reported. From Boston to Berkeley, supporters heard speeches, marched and held silent vigils calling for U.S. troops to come home, The Crimson reported.
In Boston, about 100,000 people marched, BBC News reported. It was seen as the largest protest the city had ever had. A skywriting plane drew a peace sign in the sky over Boston Common.
The four largest rallies, in Boston, New York, Minneapolis and Philadelphia, drew a total of 500,000 people, The Crimson reported. It said the few outbreaks of violence were mild. Five people were arrested at one protest in front of the White House.
Many supporters wore black armbands to honor those killed in the war, BBC News reported. By the end of 1969, about 45,000 Americans had been killed in action in Vietnam.
The war also had backers that day. Some drove with their car headlights on and flew flags, The Crimson reported. In Boston, Sen. Edward Kennedy called for a firm schedule to bring U.S. troops home.
The protests brought middle-class and middle-aged Americans out in large numbers for the first time, BBC News reported. A second Moratorium followed on Nov. 15, with hundreds of thousands marching in Washington.
President Richard Nixon later went on national TV to ask Americans to stand behind the war effort, BBC News reported. U.S. forces left Vietnam after a 1973 ceasefire.
What we know: Huge crowds across the U.S. protested the war on Oct. 15, 1969, mostly peacefully.
What we don't: The exact size of the crowds, since estimates range from 1 million to more than 2 million.
Where outlets agree BBC News and The Crimson both describe the Moratorium as the largest antiwar protest in U.S. history at the time.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.