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1968: A Tumultuous Year

1968: A Tumultuous Year. Main Idea: An enemy attack in Vietnam, two assassinations, and a chaotic political convention made 1968 an explosive year. The Tet Offensive. Description: series of massive coordinated attacks throughout South Vietnam by the Vietcong

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1968: A Tumultuous Year

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  1. 1968: A Tumultuous Year Main Idea: An enemy attack in Vietnam, two assassinations, and a chaotic political convention made 1968 an explosive year

  2. The Tet Offensive • Description: series of massive coordinated attacks throughout South Vietnam by the Vietcong • Began January 30 during Tet festivities • Truce proclaimed for festivities • Festivities for new year and funerals for dead • Thousands of NVA and Vietcong troops attacked a US military base, embassy in Saigon, 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam • Tet Offensive lasted for a month

  3. The Tet Offensive • Results: US “military” victory • Demonstrated that no part of South Vietnam was safe from attack • Caused many Americans to question whether or not the war in Vietnam could be won • “The enemy is close to defeat” • Widening of the Johnson credibility gap • Media openly criticized the war

  4. Vietnam and Johnson • March 1968 Johnson announces he will not seek reelection • 1968 60% Americans disapprove of his handling of the war • US will seek negotiations to end the war • US policy of escalation would end • Bombing would eventually cease • Steps would be taken to ensure that the South Vietnamese played a larger role in the war

  5. Chaos of 1968 • April 4, 1968 MLK assassinated • Shot by James Earl Ray on the balcony of hotel • June 6, 1968 RFK assassinated • Shot leaving a Las Vegas hotel by Sirhan Sirhan, a Jordanian immigrant who didn’t like Kennedy’s support for Israel • Major college demonstrations targeting US involvement in Vietnam • Columbia University • Turmoil at Democratic National Convention

  6. Democratic Convention 1968 • Goal = select party nominee • Eugene McCarthy (MN Senator) • Robert Kennedy (NY Senator) (assassinated) • Hubert Humphrey (Johnson’s VP) • Description: antiwar protestors turned violent at Chicago convention • Protestors upset at selection of Humphrey as nominee • Protestors wanted Democrats to adopt antiwar platform • Police and protestors clashed (mace, beatings) • Television cameras captured events • “The Whole World is Watching!”

  7. Other Contenders in 1968 • George Wallace • Independent (former Democrat) • Former Alabama governor • Nominated by the American Independent Party • Opposed the civil rights movement and school desegregation and war protesters • Appealed to conservative Democratic white southerners and working class whites Richard Nixon • Republican • Won the nomination at the Republican National Convention • Chose Spiro Agnew as his running mate • Appealed to the patriotism of mainstream Americans • Promised “law and order” • Claimed to have a secret plan to end the war “with honor”

  8. Democratic Convention 1968 • Results: Democrats perceived as chaotic and disorganized • Republicans win presidency • Richard Nixon

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