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1968:The key events of 1968…

1968:The key events of 1968…. The Pueblo Incident The Tet Offensive The assassination of MLK The assassination of RFK The 1968 Democratic Convention The 1968 Presidential election. The greatest number of troops in Vietnam was in 1968. 1968: 536,000 troops / 31,000 Dead

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1968:The key events of 1968…

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  1. 1968:The key events of 1968… • The Pueblo Incident • The Tet Offensive • The assassination of MLK • The assassination of RFK • The 1968 Democratic Convention • The 1968 Presidential election • The greatest number of troops in Vietnam was in 1968. • 1968: 536,000 troops / 31,000 Dead • Vietnam was the major issue in the 1968 Presidential election. ..Stay the course or withdraw?

  2. Doves & HawksAn analogy... Hawks are predators which attack & feed upon other animals, whereas doves mostly eat seeds & fruit. A Hawk is someone favoring war. A Dove is someone favoring peace.

  3. The Pueblo IncidentJanuary 23, 1968 • The Pueblo was conducting gathering electronic intelligence off the coast of North Korea... • The ship is captured by NK • NK holds 83 prisoners for 11 months • The Pueblo crew… • As POWs: Starved, tortured & beaten • The crew used sign language signals in propaganda photos • The crew is released in Dec, 1968 • The Pueblo is still held by NK

  4. The Tet Offensive Jan,1968 • A major offensive by Vietnamese Communists in SV. - 60,000 NV/ VC attack • 80 cities or military bases were simultaneously attacked during the Tet Offensive.

  5. Results of the Tet Offensive • 1,600 U.S. KIA - 8,000 U.S.WIA • 40,000 NV / VC dead • 1M civilian refugees • 200,000 civilians dead • Militarily failure for the NV/ VC The significance of Tet in the U.S… • Tet contradicted that the U.S. was winning the war • The public turns against the war • Protests dramatically increase • LBJ announces he will not seek 2nd term • A major political & psychological victory for the NV/ VC

  6. The Assassination of MLK • MLK faces death threats & FBI harassment • MLK assassinated April 4, 1968 • 168 cities erupt in violence/ 27,000 African Americans jailed • U.S. Army sets–up defenses in Washington D.C.

  7. James Earl Ray assassinates Dr. King... • JER Conspiracy? • No history of violent crime • The rifle only had 2 fingerprints • Never expressed racial opinions • No fingerprints in the room

  8. The Assassination of Robert F. KennedyJune 5, 1968 • Emerging front runner in Democratic Primary • Shot in Los Angeles, CA • Assassin: SirhanSirhan • A misinformed & confused individual ...The motive for killing RFK was not rational

  9. The Democratic National ConventionAugust 21-26, 1968 Three possible Democratic candidates prior to RFK assassination… • Robert F. Kennedy - Anti-War • Eugene McCarthy - Anti War • Hubert Humphrey – LBJs VP & supports efforts in Vietnam

  10. Prior to the convention… • Humphrey never enters a primary & uses the “party machine” to get enough delegates to win the nomination. • The will of the people was being ignored & mass protest was planned for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago ...

  11. The Democratic Convention in Chicago… • Mass protests are held outside the venue • Major Daly fears that delegates will be intimidated into voting for McCarthy & orders the police to intervene • Daly uses the police to trigger riots… Arrests, beatings & tear gas • National & world wide TV coverage • Protestors chant: “The whole world is watching”

  12. Inside the convention… • Debate rages over Vietnam policy… McCarthy peace initiative fails • Humphrey praises Major Daly for the convention & LBJ for Vietnam The tear gas haze…

  13. 1968 Presidential Election • Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey - Democrat • Sought a continuation of the Great Society • Supported LBJ’s Vietnam policy • Heckled by anti- war protestors • George Wallace Gov. of AL - American Independent Party • “Segregation now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation forever!” • GW: Blacks- NO voting, NO juries, NO public office • Bomb Vietnam “back to the Stone Age” • Main goal was to disrupt the election

  14. Richard M. NixonRepublican • “Peace with honor”… End the war • An end to the "crisis of the cities“…. • "law and order”… • Strengthen national defense • Reduce of taxes… Rollback the Great Society

  15. Results of the 1968 Election Party/ Elector/ Pop Vote% Nixon: Rep… 301… 43.4% Humphrey: Dem… 191… 42.7% Wallace: Am. Ind. 46… 13.5%

  16. Richard Milhous Nixon37th PresidentRepublican1969 - 1974 Nixon’s InaugurationJanuary 20, 1969

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