Book Cover Photo Taken
May 11, 1970
Portland State University
About the Author
Doug Weiskopf is the author of the book, "Notes From An American Antiwarrior: Reflections of an Unapologetic Vietnam War Protest Organizer". He graduated from Portland State University in 1971 and currently resides in Burbank, California, just over the hill from where he was born and raised in Hollywood. He is the proud father of Virginia Weiskopf.
BUY THE BOOK
"NOTES FROM AN AMERICAN ANTIWARRIOR: REFLECTIONS OF AN UNAPOLOGETIC VIETNAM WAR PROTEST ORGANIZER" is now available for purchase. This insightful look into the antiwar movement can be found on AMAZON.COM and BARNES&NOBLE.COM
OR E-BOOK AT KOBO.COM
Hardcover $32/99
Softcover $16.99
e-book $8.99
My Email--ramparts70@aol.com
Review of "Notes From An American Antiwarrior"
David A. Horowitz
History Professor
Portland State University
This is an engaging, fast-moving chronicle of Doug Weiskopf’s personal experiences as an antiwar activist during the Vietnam War and beyond. Several emotional highpoints speak to the heart of this narrative. They chronicle the significant early impact of a visit to the Berkeley Free Speech Movement in 1964, the reunion with a former high school friend who suffered life-long injuries after the North Vietnamese shot down his B-52 bomber, the patient organizing to ensure that protest on the PSU campus remained non-violent, the minute-by-minute account of the “police riot” against the student-faculty peace vigil on May 11, 1970, the courageous effort to defy authorities at Oregon State and deliver an antiwar speech that inspired a student campout at the conservative university, the clever publicity campaign to use the underground press to inspire national coverage of Portland’s People Army Jamboree in August 1970, the heartfelt references to his father’s experiences and escape from the Third Reich, and the touching moment when he gets to shake the hand of former Vietnam War opponent Muhammed Ali. Another powerful moment includes the expression by Weiskopf’s daughter following the ceremony commemorating the May 11th protest of her pride in her dad’s student activism. Another involves the author’s realization that the Dean of Students he had once harangued as a protester had been a World War II conscientious objector who had submitted to food deprivation experiments for military research on the potential effects of starvation on US prisoners of war.
Weiskopf’s honesty in these segments reveals both his strengths and vulnerabilities as an antiwar activist and his effectiveness as a writer. They provide an element of context to the narrative that makes the book something more than a triumphalist celebration of the antiwar tradition. These elements of surprise make it a valuable read for students of the period, one that contemporary activists could well benefit from.
Barnes & Noble Review
Doug Weiskopf's memoir is a powerful reflection on the themes of nonviolent resistance, youth activism, and the challenges of protesting against the political and cultural status quo, particularly during the tumultuous antiwar movement. With authenticity and thoughtfulness, he explores the moral dilemmas faced by those who opposed the war and how they navigated the often contradictory pressures of their time. At the core of his story is a dedication to peaceful activism—a conviction that choosing nonviolence, even in the face of great adversity, is both a principled and revolutionary stance. Through his experiences, Weiskopf illustrates that nonviolent resistance is not about passivity, but about actively creating a better, more just world.
In addition to his unwavering belief in nonviolence, Weiskopf's memoir emphasizes the importance of collective action and the impact of grassroots movements. It serves as proof of the power of young people who, despite being ignored by the political establishment, came together to challenge the status quo during the antiwar efforts. Drawing on his years of involvement in the antiwar movement, Weiskopf delves into the personal and political intersections of activism, showing how these experiences shaped his view of justice, freedom, and human rights.
Weiskopf's reflections are both a tribute to the movements of the past and a call to action for future generations. His unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and the pursuit of a more equitable world offers invaluable insights for today's activists who seek to make meaningful change. It is not just a memoir; it's a meditation on how nonviolent resistance can shape history and inspire future movements.
Review by retired Portland State University Professor, Dr. Dory Hylton
I just finished your book, Doug, and I’m left nearly in tears with despair as you bullet point Trump’s incredibly rapid march to dictatorship and certain destruction of our democracy should he (they) succeed. As I said earlier, your book succeeds as a memoir. You speak directly to your reader and hold attention by scattering in vivid descriptions of your surroundings while you narrate events.
Your description of recent PSU violent protests startlingly contrasts with the antiwar movement’s nonviolent activism. There’s no mistaking how the violent versions of youth protest are counterproductive and, as they were in our time, just plain stupid.
You have indeed created something valuable.
Insta Snaps
Downloads
Crosby Stills Nash & Young video, "OHIO"-Released 5/14/70--10 days after Kent State shootings
Summer 1970 Portland antiwar protesters adopted it as "our song"
Downloads
MAY 23, 1970 STUDENT ACTIVISTS STOPPED NERVE GAS TRAIN
In 1969, the U.S. military began planning to move sarin-like military nerve gas stored in Okinawa, Japan, transporting the shipments a dangerous 380 miles from Seattle, Wash., through Portland, Ore., and on to the Umatilla Army Depot in Eastern Oregon. A train derailment and resulting fire could have caused thousands of deaths and injuries in populated areas. On May 23, 1970, the shipment was canceled by the Nixon Administration, just 11 days after 4,000 students and faculty members protested a violent police attack by 150 Portland policemen at the campus of Portland State University on May 11, 1970, sending 31 students to the hospital with injuries. It was at this protest in front of Portland City Hall that PSU activists announced their commitment to joining Seattle protesters in organizing thousands in the Pacific Northwest to sit on the track and block the nerve gas train for its entire route between the two cities. This planned shipment was part of a program named "Operation Red Hat," aimed at better securing chemical weapons held by the armed forces. Although Oregon Governor Tom McCall initially approved the shipment, he quickly reversed his decision when his adviser Ron Schmidt presented research indicating that the amount of nerve gas planned for shipment could kill double the world’s current population. McCall gathered 62,000 signatures on a petition opposing the plan and personally delivered it to the White House. Additionally, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Portland seeking an injunction against the planned shipment. In late March 1970, the group People Against Nerve Gas (P.A.N.G.) was formed to support the lawsuit, with Portland State University chemistry professor Gordon L. Kilgour serving as its chair.
Despite these antiwar actions and statements protesting the planned shipment throughout March and April 1970, the Nixon administration initially ignored them. Ultimately, U.S. Senator for Washington, Henry "Scoop" Jackson, fearing the issue might affect his popularity, persuaded Nixon to cancel the shipment in late May. After considering a site in Alaska, the military ultimately chose to ship the nerve gas to Johnston Atoll, southwest of Oahu.
In the end, however, it was a victory for grassroots organizing, which had been active in stopping the nerve gas train for many months to compel politicians in Oregon and Washington State to finally support their cause and ultimately win the nerve gas train battle!
Downloads
"Animal House", the beloved classical college scene movie, was filmed at the University of Oregon in 1977 but was based on actual 1970 events 90 minutes to the north at Portland State University, where Vietnam War protesters, as depicted hilariously in the film, were the subject of a comical student/faculty disciplinary hearing and had several confrontations with conservative fellow students, including a food fight in the cafeteria. In Aug. of '70, war protesting Portland State students famously created problems for a National American Legion Convention parade and an appearance by President Nixon through the nearby downtown area, just as in the wild scene at the end of "Animal House". I recently wrote about all of the 1970 PSU events in my book, "Notes From An American Antiwarrior", available in hard & soft cover at
Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and as an e-book on kobo.com.
Files coming soon.
Downloads
"The 7th Day" film was made by Portland State University film students about the May 1970 Student Strike on their campus and won 2nd place that year at The New York Documentary Film Festival.
It can be seen in its entirety here:
Downloads
On May 11, 2022 a permanent plaque was dedicated on the Portland State University grounds to the 52nd anniversary of the 1970 Portland Police attack on peaceful students protesting the Vietnam War and Kent State shootings.
The 5/11/22 ceremony is shown here:
Downloads
This Oct. 17, 2025 Portland State University Vanguard newspaper column describes the current Trump assault on their city https://psuvanguard.com/whats-the-plan-if-the-national-guard-comes-to-campus/
Downloads
Jimi Hendrix at '69 Woodstock plays "Our Anthem" https://youtu.be/sjzZh6-h9fM
"THIS IS THE END" - Performed By The Doors, is a powerful piece that resonates with the antiwar themes depicted in the opening scene of "Apocalypse Now". You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/ntPHFVWDIqM?si=CYw6TDYXrEUWAdWXntPHFVWDIqMto.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.