Food for Thought
Week 8: Monday, October 19
Paris (1968): University students fight French riot police during the street battles of May 1968.
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| Paris (1968): Striking autoworkers occupying a Renault factory listen to speeches. |
1968 was an eventful year in world history. The Tet offensive heralded the beginning of the end for the American presence in Vietnam. Certainly, the anti-war movement began to take off in that year. The civil rights movement also reached its zenith, and the United States witnessed a controversial election. In China, the Cultural Revolution was at its height. There was also widespread unrest throughout Europe. France, Italy, and West Germany wtnessed student rebellions that not only led to a great deal of violence in the streets, but also sparked massive strikes that challenged the authority of governments. In 1968, "the troubles" began in earnest in Northern Ireland. Things were not so quiet in the East, either. As we shall see, 1968 saw the Soviet Union invade Czechoslovakia.
According to Hitchcock, 1968 heralded a new era in European history. As you read the short introduction to this section of the book, make sure you understand why Hitchcock views 1968 in this way.
Check out this short, contemporary eight-minute account of the student riots in Paris.
1) What were the goals of the student movement in France in 1968? On the other hand, what did the CGT want?
2) How did de Gaulle eventually restore order?
3) In 1968, what were the Italian students protesting for and against? In what ways did the experience of Italian unions differ from those in France?
4) What was unique about the West German protests in 1968?
5) According to Cohn-Bendit, what contradiction did the university suffer from? How was this contradiction part of a larger problem? What was the larger problem?
6) Why did Cohn-Bendit think grown-ups ought to take the "revolt of modern youth" seriously?
Other Questions
Why did the student rebellions ignore women's issues? So if the student rebellions ignored women, what did they have to do? What did most of these movements aim for? What did they achieve?
What was the relationship of the Greens to 1968?
Paris (1968): Daniel Cohn-Bendit, known as "Red Danny," makes an another impassioned speech.
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Copyrighted by Hugh Dubrulle, 2009.