1968: A Turning Point Unit 4 Section 2 Part 8

A. The Tet Offensive U.S. gov’t reports overly optimistic (We’ve got them on the run) January 31 st, 1968, VC launch coordinated, massive assault Attack included U.S. Embassy in Saigon Called the Tet Offensive VC trying to get S. Vietnamese on their side, but did the opposite U.S. successfully defeated the offensive and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy

B. Effects of the Tet Offensive Showed that no part of South Vietnam was safe Shattered the belief that enemy was weakening shattered belief that U.S. would win the war quickly The media began doubting the war effort Increased public criticism of the war Most people blamed Lyndon B. Johnson Sec. of Defense Robert Macnamara began openly seeking peace negotiations w/ N. Vietnam

C. Democratic Challengers When Johnson sought reelection in 1968, 3 out of 4 Americans opposed his policies on Vietnam Johnson faced challenges within his own political party Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy both fought Johnson for the nomination of the Democratic Party In March, 1968, Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection

D. Johnson Seeks a Solution Gen.l Westmoreland believed if more troops were sent, he could defeat the North Johnson denied his request Johnson announced that he would seek a peace treaty with the North The peace talks stalled over two issues 1) Johnson wanted all NVA out of South Vietnam 2) North Vietnam refused to accept a U.S.-backed president in South Vietnam

E. The Election of 1968 Democrats -fight for the nominee btwn 3 people Hubert Humphry (VP to Johnson) Sen. Robert Kennedy Sen. Eugene McCarthy Kennedy was the favorite for the democratic nominee and won many states As Kennedy finished a speech in a Los Angeles Hotel, he was shot 3 times and killed by a Jordanian immigrant -killed because he supported Jewish control of Israel

Only Humphrey and McCarthy made it to the Democratic convention in Chicago on August 1968 A large mob of Vietnam War protestors gathered outside Chicago mayor dispatched thousands of police to keep peace Protestors began to throw rocks and bottles at the police Police retaliated with clubs and tear gas Television cameras recorded the violence