Johnsons Great Society Let Us Continue speech At

Johnson’s “Great Society” • “Let Us Continue” speech – At the end of his presidency, Congress had passed 206 of LBJ’s Great Society legislative initiatives – PEAK of modern liberalism! • Johnson and Civil Rights – STRONG advocate! – Civil Rights Act 1964 – banned discrimination in public places, jobs, housing – Voting Rights Act 1965 – ended literacy tests and poll taxes nationwide – Immigration Act 1965 – ended national origins quotas from 1924 • War on Poverty and Racial Injustice – Economic Opportunities Act (1964) - $1 billion aid to inner cities – Medicare Act (1965) – included Medicaid – Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) = “Domestic Peace Corps” • Warren Court – Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren expanded civil rights and rights of people accused of crimes – Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) – counsel provided if you cant afford one – Miranda v. Arizona (1966) – must be read your rights before questioning

LBJ’s FDR’s NEW DEAL VS. GREAT SOCIETY Similarities? 1. Used the government to enhance social welfare 2. Government sponsored employment programs 3. Government support of the arts 4. Federal programs to encourage housing construction 5. Federal legislation to help the elderly Differences? 1. Education a key part of the Great Society 2. Federal legislation protecting civil liberties of African Americans

According to the cartoon, why did the Great Society programs fail? Vietnam limited the impact of some Great Society programs.

AIM: What were the causes & consequences of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War? I don’t see that we can ever hope to get out of there once we are committed…I am not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went. ~Lyndon B. Johnson (1964)

The Vietnam War (November 1, 1955 – April 30, 1975) • During the Cold War, the U. S. was committed to containing communism • So far, the U. S. was effective in limiting communist influence in Europe ( ) • But, the spread of communism in Asia led the U. S. to become involved in a civil war in Vietnam • Involvement in Vietnam from 1950 to 1973 proved to be America’s longest & most controversial war…

America’s Commitment to Vietnam Since 1887, FRANCE controlled the colony of Vietnam in SE Asia By 1945, Communist leader Ho Chi Minh led a war of independence for Vietnam Truman & Eisenhower feared the spread of communism in Asia (“domino theory”) & sent aid to France

America’s Commitment to Vietnam Ho Chi Minh gained control of communist North Vietnam won independence in 1954 but was divided along the 17 th parallel Ngo Dinh Diem became democratic president of South Vietnam

America’s Commitment to Vietnam Ho Chi Minh’s communist supporters in the North were called the Vietminh In South Vietnam, a group of communists (Vietcong) were formed to oppose Diem & unify Vietnam

America’s Commitment to Vietnam In 1963, Buddhist monk “Strongly in our mind South Vietnamese Quang Duc immolated is what happened in President Diem led a himself to protest China at the end of corrupt government, Diem’s regime offered little assistance World War II, where China was lost. We to the poor, & don’t want that. ” In 1963 President oppressed Buddhists —JFK Kennedy recognized After JFK’s death in Presidents Eisenhower Diem’s assassination Diem had lost 1963, the responsibility &that Kennedy supported led to chaos in control of Vietnam & for Vietnam fell to Diem despite his South Vietnam gave approval for the Lyndon Johnson growing unpopularity assassination of Diem

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1964 In 1964, a North Vietnamese gunboat attacked the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin Congress responded with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave Lyndon Johnson broad powers to “defend Vietnam at any cost” • But, who has the power to declare war? • Congress! Why? • Checks and balances! • Many viewed the Resolution as a violation of checks and balances

The PROXY WAR IS ON! In an effort to contain the spread of communism into South Vietnam, LBJ began sending U. S. troops in 1965 By over 500, 000 In 1968, “Operation Rolling U. S. soldiers were U. S. Troops Thunder, ” the U. S. fighting in Vietnam military began bombing North Vietnam

The U. S. had a draft to bring more soldiers to Vietnam

What made fighting in Vietnam so difficult for Americans?

American Involvement 1964 - 1973 • US supported South Vietnam, while China and the USSR supported the North and Vietcong • Guerrilla tactics utilized • • Vietcong hid in “plain sight” Difficult to know friend from foe Harsh jungle conditions Losing the battle for “hearts and minds” – communists gained more followers

Aim: How did the conflict in Vietnam impact the US home front?

The U. S. military used a variety of tactics to fight the war in Vietnam Soldiers were sent on deadly “search & destroy” missions into the jungles to find the Vietcong

Despite overwhelming military superiority, the “My Lai U. S. could not win in Vietnam Massacre” & the war became unpopular at home 1968 TV broadcasts reported body counts, atrocities, Television made Vietnam a “living room war” declining troop morale, & lack of gains in the war

Why was the Tet Offensive (1968) considered a turning point in the war? 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 Tet Offensive, 1968 The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the Vietnam War American President attitudes Johnson began towards to question the war changed whether&the anti-war movement could be won… grew “Johnson’s War”

• US protests were increasing – Why? 1. Thousands wanted to avoid the draft 2. War being fought by mostly poor Americans (rich and educated dodged the draft) 3. Atrocities were committed by US forces 4. Pentagon Papers exposed government lies (1971)

"I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party as your President. "

Richard Nixon & the Election of 1968 LBJ’s decision not to run for re-election left the Republican advantage Democrats. Richard divided Nixon for thetook election of 1968 of the divided Democrats & won the 1968 election

Richard Nixon Presidential term: January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974

Nixon Ends US Involvement in Vietnam • By 1971 – 60% of Americans wanted the US to leave • Nixon promised an end during his campaign (1968) • Vietnamization = training South Vietnamese to fight while withdrawing US forces • 1970 -1971 – secret escalation in Cambodia

When Americans found out about Nixon’s attacks on Cambodia & Laos, it set off the largest protest in U. S. history 250, 000 people, mostly students on college campuses, protested the war & some protests turned violent…

MUSIC reacts to the Vietnam war…

“Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, We're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it Soldiers are cutting us down Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her And found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know? This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio.

Kent State Massacre (May 4, 1970) ■ At Kent State University in Ohio, four students were killed by National Guardsmen who were called out to preserve order on campus after days of anti-Nixon protest.

The Cultural Revolution Increase in. Harvard premarital professor Timothyof. Leary: “Summer Love” • The student protests coincided with youth sex & use of the “pill” “Let’s all try LSD!! Tune in 1967 counter-culture 1965 in, in turn on, & drop out!” Use of psychoactive & • Beginning in San Francisco & spreading hallucinogenic drugs get throughout the US, the “Everyone “hippie” must culture stoned, ” Bob Dylan emphasized: • Sexual expression Folk music • Clothing British invasion & • Drugs electric rock • Music Acid rock

Folk singers like Joan Baez &rock” Bob Dylan “Electric like (until. The Dylan discovered the Beatles electric guitar) “Acid rock” like the Grateful Dead 1969 Music was an important element to 1960 s counter-culture

Ending the Vietnam War In 1973, the U. S. & North Vietnam agreed to a cease fire & the U. S. withdrew troops from Vietnam In 1975, North Vietnam violated the cease fire, invaded South Vietnam, & unified the nation under a communist government

The Impact of the Vietnam War • The war changed foreign policy: § War Powers Act in 1973 = Congress limited a president's ability to send troops without a declaration of war

The Impact of the Vietnam War • The war changed American domestic policy: § People began to lose faith in the honesty of government leaders § The $176 billion cost of the war led to high inflation in the 1970 & weakened LBJ’s Great Society § The 26 th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 years old