1. Vietnam Divides the Nation
Chapter 30 Section 3

2. A Gap in Credibility
As the Vietnam War drug on public support b/g to drop
Suspicion about the govt. truthfulness was a significant reason
US generals continued to report that the Vietcong were on the brink of defeat
Contradicting reports were less optimistic, especially on TV
The Vietnam war was the first “television war” w/ footage from combat appearing nightly

3. A Gap in Credibility
Millions of people saw images of wounded and dead Americans
They b/g to doubt the govt. reports
A credibility gap developed
Credibility gap – it was hard to b/l what LBJ’s administration said about the war

4. Teach-In’s
As casualties mounted in Vietnam many people b/g to protest against the war
They demanded the US pull out of Vietnam
March 1965 – a group of faculty members and students at the University of Michigan abandoned their classes and joined together in a tech-in
Teach-in – informal discussion of the issues surrounding the war and reaffirm their reasons for opposing it

5. An Unfair Draft?
Young protestors focused on what they b/l to be an unfair draft system
A college student was often able to defer military service until after graduation
Therefore, young people from low income families were more likely to be sent to Vietnam b/c they were unable to afford college
Minorities, especially blacks, made up a disproportionately large number of the soldiers in Vietnam

6. Dodging the Draft
As the war escalated, US officials increased the draft call, putting many college students at risk
An estimated 500,000 draftees refused to go
Many burned their draft cards
Some simply did not report when called
Some fled the country (moving to Canada, Sweden, etc)
Others stayed and went to prison rather than fight in a war they opposed

7. Go Fight, Can’t Vote?
Anger over the draft also fueled discussion of the voting age
Many draftees argued that if they were old enough to fight, they were old enough to vote
1971 – the 26th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified
Gave all citizens age 18 and older the right to vote in all state and federal elections

8. Hawks and Doves 1968 the nation was divided into two categories
Doves - wanted the US to w/draw from Vietnam
Hawks – insisted the US stay and fight

9. The Tet Offensive January 30, 1968 – The Tet Offensive
Tet is the Vietnamese New Year
The Vietcong and N. Vietnamese launched a massive surprise attack
Guerrilla fighters attacked virtually all American airbases in S. Vietnam and most of the South’s major cities
The Vietcong even blasted their way into the American embassy in Saigon

10. The Tet Offensive
Militarily, Tet turned out to be a disaster for the Vietcong
After a month of fighting, the US and S. Vietnamese soldiers repelled the Vietcong inflicting heavy losses on them

11. The Tet Offensive Politically, the Vietcong had scored a major victory
The American people were shocked an enemy supposedly on the verge of defeat could launch such a large-scale attack
When more troops were asked to go to Vietnam it seemed to be an admission that the US could not win the war

12. Mass Media
Mainstream media had tried to remain balanced in their war coverage, but after Tet they openly criticized the war effort
Public opinion no longer favored the president
LBJ and his administration’s credibility was now too far gone to repair

13. Johnson Leaves Office
March 31, 1968 – Johnson addressed the public on TV
LBJ stunned viewers by stating “…I shall not seek, and will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.”
Bobby Kennedy announced he would be running for the Democratic nomination for president

14. Assassinations
April 1968 – James Earl Ray kills Martin Luther King, Jr.
June 1968 – Bobby Kennedy is assassinated
All of the violence, protests, and assassinations benefitted Richard Nixon

15. 1968 Election Richard M. Nixon… Governor George Wallace…
Republican nominee for president
Governor George Wallace…
Independent running for the presidency
Hubert Humphrey…
Democratic nominee for president
Nixon wins the presidency