Chapter 19
Section 2
“Tet Offensive, 1968, and the
presidential election”
Tet Offensive
• On January 30, 1968, the
Vietcong and North
Vietnamese launched a
surprise attack during the Tet
holiday, (Vietnamese New
Year).
• The Tet Offensive was a
massive surprise attack on
American airbases in South
Vietnam and most of the
South’s major cities (see red
stars to the left).
• After about a month of
fighting, the American and
South Vietnamese soldiers
fended off the enemy troops.
Victory??????
• In the Tet Offensive, the
North Vietnamese
suffered heavy losses, but
they scored a major
political victory.
• With this action, the
American people were
shocked that an enemy
supposedly on the verge
of defeat could launch
such a large-scale attack.
Additional Soldiers
• General Westmoreland,
the American
commander in South
Vietnam, called for
more troops.
• This made many
Americans think that
the United States could
not win the war.
The Media
• In addition, the media
criticized the military
effort.
• Even Walter Cronkite,
one of the most
respected television
newscaster, told the
public that Vietnam
would “end in a
stalemate”.
The Aftermath of Tet
• After the Tet Offensive,
President Johnson’s
approval rating fell.
• As a result, Johnson
announced that he
would not run for
reelection in 1968.
Which Democrat will run
• Even before his
announcement,
Democrats began looking
for a different candidate.
• Eugene McCarthy, a dove,
announced his candidacy
in November 1967.
• Senator Robert Kennedy
also declared that he
would run.
Dr. King’s Death in Tennessee
• In April 1968 Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., was
killed.
• Dr. King’s death led to
riots in several cities.
“Bobby” Kennedy killed
• In June 1968, Senator
Robert Kennedy (former
Attorney General) was
shot and killed after
winning California’s
Democratic primary.
Violence at the DNC
• Violence continued in
1968 with a clash
between police and
protesters at the
Democratic National
Convention in Chicago.
• Protesters demanded
that the Democrats
adopt an antiwar
platform.
Hubert Humphrey
• The delegates at the
convention chose
Johnson’s vice-president,
Hubert Humphrey, as
their presidential
nominee.
• At the same time,
protesters and police
began fighting near the
convention hall.
• A riot broke out on the
streets of downtown
Chicago.
Richard M. Nixon
• Richard Nixon was the
Republican presidential
candidate.
– Remember, Nixon was
Eisenhower’s Vice-President
during the 1950s.
• He benefited from the
violence associated with the
Democratic Party.
• Nixon promised to restore
law and order.
• He also announced that he
had a plan to end the
Vietnam War.
1968 Election Results
• Additionally, George
Wallace, the former
governor of Alabama
ran as an independent
candidate.
• The results…Nixon
defeated Humphrey
and Wallace in the 1968
election.