The Vietnam War

Vietnam Divides the Nation z66% of Americans supported war in 1965 zAs war dragged on public support dropped because zBody counts on TV every night (first “living room” war) zCreates Credibility Gap: Gov’t says we are winning, images on news show the opposite zUnfair draft system

How is the draft unfair?  College students could defer draft until graduation  Working class men more likely to be drafted b/c they could not afford college  Minorities more likely to be drafted b/c they were less likely to go to college  Men begin protesting draft and burning draft cards

The Ground War zGeneral Westmoreland zGeneral Westmoreland, late 1967: Helps create credibility gap We can see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”

The Tet Offensive, January 1968 zN. Vietnamese Army + VietCong attack South simultaneously zTake every major southern city zAttack American Embassy in Saigon, SV zU.S. + SV beat back the offensive zN. Vietnamese army militarily defeated zBUT…it’s seen as an American defeat by the media

Credibility Gap Reports from the U.S. Government Media reports on T.V. Credibility Gap Even though we won Tet militarily, it turns public opinion against war

Impact of the Tet Offensive zDomestic U.S. Reaction: Disbelief, Anger, Distrust of Johnson Administration zHzHzHzHey, Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?

Johnson’s popularity dropped in 1968 from 48% to 36%.

Impact of the Vietnam War on 1968 Election …I …I shall not seek, seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President. Johnson announces (March, 1968):

Who will run for Election in 1968?  Republicans: Richard M. Nixon  Democrats: –Robert Kennedy: Best hope  Assassinated during campaign in 1968 –Hubert Humphrey runs  Nixon wins b/c he promises to end war

American Morale Begins to Dip zDisproportionate representation of poor people and minorities in combat. zSevere racial problems. zMajor drug problems.

1968 – Year that changes everything  Lyndon Johnson does not run for re-election  Robert Kennedy assassinated  Riots at Democratic National Convention  Nixon Elected President  Martin Luther King Jr assassinated  Tet offensive

Changes after Tet  26 th Amendment –Voting age 18 –Old enough to serve, old enough to vote  Pentagon Papers –Secret Papers on war leaked to media –Shows gov. had not been honest about war –Gov’t loses more credibility