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1968: The Pivotal Year

1968: The Pivotal Year. The Tet Offensive. Jan. 30, 1968 Vietcong and N. Vietnamese launched surprise attack during Tet New Year. There was an agreed upon 2 day cease-fire for both sides so the Vietnamese could celebrate the Tet New Year

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1968: The Pivotal Year

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  1. 1968: The Pivotal Year

  2. The Tet Offensive • Jan. 30, 1968 Vietcong and N. Vietnamese launched surprise attack during Tet New Year. • There was an agreed upon 2 day cease-fire for both sides so the Vietnamese could celebrate the Tet New Year • Vietminh and Vietcong launched attack on 1st day of Tet • Vietcong attacked major cities and towns and all American airbases in South Vietnam and major cities

  3. The Tet Offensive • More than 80,000 communists attacked towns and cities in S. Vietnam • In Saigon, South Vietnamese capital, the Viet Cong attacked the American embassy • Fierce fighting in Saigon continued for several weeks

  4. Communist Brutality • Communists slaughtered anyone labeled an enemy, including minor officials, teachers, and doctors • Hue, South Vietnam—a massive grave of 3,000 to 5,000 civilian bodies found after Americans retook the city • American forces dislodged the Viet Cong from most positions they seized in South Vietnam

  5. Turning point of the War? • Americans were shocked that the N. Vietnamese who were supposedly near defeat, could launch an attack • Gen. Westmoreland called for more troopssignal that we could not win the war • Tet Offensive shattered the credibility of the U.S. gov’t who claimed the enemy was virtually beaten • LBJ’s approval rating sunkannounced he would not run in 1968

  6. Turning point of the war • Military disaster for Vietcong/N. Vietnam • Political success for Vietcong/N. Vietnam • Tet Offensive demonstrated that the Viet Cong was still strong • Anti-war protests increased • Lasted from January to September 1968

  7. My Lai Massacre • Due to the stress of the war, some American soldiers committed atrocities • My Lai, a small village in South Vietnam, was thought to be hiding 250 Viet Cong • U.S. infantry moved to clear out the village in March 1968 for a “search and destroy” mission • U.S. soldiers found women, children, and old men • Lieutenant William L. CalleyJr ordered for all civilians to be rounded up and then executed

  8. “We huddled them up. We made them squat down…I poured about four clips [about 68 shots] into the group…Well, we kept right on firing…I still dream about it…Some nights, I can’t event sleep. I just lay there thinking about it.” Private Paul Meadlo

  9. My Lai (cont’d) • About 400 Vietnamese died • An American helicopter crew landed the helicopter between the soldiers and Vietnamese to stop the killing • Hugh Thompson, the pilot, evacuated the remaining Vietnamese

  10. Effects of My Lai • American people did not learn of My Lai until Nov. 1969 (20 months later) • News of the My Lai incident broke and news of the Army cover-up enraged Americans • Lieutenant Calley was sentenced to life in prison, but had his term reduced to 20 years by President Nixon • Released on good behavior after three years • The helicopter crew received the Soldier’s Medal for bravery in 1998

  11. Johnson Decides Not to Run • As a result of Tet, polls showed that 72% of Americans were against the war • LBJ rarely left the White House for fears of being assaulted by angry protestors • 1968 Democrat Eugene McCarthy’s anti-war campaign gained momentum • McCarthy was going to challenge LBJ for the Democratic nomination for the Election of 1968 • March 12—McCarthy almost beat LBJ in the New Hampshire primary • Robert Kennedy entered the race as an anti-war candidate

  12. On March 31, 1968, President Johnson declared in a nationally televised speech that he would not run for another term • Robert Kennedy’s campaign on anti-war and pro-civil rights made him the front runner to be the Democratic candidate in 1968

  13. Two Leaders Fall • Two Americans who spoke out against the war were killed in 1968 • MLK Jr., who spoke out against the war on moral grounds and opposed blacks being drafted, was killed on April 4 • Robert Kennedy was killed on June 5 after celebrating his victory in the California primary by a Jordanian immigrant, SirhanSirhan • The nation was shocked and mourned the death of MLK, Jr. and RFK

  14. Violence at the Democratic Convention in Chicago • Thousands of protestors gathered for a rally near the convention hotel • Protests erupt after Democratic delegates refuse to pass an anti-war plank for the party’s platform • Police moved in with nightsticks to club anyone on the street • Much of the violence took place in front of cameras

  15. Election of 1968 • Hubert Humphrey, LBJ’s VP, was chosen as the Democratic candidate • Humphrey fully supported the Vietnam War and had publicly scorned peace activists as cowardly and un-American • Richard Nixon who promoted “peace with honor” in Vietnam defeated Humphrey by only about 500,000 votes

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