1968 The Year of Turmoil 1968 1968 was

1968: The Year of Turmoil

1968 ■ 1968 was one of the most turbulent years in U. S. history –Martin Luther King Jr. & Robert Kennedy were assassinated –Riots broke out at the Democratic National Convention –The Tet Offensive showed that the USA was not winning the Vietnam War

Protesting the Vietnam War ■ The most dramatic focus of youthful rebellion was Vietnam: –Mostly led by college students who escaped the draft –Students protested the draft, military research on college campuses, & disproportionate use of black & Hispanic soldiers –Protests got stronger as fighting intensified in Vietnam in 1966

U. S. Troop Levels in Vietnam

Vietnam in 1968 ■ In 1968, the Vietcong launched the Tet Offensive against U. S. forces in South Vietnam –The attack was contrary to media reports that the U. S. was winning the Vietnam War –The attack led LBJ to believe that Vietnam could not be won ■ In 1968, LBJ began discussions to seek a truce & announced that he would not seek re-election

The Tet Offensive, 1968

Assassinations in 1968 ■ In 1968, leading ■ In 1968, Martin Democratic Luther King was presidential assassinated in candidate Memphis & race Robert Kennedy riots broke out in was shot during over 100 cities the California primary

The 1968 Democratic Convention ■ The withdraw of LBJ & death of RFK, left 2 candidates for the Democratic nomination in 1968: –MN Senator Eugene Mc. Carthy – VP Hubert Humphrey Idealistic & anti-war—supported by uppermiddle class whites & college students ■ TV showed angry protestors & police fight outside the convention Truman-style Cold Warrior—supported by when Humphrey was nominated Democratic party leaders; Did not campaign

1968 Democratic National Convention Republicans benefited from the Vietnam disaster & a shattered Democratic party; Nixon won the election as a reconciler

The Presidency of Richard Nixon

Foreign Policy Nixon hoped for a relaxing ■ Nixon proved to be an effective of Cold War tensions foreign-policy president: –Most foreign policy decisions were made by Nixon & National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger ■ Developed a plan for détente: détente –An “honorable” exit from Vietnam –Using U. S. trade to induce cooperation from the USSR –Improved relations with China

These bombings conducted without In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Act Ending thewere Vietnam War the consent or approval requiring Congress’ approvalof to Congress send U. S. ■ Nixon’s plan formore an “honorable forces into combat than 90 days & was “Vietnamization”: Vietnamization mustpeace” inform Congress within 48 hours as to the reasons for military intervention –Gradual withdraw of U. S. troops –Handing over the&fighting to Protests at Kent State Jackson State South troops resulted. Vietnamese in bloody confrontations between students National ■ Privately, Nixon&hoped for. Guard a “knockout blow” & ordered U. S. troops into Cambodia & Laos ■ The effect was the largest series of protests in American history

Kent Ohio student protests Kent State, State student protest, 1970

Ending the Vietnam War ■ In January 1973, the U. S. & North Vietnam agreed to a cease fire –By March 1973, U. S. troops were withdrawn –By 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell & Vietnam became unified under the Communist government –Vietnam proved Containment could not be sustained

In Search of Détente “Ping-pong diplomacy” ■ In Feb 1972, Nixon became 1 st U. S. president to visit & recognize the People’s Republic of China: –These improved Sino-American relations helped eased Cold War tensions & forced the USSR to consider diplomacy with the U. S. –Presented the U. S. with its 1 st economic access to China

But…the SALT treatyofdid not target the In Search Détente construction of Multiple Independently ■Targeted Nixon traveled Moscow to meet Reentryto Vehicles (MIRVs) with Soviet leader Brezhnev: –The U. S. agreed to sell the USSR $1 billion worth of grain –USSR agreed to Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), the 1 st Cold War nuclear arms treaty ■ Kissinger negotiated an end to the Yom Kippur War in 1973 between Israel & Egypt

Nixon’s Covert Operations ■ Despite Nixon’s public détente with the USSR & China, most foreign policy was covert: covert –CIA funded the leaders of brutal gov’ts in Iran, South Africa, the Philippines, & Nicaragua –CIA assassinated Chilean president Salvador Allende

Nixon’s Domestic Policy ■ Nixon entered office as a moderate who kept LBJ’s Great Society in place –But, Nixon shifted responsibility for social problems to state & local governments –Nixon reshaped the Supreme Court along conservative lines when 4 justices retired

Nixon’s Domestic Policy ■ Nixon oversaw the creation of: –Environmental Protection Agency –Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) –A failed plan to replace welfare benefits with a minimum income –Quotas for minority construction firms for gov’t projects –Ended the gold standard in 1971

The Election of 1972 ■ In 1972, Nixon ran for re-election –Democrat George Mc. Govern was labeled an “outsider” who supported “acid, abortion, & amnesty” –Nixon won in the 4 th largest margin of victory in history ■ But…the Watergate scandal ended the Nixon presidency

Watergate: A Crisis of Democracy

The Watergate Scandal ■ In 1972, a break-in at Democratic candidate George Mc. Govern’s headquarters revealed a wellfunded plan of espionage & sabotage by the Committee to Re. Elect the President (CREEP) ■ The Watergate cover-up led to Nixon’s resignation & a changed American perception of the gov’t & the role of the media

Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post broke the Watergate story Their investigation revealed…

Daniel Ellsberg’s Pentagon Papers

The Watergate Scandal ■ The Watergate scandal began to unravel in 1973: –The discovery that Nixon recorded conversations proved most damning Obstruction. Court of justice –The Supreme ordered Nixon to turn Contempt over all tapes to a Abuse of power of Congress Senate investigative committee –The House brought 3 articles of impeachment against president

Conclusions: Politics After Watergate ■ The Watergate scandal eroded public trust in their own gov’t ■ The growing tension between president & Congress prevented strong, effective leadership from meeting foreign & domestic problems in the 1970 s ■ The discontent of the 1960 s & 1970 s revealed an America at war with itself

Carter’s Cold War

A Declining Superpower ■ America’s international dominance declined sharply in 1970 s due to: –Americans’ increasing desires to avoid “another Vietnam” –The War Powers Act forced the president to consult with Congress before sending troops –The escalating military costs & deficit spending made sustaining the Cold War impossible

Foreign Policy & Human Rights ■ In Nov 1977, Egyptian leader Sadat made an appeal with Israel to settle the October War of 1973 ■ Carter invited Egyptian leader Sadat & Israeli leader Begin to the U. S. to negotiate terms ■ The Camp David accords in 1979 led to a peace treaty between Egypt & Israel, but alienated other Arab nations

Celebrating the Camp David Accords: Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, & Anwar Sadat

The Cold War Resumes ■ During the Carter years, the Cold War rivalry between the U. S. & USSR grew due to: –A new arms race as the U. S. adopted new MX missiles & Trident submarines –SALT II failed to make lasting arms reduction –Increased U. S. -Sino relations put the USSR on the defensive

The Cold War Resumes ■ Détente ended when the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 ■ The U. S. interpreted the attack as a move to take the Middle East & responded with: –Economic embargo of the USSR Carter hoped to limit nuclear. Olympics arms –Boycott of the Moscow & advance human rights, but found –Aid to the resistance himself in a. Afghani heightened Cold War

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 1979

The Iranian Hostage Crisis ■ The Camp David victory was offset by the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis: –Exiled Islamic fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeini led a coup against U. S. -backed the shah –When Carter allowed the shah to enter the U. S. for medical aid, irate mobs in Tehran took 52 hostages from the U. S. embassy

Conclusions: Conclusions A Failed Presidency

A Failed Presidency ■ Carter’s failures with inflation, Iran, & Afghanistan overshadowed his foreign policy victories with the Panama Canal & therating Middle Carter’s 1980 approval was East 23% ■ The failures of Johnson, Nixon, Ford, & Carter led to a desire among Americans for a strong leader who could face both domestic & foreign challenges

The Cold War of Reagan

Reagan & Foreign Policy ■ Reagan was committed to restoring America’s supremacy in the world –Blamed Carter for allowing U. S. prestige to drop to an all-time low –Increased military spending –Confronted challenges in the Middle East & in Latin America –Ended the Cold War with the Soviet Union

Reagan attempted to resist Trouble Spots in America Communism in Latin America U. S. invaded Grenada in 1983 In Marines 1979, Nicaraguan Sandinista rebelstoled keepa acoup radical regime from turningregime over against a U. S. -backed an airfield to Cuba or the USSR In 1983, Congress denied Reagan’s request to aid Nicaraguan efforts to overthrow the Sandinista gov’t (Contras)

The Iran-Contra Affair ■ In 1987, the Iran-Contra Affair The “Teflon President” rocked the Reagan administration: –To free 6 U. S. hostages in Iran, the NSC & CIA covertly sold missiles to Khomeini’s gov’t The –“Teflon Profitspresident” from missile sales were used to aid Nicaragua Contras ■ Reagan avoided implication through “plausible deniability”

Challenging the "Evil Empire" ■ Reagan viewed the USSR as the "focus of evil in the modern world” & as a threat to U. S. security ■ Maintained a hard-line approach –Sent 572 nukes within SDI was dubbed the range of “Starto. Wars” program Moscow match USSR ICBMs aimed at NATO nations –Began the Strategic Defense Initiative, Initiative an anti-missile laser system in space to defend U. S.

Gorbachev cut the Soviet defense budget, Ending the Cold War Introducing moderate capitalism into the & withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan, Soviet economy such important as legalization of small ■ Reagan’s promoted themost democratization offoreign former private business cooperatives, relaxed laws satellite nations in Eastern Europe policy triumph was working with of prohibiting land ownership, & approval new USSR leaderwithin Mikhail foreign investment the USSR Gorbachev to end the Cold War: –In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev began perestroika & glasnost & eased Cold War tensions “Political openness” led to freedom of press, –Thetravel, Reagan-Gorbachev assembly, & religion; the 1 st working legislature; the 1 stfrom competitive elections; & summits 1986 to 1988 led liberation hundreds ofofpolitical prisoners to aofreduction nuclear arms

In 1987, Reagan & Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty eliminating ICBMs in Europe

In 1989, Gorbachev’s promotion Countries of theof former USSRWar by 2000 The End the Cold of democratization in Eastern Europe inspired the overthrow of 40 years of communist rule In 1990, following the example of Eastern Europe, many Soviet republics within the USSR demanded independence, leading to…

Conclusions ■ Reagan was the 1 st president to serve 2 full terms since Eisenhower –Reagan’s supporters claim he restored the economy, military, patriotism, family values, & America’s place as a world power –Reagan’s detractors claim he removed social safety-nets, skirted Congress in foreign policy, & tripled the national debt