1968: A Tumultuous Year

1. Unit 7- The Vietnam War

2.  I. The Tet Offensive
 A. Tet- Lunar New Year in Vietnam
 B. Villagers went to city to celebrate and bury
the dead- coffins were filled with weapons, they
were Vietcong
 C. Vietcong attacked many SV cities by surprise

3.  D. 32K Vietcong dead, 3K Americans and S Viet.
Dead, US wins
 E. People lose support for the war- gov’t told them
Vietcong was almost defeated
 F. Walter Cronkite- “more certain than ever that
the bloody experience in VT is to end in a
stalemate

4.  G. Johnson loses credibility and decides not to run
for reelection
 H. Other Dems run against him, including Robert
Kennedy, JFK’s brother

5.  II. Violence and Protest
 A. April 4, 1968- MLK is assassinated
 Riots in over 100 cities across US
 B. June 6, 1968- RFK is assassinated
 Frontrunner for Presidency

6.  C. 1968 Democratic Convention (Chicago)
 1. Anti-war Eugene McCarthy vs. Hubert
Humphrey
 - Party leaders have already chosen Humphrey
 2. 10K protestors outside, 12K police and
National Guard attack protestors on TV

7.  III. Nixon Wins in 1968
 A. Richard Nixon (R) beats Humphrey and
George Wallace (I)
 B. Nixon promises two things:
 1. Restore law and order
 2. End war in Vietnam