1. 1968
A Turning Point

2. Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh
Late 1967, the US military noticed increasing traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Jan. 1968, the NVA & VC struck Khe Sanh
After the 77-day siege, the US held Khe Sanh
*The real purpose was to distract the US from the urban areas where major strikes were planned
Do you think this would be an effective strategy?

3. Tet Offensive Tet Offensive was…
A Vietcong (VC) attack on several cities & the U.S. Embassy in South Vietnam
It was a series of massive, coordinated attacks through South Vietnam
It occurred during the New Year which in the past had been celebrated with a cease-fire
The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) & VC took advantage of the surprise
*It became a critical point in the Vietnam War

5. Main Attacks Tet Offensive
84,000 Communists attacked 12 U.S. military bases & 100 South Vietnamese cities
The goal was to inspire the South Vietnamese to rise up against the government but it failed
In fact, because the VC killed US supporters, civilians turned against the VC
After 1 month of fighting, the areas were retaken by the US forces

7. Effects of the Tet Offensive
US military realized that no part of South Vietnam was safe from attack
General belief that the US would achieve a quick victory was shattered
Walter Cronkite (CBS Anchor) expressed his frustration & doubt causing LBJ to say “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle America”
Americans became critical of the government & McNamara who had shaped US policy
McNamara saw the lack of success & started leaning toward a peace negotiation
Review: What was the Tet Offensive?

9. Review
In 1964, LBJ won with commercials like this:
However by 1968 LBJ wasn’t willing to continue

10. Democratic Challengers
As LBJ considered re-election in 1968, several events happened…
¾ Americans opposed LBJ’s policies in Vietnam
Eugene McCarthy finished 2nd in the Democratic primaries (behind LBJ)
Robert Kennedy (RFK) entered the race for president
Because of the division within the party, LBJ announced that he would not run again

11. Johnson Seeks a Solution
Escalation
LBJ’s policy of increasing troops & supplies to Vietnam
LBJ considers peace negotiations
Peace Talks Stall because:
US wanted all NVA out of South Vietnam but they refused
North Vietnamese would not accept a temporary South Vietnamese government with a US-backed President (Nguyen Van Thieu)

12. Election of 1968 Candidates
LBJ’s Vice President Hubert Humphrey entered the race
Vietnam is a hot issue
RFK gained ground & won the crucial CA primary
However he is assassinated in CA

13. Democratic Convention
Humphrey & McCarthy debate inside convention at Chicago
Outside, chaos erupts as 10,000 protestors gathered to demand an immediate end to the war & “Peace Now!”
Violence continues as police club demonstrators with rifle butts & clubs … some bystanders are injured

14. Convention continued TV captured the violence Viewers were shocked
Humphrey wins the nomination
*Chaos = symptom of growing ‘generation gap’ over the government, politics, & Vietnam
Teens & young adults were at odds with their parents

15. Richard Nixon
Republicans had the advantage due to the division of the Democratic Party
Former Vice President Nixon easily won the Republican nomination
Choose Spiro Agnew as VP
He appealed to patriotism
He wanted to “End the war honorably”

17. Election of 1968 Candidates Election was close
Hubert Humphrey (Democratic)
Richard Nixon (Republican)
George Wallace (Independent)
Former Alabama governor
Gained national attention for staunch opposition to civil rights movement
Election was close
Nixon got 43.4% of popular vote vs. Humphrey’s 42.7%
Electoral vote was not as close: Nixon 301 vs. Humphrey 191
Nixon emerged a confident leader