1. : A Tumultuous Year
Lesson Objective: To understand the impact of the events of 1968 on American History

2. Quiz /10
What Vietnamese holiday did the NVA/VC pick to launch their major offensive in 1968?
Who was the prominent CBS reporter that came out against the War after that offensive?
Who was assassinated in LA after winning the Democratic party primary in California?
Where was the Democratic convention in 1968?
Who was elected President in 1968?

3. 1968: Timeline January: The Tet Offensive
March- LBJ declines to run for reelection
April- MLK assassinated
June- RFK assassinated
August: Democratic National Convention riots in Chicago
November: Nixon Elected President

4. The Tet Offensive January 30- Vietnamese New Year
Surprise attack on nearly 100 towns and U.S./ARVN military bases
Heavy Fighting
Saigon- VC overrun U.S. Embassy- kill five Americans
Hue City- former imperial capital
Takes U.S./ARVN a month to regain control of South Vietnam
Casualties
U.S./ARVN- 3,000
VC- 32,000
Who really won?

5. VC/NVA ASSUALT ON SAIGON, TET OFFENSIVE, JAN., 1968

7. U.S. Marines, Hue City, January, 1968

11. Iconic Vietnam War photo

12. Effect of Tet on Public Opinion
Before Tet
28%- Doves
56% Hawks
After Tet
40% Doves
40% Hawks
Media comes out against the war
Walter Cronkite openly criticizes the war
Clark Clifford (replaced McNamara as Secretary of Defense ) openly questions if war is winnable
Feb- 1968
60% disapprove of LBJ’s handling of the war
50% Believe mistake for U.S. to enter war
“If I’ve lost Walter, then its over.” -LBJ

13. WALTER CRONKITE, CBS NEWS, VIETNAM, 1968

14. WALTER CRONKITE, CBS NEWS
If I’ve lost Walter, then its over. -LBJ

15. Moving Towards Election
March- Televised address- No more U.S. Escalation
Announces peace negotiations will begin
Smaller role for U.S forces
Reduced bombing of N. Vietnam
ARVN will Carry more responsibility
Not only major announcement
LBJ barely wins New Ham spire primary to little known senator Eugene McCarthy (D- MN)
LBJ Drops out of election- will not seek reelection

16. Democrats and the Election of 1968
After LBJ declines:
Sen. Eugene McCarthy D-Min
Sen. RFK D-NY
VP Hubert Humphrey
Where does each candidate draw their support?
McCarthy – far left, young people, anti- war
RFK- minorities, poor/ working class
Humphrey remaining Dems, LBJ supporters
RFK is assassinated in June 1968
Humphrey vs McCarthy go into Democratic national convention

17. 1968 Democratic Candidates
Eugene McCarthy RFK Hubert Humphrey

18. Chicago August 1968- Chicago is site for Dem National Convention
New Left groups target Convention for massive protests
Why?
Mostly made up of S.D.S. and “Yippies”
Mayor Daly of Chicago vows to keep order
Violence between protesters and police
Hubert Humphrey wins nomination- without running a campaign
What effect is this going to have on the national race?

19. CHICAGO MAYOR RICHARD J. DALY

21. Abbie Hoffman- Yippie Organizer of Chicago Protests

22. 1968 General Election Three way race Race focuses on three key issues:
R- Richard M. Nixon
D- Hubert Humphrey
I- George Wallace
Race focuses on three key issues:
Vietnam
Race relations
Gov’t Credibility
Results:
Nixon 301 electoral votes
Humphrey 191 electoral votes
Wallace 46 Electoral votes
Wallace takes working class white/Southern base from Dems; Nixon is able to win the election

24. RICHARD NIXON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1968 - 74