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[[File:Sdsorgchart.JPG|thumb|475px|right|Organizational chart of the SDS prepared for Congressional Investigators by the FBI.]]

[[File:Sdsorgchart.JPG|thumb|475px|right|Organizational chart of the SDS prepared for Congressional Investigators by the FBI.]]

'''Students for a Democratic Society''' was founded by  

'''Students for a Democratic Society''' was founded by  

*Many key SDS members were "red-diaper babies," children of parents who were [[Communist Party]] members or Communist activists in the 1930s. In 1966, when President [[Lyndon Johnson]] abolished student draft deferments, some 300 new SDS chapters were formed. Among the organization's activities were: disrupting ROTC classes, staging draft card burnings, and harassing campus recruiters for the [[CIA]] and for firms that conducted research tied in some way to national defense. SDS also occupied buildings at universities such as Columbia and destroyed draft records.  

*Many key SDS members were "red-diaper babies," children of parents who were [[Communist Party]] members or Communist activists in the 1930s. In 1966, when President [[Lyndon Johnson]] abolished student draft deferments, some 300 new SDS chapters were formed. Among the organization's activities were: disrupting ROTC classes, staging draft card burnings, and harassing campus recruiters for the [[CIA]] and for firms that conducted research tied in some way to national defense. SDS also occupied buildings at universities such as Columbia and destroyed draft records.  

*At the 1968 [[Democrat]]ic Convention in Chicago, SDS protestors, organized by Tom Hayden, created a riot in order to destroy the electoral chances of the pro-war [[liberal]] [[Hubert Humphrey]], and thereby set the stage for a confrontation with the Nixon Administration over the [[Vietnam War]]. Hayden and his cohorts -- including [[Jerry Rubin]], [[Abby Hoffman]] and [[Black Panther]] [[Bobby Seale]] -- were arrested and indicted for crossing state lines to incite a riot. They became known as The Chicago Seven. In a celebrated trial (whose guilty verdict was subsequently overturned on a technicality), they were given token sentences.  

*At the 1968 [[Democrat]]ic Convention in Chicago, SDS protesters, organized by Tom Hayden, created a riot in order to destroy the electoral chances of the pro-war [[liberal]] [[Hubert Humphrey]], and thereby set the stage for a confrontation with the Nixon Administration over the [[Vietnam War]]. Hayden and his cohorts -- including [[Jerry Rubin]], [[Abby Hoffman]] and [[Black Panther]] [[Bobby Seale]] -- were arrested and indicted for crossing state lines to incite a riot. They became known as The Chicago Seven. In a celebrated trial (whose guilty verdict was subsequently overturned on a technicality), they were given token sentences.  

*In 1969 SDS began imploding into factions. One of them, a group calling itself Weatherman, was elected to SDS leadership and proclaimed that the time had come to launch a race war on behalf of the Third World and against the United States. The new entity dissolved SDS and formed a terrorist cult in its place, which was given the name [[Weather Underground]]. [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6723]

*In 1969 SDS began imploding into factions. One of them, a group calling itself Weatherman, was elected to SDS leadership and proclaimed that the time had come to launch a race war on behalf of the Third World and against the United States. The new entity dissolved SDS and formed a terrorist cult in its place, which was given the name [[Weather Underground]]. [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6723]

==Soviet/CPUSA influence==

==Soviet/CPUSA influence==

SDS was an important subject within the Soviet directed and funded [[Communist Party USA]] (CPUSA) in early 1968. The CPUSA decided to fight for Moscow directed ideology within SDS; to include articles on SDS in its publications; and to begin to put many more CP youth (cadre) directly into SDS and into the SDS National Office in order to get direct access to the SDS leadership. The need and possibility for greater CPUSA participation in SDS, and the possibilities for CPUSA recruitment from SDS, were emphasized. [[Rennie Davis]] at this time associated with Don Hamerquist of the CPUSA National Committee who was working with [[New Left]] organizations to formulate a program for a communist movement in the U.S.

SDS was an important subject within the Soviet directed and funded [[Communist Party USA]] (CPUSA) in early 1968. The CPUSA decided to fight for Moscow directed ideology within SDS; to include articles on SDS in its publications; and to begin to put many more CP youth (cadre) directly into SDS and into the SDS National Office in order to get direct access to the SDS leadership. The need and possibility for greater CPUSA participation in SDS, and the possibilities for CPUSA recruitment from SDS, were emphasized. [[Rennie Davis]] at this time associated with Don Hamerquist of the CPUSA National Committee who was working with [[New Left]] organizations to formulate a program for a communist movement in the U.S.

SDS member [[Carl Davidson]] again visited Cuba in March. He and others had a three hour discussion with [[Fidel Castro]], and reportedly met with representatives of North Korea, North Vietnam and Communist China.  During the militant Labor Forum, held in April, Davidson reported on his meeting with Castro, stating that Castro now believed that a socialist revolution was possible in the United States.  Davidson later was to become active in [[Progressives for Obama]].

SDS member [[Carl Davidson]] again visited Cuba in March. He and others had a three hour discussion with [[Fidel Castro]], and reportedly met with representatives of North Korea, North Vietnam and Communist China.  During the militant Labor Forum, held in April, Davidson reported on his meeting with Castro, stating that Castro now believed that a socialist revolution was possible in the United States.  Davidson later was to become active in [[Progressives for Obama]].

During April, SDS activist Steven Halliwell visited North Vietnam; Ken Cloke later to become a Weatherman and Revolutionary Union (RU)<ref>The Revolutionary Union was a “a Maoist offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society which sought a united front with other left-wing groups and had been infiltrating [[VVAW]] chapters around the country.” [http://www.archive-news.net/Articles/FD041012.html Kerry and the Antiwar Movement’s Communist Connections,] October 12, 2004. Retrieved from archive-news.net, March 2, 2010.</ref> member also met with a North Vietnamese delegation during this time in [[Sweden]].  

During April, SDS activist Steven Halliwell visited North Vietnam; Ken Cloke later to become a Weatherman and Revolutionary Union (RU)<ref>The Revolutionary Union was a “a Maoist offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society which sought a united front with other left-wing groups and had been infiltrating [[VVAW]] chapters around the country.” [http://www.archive-news.net/Articles/FD041012.html Kerry and the Antiwar Movement’s Communist Connections,] October 12, 2004. Retrieved from archive-news.net, March 2, 2010. The Revolutionary Union was an affiliate sponsor of Vietnam Veterans Against the War-Winter Soldier Organization demonstrations.  FBI Memo, “Demonstration Sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Against the War/Winter Soldier Organization (VVAW/WSO) at Washington, D.C., July 1-4, 1974,” FBI HQ 100-448092, Section 63, FBI HQ 100-448092 [http://web.archive.org/web/20061020164422/ice.he.net/~freepnet/fbifiles/100-HQ-448092/Section+63/Section+63.pdf Section 63, pp. 72-74] (pdf).  Full index online at [http://web.archive.org/web/20070208160606/http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/index.php?topic=VVAWFBI www.wintersolider.com,]</ref> member also met with a North Vietnamese delegation during this time in [[Sweden]].  

At the 1968 June SDS National Convention meeting it was decided that SDS should align itself with students from other countries. The convention adopted resolutions of solidarity with the students of [[Germany]] and [[France]] and with the Iranian Student Association. The resolution dealing with [[Iran]] stated in part:

At the 1968 June SDS National Convention meeting it was decided that SDS should align itself with students from other countries. The convention adopted resolutions of solidarity with the students of [[Germany]] and [[France]] and with the Iranian Student Association. The resolution dealing with [[Iran]] stated in part:

*[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6723 Students for a Democratic Society] - by Discover the Networks

*[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6723 Students for a Democratic Society] - by Discover the Networks

 

[[Category:Political Organizations]]

[[Category:Political Organizations]]