Chapter 48Chapter 48

Johnson’s Great Society:

Reform, War, Disgrace

1961–1968

LBJLBJ

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Sharp contrast to JFK LBJ folksy, middle class LBJ product of New deal LBJ Senate majority leader by 1955 LBJ expert at manipulating Congress LBJ uses charm, cuts deals, twists arms LBJ pushes through New Frontier bills LBJ cuts taxes $10 billion

LBJ signs Civil Rights Act of 1964 Civil Rights Act ends segregation Fair Employment Practices Commission Civil Rights Act improves race relations in South

LBJLBJ

LBJ calls program Great Society Democrats become defenders of “victimized” Democrats party of white middle class liberals Women’s Liberation Movement burns bras

John Birch Society Virulently anti-Communist Conspiratorial Felt forces of righteousness Force within Republican party Barry Goldwater was extreme conservative

Election of 1964 LBJ wins 61% of popular vote Nation still grieves for Kennedy Many fear Republican candidate Barry Goldwater Goldwater seen as right-wing extremist

The Great SocietyThe Great Society

Domestic Program LBJ continues New Deal programs War on poverty: Job Corps, Head Start Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), Medicare Aid to schools, grants and loans to students National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities

Critics Conservatives claim trying to solve problems with

money Some programs not good oversight or management Created white working class backlash

Vietnam! Vietnam!Vietnam! Vietnam! Ho Chi Minh Communist nationalist

Ho declares Vietnam independent after WWII French fight to regain Vietnam with U.S. aid U.S. refused to sign Geneva accords, 1954 U.S. backs Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam Diem oppressive, unpopular U.S. provides Diem financial aid NLF (Viet Cong) organize against Diem

Kennedy sends troops to Vietnam Kennedy withdraws support to Diem Diem assassinated; political chaos follows

Mr. Johnson’s WarMr. Johnson’s War

U.S., increased presence in Vietnam, 1964 LBJ offers aid to North Vietnam for peace talks Ho refuses to speak for NLF NLF refuses to negotiate unless U.S.

withdraws troops LBJ accepts domino theory

LBJ fears South Vietnam becoming Communist

Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution LBJ uses Resolution to escalate war

Mr. Johnson’s War Mr. Johnson’s War (cont.’d)

War escalates 500,000 troops in Vietnam by 1967 U.S. bombs North Vietnam, sprays defoliants U.S. tries to initiate peace talks North Vietnam just escalates in return

Tet Offensive U.S. military promises peace Enemy makes big gains in Tet Offensive U.S. quickly regains territory Tet Offensive destroys public support for war

Troubled YearsTroubled Years

LBJ craves consensus, unity American people extremely divided Hawks and Doves

Hawks say LBJ too cautious with war Doves are anti-war, liberal Democrats Increasing anti-war demonstrations More young dodge draft

Anti-war movement No unifying ideology Some protestors radicals, some pacifists Some believe war undemocratic Some believe it hurts diplomacy

Troubled YearsTroubled Years (cont.’d)

Student movement Widespread discontent among college students Students for a Democratic Society Groups push for greater democracy, aid to poor,etc. Free Speech Movement, 1964 at Berkeley

Counterculture New way of life based on “love” Includes promiscuous sex, drugs, wild fashions “Hippies” try communes, acid rock Favor individual self-gratification

Election of 1968Election of 1968

Eugene McCarthy LBJ can run for reelection McCarthy announces candidacy McCarthy attacks LBJ’s war policy

Johnson retires Students go “clean for Gene” Johnson knows he lacks support over war Johnson announces retirement

Election of 1968 Election of 1968 (cont.’d)

Hubert Humphrey runs for Democratic nomination Robert Kennedy runs for Democratic nomination Sirhan Sirhan assassinates Kennedy Humphrey gains nomination

Republicans run Richard Nixon Democrats divided George Wallace runs on segregationist ticket Wallace hopes to throw election into House Nixon refuses to stand with Humphrey against Wallace

tactics Nixon wins by narrow margin

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

What is meant by the “Great Society”? How did it change America in LBJ’s time? Are they elements still in society today?

What was LBJ’s Vietnam policy? How successful was it? How did it affect his presidency?

Examine the counterculture movement of the 1960s. How does it connect with drugs, the New Left, hippies, and the anti-war movement?

Discuss the 1968 election and the impact of Hawks and Doves.