The 1968 The 1968 Election and the Election and the Silent MajoritySilent Majority

Tet Offensive and Tet Offensive and Presidential ApprovalPresidential Approval

In the first days of 1968, In the first days of 1968, President Johnson and President Johnson and General Westmoreland General Westmoreland expressed optimism about expressed optimism about Vietnam.Vietnam.

However, on January 30However, on January 30thth, , the North Vietnamese and the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched a Viet Cong launched a massive offensive on the massive offensive on the lunar holiday of Tet.lunar holiday of Tet.

US forces achieved US forces achieved military victory, but military victory, but Americans were shocked Americans were shocked and demoralized by the and demoralized by the strength of the enemy.strength of the enemy.

Overview of the Tet Overview of the Tet OffensiveOffensive

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-234636?tocId=234636&ref=news0905arc

The New Hampshire The New Hampshire PrimaryPrimary On March 12On March 12thth, President , President

Johnson narrowly defeated Johnson narrowly defeated Senator Eugene McCarthy Senator Eugene McCarthy in the first primary.in the first primary.

The challenge to LBJ The challenge to LBJ illustrated the disunity of illustrated the disunity of the party.the party.

This was an embarrassing This was an embarrassing development- LBJ was is development- LBJ was is serious political peril.serious political peril.

Quest for the Democratic Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Eugene Nomination: Eugene

McCarthyMcCarthy McCarthy was an McCarthy was an

outspoken opponent of the outspoken opponent of the Vietnam war.Vietnam war.

He attracted liberals and He attracted liberals and white suburbanites.white suburbanites.

Student volunteers cut Student volunteers cut their hair and dressed their hair and dressed conservatively to make a conservatively to make a good impression. “Be good impression. “Be Clean for Gene!”Clean for Gene!”

LBJ Declines to RunLBJ Declines to Run Four days after the NH Four days after the NH

Primary, Senator Robert Primary, Senator Robert F. Kennedy announced his F. Kennedy announced his candidacy.candidacy.

The combination of low The combination of low approval, the stress of approval, the stress of Vietnam, the disappointing Vietnam, the disappointing NH primary, and RFK’s NH primary, and RFK’s challenge discouraged LBJ challenge discouraged LBJ from running.from running.

Quest for the Democratic Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Robert F. Nomination: Robert F.

KennedyKennedy RFK was anti-war and he RFK was anti-war and he

reached out to African reached out to African Americans and Latinos. Americans and Latinos. He was charismatic and He was charismatic and popular, splitting the anti-popular, splitting the anti-war vote.war vote.

RFK supported the RFK supported the National Farm Workers National Farm Workers Union strike against grape Union strike against grape producers, led by Cesar producers, led by Cesar Chavez.Chavez.

He soon overtook He soon overtook McCarthy, winning nearly McCarthy, winning nearly all the primaries.all the primaries.

RFK Announces the Death RFK Announces the Death of Martin Luther Kingof Martin Luther King

On April 4, shortly before On April 4, shortly before addressing a mostly addressing a mostly African American crowd at African American crowd at an Indianapolis campaign an Indianapolis campaign rally, RFK learned of rally, RFK learned of King’s assassination.King’s assassination.

Although advised not to Although advised not to speak that night, RFK speak that night, RFK informed the crowd of the informed the crowd of the tragedy in Memphis.tragedy in Memphis.

RFK AssassinationRFK Assassination Hours after winning the Hours after winning the

decisive California primary decisive California primary on June 4on June 4thth, Kennedy was , Kennedy was assassinated while assassinated while addressing a crowd in the addressing a crowd in the early morning hours of early morning hours of June 5June 5thth..

Thus, in the 1960’s, Thus, in the 1960’s, America witnessed the America witnessed the assassinations of John F. assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Martin Luther King, and Robert F. Kennedy.Robert F. Kennedy.

Quest for the Democratic Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Hubert H. Nomination: Hubert H.

HumphreyHumphrey After Johnson's withdrawal After Johnson's withdrawal

from the race, Vice President from the race, Vice President Hubert Humphrey announced Hubert Humphrey announced his candidacy. his candidacy.

He had a strong civil rights He had a strong civil rights record and ties to organized record and ties to organized labor, but his affiliation with labor, but his affiliation with Johnson and support for the Johnson and support for the Vietnam made him unappealing Vietnam made him unappealing to anti-war voters.to anti-war voters.

After Kennedy's assassination, After Kennedy's assassination, Humphrey was the only Humphrey was the only candidate with the credentials candidate with the credentials to secure the nomination. to secure the nomination.

Humphrey did not compete in Humphrey did not compete in the primaries, but he did use the primaries, but he did use his political connections to his political connections to garner enough delegates to win garner enough delegates to win at Democratic Convention at Democratic Convention

Ironically, his campaign was Ironically, his campaign was called "The Politics of Joy." called "The Politics of Joy."

1968 Democratic 1968 Democratic Convention in ChicagoConvention in Chicago

The events of the The events of the Convention, dramatically Convention, dramatically illustrated the divisions in illustrated the divisions in the Party and society.the Party and society.

Anti-war activists planned Anti-war activists planned a massive demonstration. a massive demonstration. In response, Chicago's In response, Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley Mayor Richard Daley refused all parade permits refused all parade permits and mobilized over 20,000 and mobilized over 20,000 law enforcement law enforcement personnel, including local personnel, including local police, the National Guard, police, the National Guard, and US Army.and US Army.

Violence at the Violence at the ConventionConvention

On August 28, as On August 28, as demonstrators marched demonstrators marched toward the convention toward the convention arena, a "police riot" arena, a "police riot" occurred. occurred.

Officers fired tear gas Officers fired tear gas and beat protesters and and beat protesters and reporters reporters indiscriminately. indiscriminately.

Humphrey won the Humphrey won the nomination, but the nomination, but the Democratic party was Democratic party was hopelessly fractured.hopelessly fractured.

Disorder on the Disorder on the Convention FloorConvention Floor

The Nixon CampaignThe Nixon Campaign At the 1968 Republican At the 1968 Republican

Convention in Miami Richard Convention in Miami Richard Nixon was nominated on the Nixon was nominated on the first ballot and Spiro Agnew first ballot and Spiro Agnew emerged as his running mate. emerged as his running mate.

Nixon campaigned as the Nixon campaigned as the champion of the "silent champion of the "silent majority," the hardworking majority," the hardworking Americans who paid taxes, did Americans who paid taxes, did not demonstrate, and desired a not demonstrate, and desired a restoration of "law and order.“restoration of "law and order.“

Nixon vowed to restore respect Nixon vowed to restore respect for the rule of law, reconstitute for the rule of law, reconstitute the dignity and stature of the dignity and stature of America, dispose of ineffectual America, dispose of ineffectual social welfare programs, and social welfare programs, and provide strong leadership to provide strong leadership to end the turmoil of the 1960's. end the turmoil of the 1960's.

The Wallace CampaignThe Wallace Campaign For the first time since For the first time since

1948, a serious third party 1948, a serious third party candidate ran for candidate ran for president.president.

Alabama Governor Alabama Governor George Wallace, an ardent George Wallace, an ardent segregationist, railed segregationist, railed against anti-war against anti-war demonstrators, urban demonstrators, urban uprisings, and school uprisings, and school integration initiatives with integration initiatives with

incendiary language.incendiary language.

The Significance of The Significance of WallaceWallace

Wallace did surprisingly Wallace did surprisingly well in the polls until his well in the polls until his selection of Air Force selection of Air Force General Curtis LeMay as a General Curtis LeMay as a running mate. running mate.

LeMay famously advocated LeMay famously advocated the use of nuclear weapons the use of nuclear weapons to "bomb North Vietnam to "bomb North Vietnam back to the Stone Age," and back to the Stone Age," and this did not resonate with this did not resonate with most Americans. most Americans.

Wallace won only five states Wallace won only five states in the Deep South, but his in the Deep South, but his limited success illustrates limited success illustrates the polarization of American the polarization of American public opinion and the public opinion and the lingering influence of lingering influence of racism. racism.

The Outcome of the The Outcome of the ElectionElection

Analyzing the OutcomeAnalyzing the Outcome Richard Nixon only narrowly Richard Nixon only narrowly

defeated Hubert Humphrey, defeated Hubert Humphrey, but the combined total of but the combined total of popular votes for Nixon and popular votes for Nixon and Wallace indicate a shift to Wallace indicate a shift to the right in American the right in American politics. politics.

The 1960's began as an era The 1960's began as an era of optimism and possibility of optimism and possibility and ended in disunity and and ended in disunity and distrust. distrust.

The Vietnam war and a The Vietnam war and a series of assassinations and series of assassinations and crises eroded public trust in crises eroded public trust in government and produced a government and produced a backlash against liberal backlash against liberal movements and the movements and the Democratic party. Democratic party.

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