What The... (Is a Going on in Washington)

The country song "What the..." (Is a Going on in Washington)" (Nugget Records # NR 247), by Bob Withers, is narrated from the position of a soldier in the war zone, who feared for his life: "here I sit in Vietnam...sent half around this world to die". Is this song criticising US politicians over the Vietnam War, or is it an attack on the protest movement? It included the line: "All these people were our friends not long ago, they fought Hitler, Mussolini, and Tōjō" - this could be a reference to the Vietnamese - a former World War Two ally, who had helped the US against Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), and Tōjō (Japan)? Or perhaps it is an attack on the draft card burners and protester in Washington (as it included the line: "some guys have burnt their draft cards up at home, don't send them here") - who may have backed or agreed with the cause of the Second World War, but now protested against the actions of US soldiers in Vietnam. Overall, this seems to be an anti-war song, and strongly critical of the US government. Is so, this would be one of the earliest anti-Vietnam War songs in the country music genre.

Vietnam War Song Project