Chapter 22: The Vietnam War Years Section 4: 1968: A Tumultuous Year

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Chapter 22The Vietnam War YearsSection
41968 A Tumultuous Year
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• California Academic Standards 11.9.3 11.9.4
• 11.9 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy since
  World War II.
• .3 Trace the origins and geopolitical
  consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold
  War and containment policy, including the
  following
• The Vietnam War
• .4 List the effects of foreign policy on domestic
  policies and vice versa (e.g., protests during
  the war in Vietnam, the "nuclear freeze"
  movement).

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• Objectives
• Following lecture and reading of this section,
  students will be able to
• Describe the Tet offensive and its effects on
  American public opinion.
• Explain the domestic turbulence of 1968.
• Describe the 1968 presidential election.

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• Overview
• A surprise attack by the Vietcong begins the year
  of 1968.
• Two assassinations, urban riots, and campus
  protests rocked the nation.
• The chaotic Democratic convention helps pave the
  way for Republican Richard Nixons win in
  Novembers presidential election.

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• The Tet Offensive Turns the War
• Early in 1968, North Vietnam and the Vietcong
  launch a surprise attack, it became known as the
  Tet offensive.
• Tet is the Vietnamese term for New Year and a
  week long truce was agreed upon to celebrate the
  New Year.

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• As a result of that truce many villagers fled
  back into towns and cities.
• During this time many funerals were being held
  for the victims of the war in South Vietnam.
• The Vietcong knowing this brought in weapons in
  coffins disguised themselves as villagers and
  surprise attacked nearly 100 cities in South
  Vietnam, as well as 12 U.S. air bases, and the
  U.S. embassy in Saigon killing 5 Americans there.

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• It took over a month for U.S. and South
  Vietnamese forces to regain control of the
  cities.
• The Vietcong lost about 32,000 soldiers, while
  the U.S. and ARVN only lost about 3,000.
• A 101 advantage for the U.S.
• The Tet offensive changed public opinion about
  the war and contributed to Johnsons decision not
  to seek reelection.

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• Many Americans believed the Vietcong was close to
  defeat and this display of surprise attack seemed
  to tell people otherwise.
• The credibility gap of Johnsons administration
  grew even wider than it already was
• A poll before the Tet offensive showing that only
  28 of people considered themselves doves and 56
  considered themselves hawks changed to a 40-40
  split following the Tet offensive.

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• The Tet offensive sours the medias and the
  publics view of the war.
• Walter Cronkite and other news agencies began to
  criticize the war and claim it was going to end
  in a bloody stalemate.
• Clark Clifford, the new Secretary of Defense who
  was replacing Robert McNamara and strongly agreed
  with Johnsons Vietnam War policy, reached the
  conclusion that the

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• war was unwinnable and that to put more U.S.
  soldiers in Vietnam would only force the Vietcong
  to match them and continue losing lives.
• By the end of February, President Johnsons
  popularity has plummeted and he knew he was in
  trouble.

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• Days of Loss and Rage
• Some Democrats wanted to oust President Johnson
  from office.
• Robert Kennedy was asked to run against him, but
  he would not do it because he wanted to be loyal
  to his party.
• Eugene McCarthy was willing to try to unseat
  Johnson as the

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• Democratic partys candidate for the 1968
  election.
• The impressive showing of an antiwar candidate,
  Eugene McCarthy, in the New Hampshire Democratic
  primary in which he received 42 and Johnson only
  received 48 prompts Robert Kennedy to join the
  presidential race.

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• On March 31, 1968, President Johnson announced a
  dramatic change in Vietnam policy (ending
  escalation, ceasing the bombing of North Vietnam,
  and ensuring South Vietnam played a larger part
  in their war) and Johnson decided to bow out of
  the presidential race and not seek or accept the
  nomination of the Democratic Party for president.

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• Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy are
  assassinated and campus protests surge.
• MLK Jr. was assassinated just days after Johnson
  announced he was stepping down on April 4, 1968.
• Riots erupted as followers of Dr. King burned
  buildings and destroyed neighborhoods in nearly
  100 U.S. cities.

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• At the end of the week 46 people were dead 3,000
  were injured, and 27,000 were arrested.
• Robert Kennedy had become very popular and after
  winning the California Primary election and
  giving his victory speech, he was shot and killed
  by a Palestinian immigrant who disliked his
  support of Israel.

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• College campuses continued there protests with
  40,000 students on over 100 campuses taking part
  in more than 221 demonstrations people began to
  feel as if the country was ripping apart at its
  seems.

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• A Turbulent Race for President
• Protests spark rioting in Chicago during the
  Democratic National Convention.
• The protests showed the nation that the
  Democratic Party was in upheaval and disagreement.

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• Protesters began a riot in Chicago which scared
  many people away from the party.
• Delegates at the Democratic convention bitterly
  debate the partys antiwar plank.
• Vice-President Hubert Humphrey wins the
  Democratic Partys presidential nomination in the
  face of controversy that he was nominated before
  the convention had taken place.

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• The Republican presidential candidate, Richard
  Nixon, wins the 1968 election.