--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you look back to the anti-intervention…" description: "\"If you look back to the anti-intervention movements, what were they? Let's take the Vietnam War - the biggest crime since the Second World War. You cou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/noam-chomsky-42_boston_if-you-look-back-to-the-anti-interventio_2307153.jpg" --- # If you look back to the anti-intervention movements, what… ![“If you look back to the anti-intervention movements, what were they? Let's take the Vietnam War - the biggest crime since the Second World War. You couldn't be opposed to the war for years. The mainstream liberal intellectuals were enthusiastically in support of the war. In Boston, a liberal city…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/noam-chomsky-42_boston_if-you-look-back-to-the-anti-interventio_2307153.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/noam-chomsky-42_boston_if-you-look-back-to-the-anti-interventio_2307153.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/noam-chomsky-42_boston_if-you-look-back-to-the-anti-interventio_2307153.jpg) > “If you look back to the anti-intervention movements, what were they? Let's take the Vietnam War - the biggest crime since the Second World War. You couldn't be opposed to the war for years. The mainstream liberal intellectuals were enthusiastically in support of the war. In Boston, a liberal city where I was, we literally couldn't have a public demonstration without it being violently broken up, with the liberal press applauding, until late 1966.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how mainstream liberal intellectuals supported the Vietnam War and suppressed dissent, highlighting a paradox of anti‑intervention rhetoric versus actual behavior. **In simple terms:** Liberal elites backed war and silenced protest. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge hypocrisy in public discourse. Themes politics war media activism hypocrisy Mood critical reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - university campuses - press conferences - public rallies - policy debates Key Concepts civil liberties public opinion state power Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate genuine dissent from co‑opted protest? - What mechanisms enable suppression of opposition? A Different Perspective The perspective may overlook genuine anti‑war sentiment among some liberals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Demonstration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) [Intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intervention/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Second world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-world-war/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [ By that time \[1966\], we did begin to get some protests \[against Vietnam War\]. But not from liberal intellectuals; they never opposed the war. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/by-that-time-1966-we-did-begin-to-get-some-protests-against-vietnam/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I'm going to say I'm opposed to war. But I'm also opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-m-not-going-to-say-i-was-opposed-to-the-vietnam-war-i-m-going-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I'm an old guy, and I was protesting during the Vietnam War. We killed fifty Asians for every loyal American. Every artist worth a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-m-an-old-guy-and-i-was-protesting-during-the-vietnam-war-we-killed-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Most of us who were opposed to the war, especially in the early '60's - the war we were opposed to was the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/most-of-us-who-were-opposed-to-the-war-especially-in-the-early-60-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Every book that comes out, every article that comes out, talks about how - while it may have been a "mistake" or an "unwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/every-book-that-comes-out-every-article-that-comes-out-talks-about/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The Iraq War is the first war in history, in which there were huge demonstrations before the war was launched, not beginning five years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-iraq-war-is-the-first-war-in-history-in-which-there-were-huge/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“I mean, remember what the Vietnam War was fought for, after all. The Vietnam War was fought to prevent Vietnam from becoming a successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-mean-remember-what-the-vietnam-war-was-fought-for-after-all-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [One of the questions asked in that study was, How many Vietnamese casualties would you estimate that there were during the Vietnam war? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-of-the-questions-asked-in-that-study-was-how-many-vietnamese/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The idea that we must choose between the method of "winning hearts and minds" and the method of shaping behavior presumes that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-idea-that-we-must-choose-between-the-method-of-winning-hearts-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ In fact, it's pretty dramatic when you get to 1975, very revealing, the \[Vietnam\] war ends. Everybody had to write something about the war,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-fact-it-s-pretty-dramatic-when-you-get-to-1975-very-revealing-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [So if you look at the writings of intellectuals, there are two kinds. One said, l"Look, if we fought harder we could have won.But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-if-you-look-at-the-writings-of-intellectuals-there-are-two-kinds/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ Take a look at public opinion. About 70 percent of the population, in the polls, said the \[Vietnam \] war was fundamentally wrong and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/take-a-look-at-public-opinion-about-70-percent-of-the-population-in/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Say the Pentagon Papers, - that material went much deeper. It went into internal government planning back for twenty - five years. Those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/say-the-pentagon-papers-that-material-went-much-deeper-it-went-into/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The atrocities in Cambodia are a direct and understandable response to the violence of the imperial system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-atrocities-in-cambodia-are-a-direct-and-understandable-response/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ When people denounced \[former Iranian president Mahmoud\] Ahmadinejad for rejecting and criminalizing homosexuality, it should be remembered that was true of the United States… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/when-people-denounced-former-iranian-president-mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Boston quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [“Mom, I live in the South End, not South Boston. They are entirely different neighborhoods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-swanson-goodreads-author/mom-i-live-in-the-south-end-not-south-boston-they-are-entirely/) Peter Swanson (Goodreads Author > [I think there are four or five interesting pockets where a lot of cool technology companies are getting started. Chicago is one of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lefkofsky/i-think-there-are-four-or-five-interesting-pockets-where-a-lot-of/) [Eric Lefkofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lefkofsky/) > [I love cooking but I still always go and sneak a little bit of sides from Boston Market, and it's so good. They're so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-walsh/i-love-cooking-but-i-still-always-go-and-sneak-a-little-bit-of-sides/) [Kate Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-walsh/) > [Boston is one of my favorite places to wrestle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rikishi/boston-is-one-of-my-favorite-places-to-wrestle/) [Rikishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rikishi/) > [I ain't got no problem in Boston, I especially like the attention. I know that I'm one of the top guys in this game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-ain-t-got-no-problem-in-boston-i-especially-like-the-attention-i/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. 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While it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/priests-like-all-of-us-are-affected-by-culture-when-the-culture-is/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) [Browse all 787 Boston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you look back to the anti-intervention movements, what were they? Let's take the Vietnam War - the biggest crime since the Second World War. You couldn't be opposed to the war for years. The mainstream liberal intellectuals were enthusiastically in support of the war. 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