The Stormy 1960sThe Stormy 1960s

Vietnam & the Great SocietyVietnam & the Great Society

Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson

LBJ’s hero was FDRLBJ’s hero was FDR Former Senate Majority Former Senate Majority

LeaderLeader Wanted to enact Wanted to enact

groundbreaking reform groundbreaking reform legislation= saw JFK’s legislation= saw JFK’s assassination, his assassination, his presidency & the presidency & the Vietnam War as an Vietnam War as an opportunity to improve opportunity to improve American societyAmerican society

LBJ used national LBJ used national sadness over JFK’s sadness over JFK’s death to pass Civil Rights death to pass Civil Rights reform= Civil Rights Act reform= Civil Rights Act of 1964: outlawed of 1964: outlawed discrimination in discrimination in employment or public employment or public facilities based in race, facilities based in race, color, religion or gendercolor, religion or gender

Also used intimidation & Also used intimidation & his status as a his status as a southernersoutherner

LBJ is re-elected in 1964 LBJ is re-elected in 1964 Goal= pass his domestic agenda called the Goal= pass his domestic agenda called the

“Great Society”= foundation of modern “Great Society”= foundation of modern welfare statewelfare state– Declared a “War on Poverty”Declared a “War on Poverty”

Project Head StartProject Head Start VISTA= domestic Peace CorpsVISTA= domestic Peace Corps HUD (Dept. of Housing & Urban Development)HUD (Dept. of Housing & Urban Development) Medicaid (medical care for poor)Medicaid (medical care for poor) Welfare & food stampsWelfare & food stamps

Problem= funding both the Great Society & Problem= funding both the Great Society & the Vietnam War.the Vietnam War.

Start of VietnamStart of Vietnam

Vietnam War started Vietnam War started between Vietnamese & between Vietnamese & FranceFrance at the end of at the end of WWIIWWII

Vietnamese wanted Vietnamese wanted independenceindependence & & France didn’t want to France didn’t want to give it to them.give it to them.

Result: Revolution led Result: Revolution led by Vietnamese by Vietnamese nationalist nationalist Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh

the battle of Dien Bien Phu the battle of Dien Bien Phu During the During the

French/Vietnamese war, French/Vietnamese war, President President EisenhowerEisenhower sent in military sent in military advisorsadvisors to help the Frenchto help the French

USA didn’t want another USA didn’t want another domino domino (Vietnam) to fall (Vietnam) to fall to communismto communism

In 1956 the French lost to In 1956 the French lost to the Vietnamese in the the Vietnamese in the battle of battle of Dien Bien Phu Dien Bien Phu

After Dien Bien Phu, the French agreed to After Dien Bien Phu, the French agreed to leave Vietnam, but to leave Vietnam, but to dividedivide Vietnam Vietnam between the North & South.between the North & South.– North Vietnam= North Vietnam= CommunistCommunist & led by & led by MinhMinh– South Vietnam- South Vietnam- capitalistcapitalist & led by & led by Ngo Dien Ngo Dien

DiemDiem– In 1960 there would be an In 1960 there would be an electionelection & the nation & the nation

would be reunited under whoever won the would be reunited under whoever won the electionelection

Diem RegimeDiem Regime

Problem: no one in Problem: no one in South Vietnam liked South Vietnam liked Diem. He took away Diem. He took away their rights & their rights & imprisoned anyone imprisoned anyone who opposed himwho opposed him

Diem kept pushing Diem kept pushing back the election back the election because he knew he because he knew he would lose.would lose.

To help Diem control To help Diem control South Vietnam, JFK South Vietnam, JFK sent in more military sent in more military advisors & CIA agents advisors & CIA agents

Still no one liked DiemStill no one liked Diem– Communists in North Communists in North

Vietnam= VietminhVietnam= Vietminh– Pro-communist guerillas Pro-communist guerillas

in South Vietnam= in South Vietnam= VietcongVietcong

In 1963 JFK allows the In 1963 JFK allows the CIA to help a coup to CIA to help a coup to overthrow Diem overthrow Diem

Diem is assassinatedDiem is assassinated 2 weeks later JFK is 2 weeks later JFK is

assassinated & LBJ assassinated & LBJ takes overtakes over

LBJ could have LBJ could have withdrawn troops, but withdrawn troops, but refuses. Feels USA refuses. Feels USA can overwhelm any can overwhelm any opposition= increases opposition= increases “advisors” in South “advisors” in South VietnamVietnam

Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident In 1964 US Navy reports the In 1964 US Navy reports the

North Vietnamese sank a US North Vietnamese sank a US destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkindestroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin

LBJ goes to Congress & asks LBJ goes to Congress & asks for permission to respondfor permission to respond

Congress passes the “Gulf of Congress passes the “Gulf of Tonkin Resolution” giving LBJ a Tonkin Resolution” giving LBJ a “blank check” (authority) to do “blank check” (authority) to do whatever he feels necessary to whatever he feels necessary to protect American interestsprotect American interests

EscalationEscalation Result: massive escalationResult: massive escalation

– Congress never declares Congress never declares war= UN police actionwar= UN police action

– Increased # of American Increased # of American troopstroops

– Increased bombing of Increased bombing of North VietnamNorth Vietnam

– Americanization of the Americanization of the war= US took over war for war= US took over war for South VietnamSouth Vietnam

– Americans told we’re Americans told we’re winning the war & it will be winning the war & it will be over shortlyover shortly

Turning PointTurning Point In 1968 the Tet Offensive In 1968 the Tet Offensive

occurs= massive occurs= massive Vietcong uprising in all Vietcong uprising in all major South Vietnamese major South Vietnamese citiescities

Shocks Americans who Shocks Americans who think war was almost think war was almost over= realize the military over= realize the military exaggerated winsexaggerated wins

Public opinion turns Public opinion turns against the war because against the war because people feel lied topeople feel lied to

War ProtestWar Protest

After Tet= war After Tet= war protests increaseprotests increase– Oppose the draftOppose the draft– Started at UC Started at UC

Berkeley & college Berkeley & college campusescampuses

New Left movement New Left movement starts by the SDS starts by the SDS (Students for a (Students for a Democratic Society)Democratic Society)– Anti-war protesters Anti-war protesters

called “doves”called “doves”

LBJLBJ

LBJ goes on TV & LBJ goes on TV & withdraws from the withdraws from the 1968 election1968 election

3 people run for the 3 people run for the democratic democratic nomination:nomination:– Eugene McCarthy (anti-Eugene McCarthy (anti-

war)war)– Robert Kennedy (JFK’s Robert Kennedy (JFK’s

brother)brother)– Hubert Humphrey Hubert Humphrey

(LBJ’s VP)(LBJ’s VP)

1968 Unrest1968 Unrest In April Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinatedIn April Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated Riots break out in 150 cities to protest the Riots break out in 150 cities to protest the

assassinationassassination In June democratic frontrunner Bobby In June democratic frontrunner Bobby

Kennedy is assassinatedKennedy is assassinated Assassinations convince many peaceful Assassinations convince many peaceful

change is impossiblechange is impossible In August riots & fights break out at the In August riots & fights break out at the

Democratic National Convention in ChicagoDemocratic National Convention in Chicago

1968 Election1968 Election

Republican= Republican= Richard NixonRichard Nixon

Democrat= Democrat= Hubert HumphreyHubert Humphrey

Independent= Independent= George WallaceGeorge Wallace

Nixon promised to end Nixon promised to end the Vietnam War & the Vietnam War & appealed to the “Silent appealed to the “Silent Majority” who were not Majority” who were not war protesterswar protesters

Humphrey was depicted Humphrey was depicted as being crazy & pro-as being crazy & pro-nuclear warnuclear war

Wallace ran on a pro-Wallace ran on a pro-segregation, white segregation, white supremacy campaignsupremacy campaign

Nixon wonNixon won

VietnamizationVietnamization Nixon promised to end US involvement in Nixon promised to end US involvement in

Vietnam by replacing American troops with Vietnam by replacing American troops with Vietnamese troops= “Vietnamization”Vietnamese troops= “Vietnamization”

But he also increased the number of air But he also increased the number of air strikes into North Vietnam & started bombing strikes into North Vietnam & started bombing Laos & CambodiaLaos & Cambodia

Public opinion started to turn against Nixon Public opinion started to turn against Nixon when by 1972 we still were not out of Vietnamwhen by 1972 we still were not out of Vietnam

It looked like Nixon might lose the 1972 It looked like Nixon might lose the 1972 election to George McGovernelection to George McGovern

End of VietnamEnd of Vietnam

Secretary of State Secretary of State Henry Kissinger finally Henry Kissinger finally negotiated a peace negotiated a peace agreement pulling US agreement pulling US troops out of Vietnam troops out of Vietnam in 1972 right before the in 1972 right before the electionelection

Nixon wins in 1972Nixon wins in 1972

War Powers ActWar Powers Act

In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Act= In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Act= ends blank checks to Presidents. Says Presidents ends blank checks to Presidents. Says Presidents must get approval from Congress for any military must get approval from Congress for any military commitment lasting more than 60 dayscommitment lasting more than 60 days

The Vietnam War The Vietnam War finally ends in 1975 finally ends in 1975 when North when North Vietnamese troops Vietnamese troops take over the South take over the South Vietnamese capitol of Vietnamese capitol of SaigonSaigon