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Who were the silent majority?
Those who didn’t protest against the war, participate in riots
What was the TET offensive?
How did the silent majority feel about it?
Vietnam was increasingly unpopular, so Johnson launched a PR campaign claiming that the US was winning
However, media photos showing communists over-running Vietmanese cities proved this wrong.
This created a credibility gap.
Johnson then focused on ending the war rather than standing for re-election
The Silent Majority just wanted the ‘peace with honour’ promised by Nixon
How did the silent majority feel about MLK and Kennedy’s assasinations?
Felt the US was a country in crisis in which democratic talks had been replaced with violence
Reinforced by the assassination of JFK
MLK’s assassination sparked rioting in over 100 cities; the silent majority felt fed up of black rioting.
What happened at the 1968 DNC in Chicago?
How did the silent majority feel about events at the DNC in Chicago, 1968?
The Mobe and Yippies called for young people to demonstrate hteir contempt for the US political system at the DNC in 1968.
Actions included…
Electing a pig (“Pigasus”) as the democratic party leader.
Throwing bags of urine at police officers
Spreading rumours of LSD in the water supply.
Led to police violence in an attempt to crush it
56% approval rate of the actions of police towards students.
How did Nixon’s appeal change? (1968-72)
1968: Beat Democrat candidate narrowly
1972: won landlside election
How did middle america feel about Woodstock and the Counter-culture?
Felt Woodstock= anarchy
Felt hippie stars (Jimi Hendrix) were bad role models for the youth; many died of drug overdoses
How was student radicalism in this period?
1969-70: 2000 bombings (either attempted or happened)
San Diego: anti-capitalist students set fire to banks
Pro-Black Panther students set fire to Yale Law school.
How did Nixon’s actions in the Vietnam affect student radicalism?
What was the Moratorium and what did it show?
Increased bombings despite withdrawing troops
Bombed the communist Cambodian supply trail
The Moratorium: largest anti-war protest
84% of Americans felt students were treated “too leniently”
Anti-war protests erupt in 80% of American unis
What happened at Kent state?
How did middle America feel about Nixon’s reaction to this?
Students firebombed the ROTC building
National guard reacted; open fired, killing 4 and wounding 11
Jackson state: police fired in a women’s dorm, killing 2 and wounding 11
Middle America agreed with Nixon’s reaction.
How did Nixon end student protests?
How did this influence Nixon’s appeal?
Deprived radcialist students of scholarships.
Kept students “broke and busy” with court action.
Reaction increased Nixon’s appeal.
What happened at the 1972 DNC?
Who was George McGovern and what did he advocate?
How did this impact Nixon’s appeal?
1972 DNC- Middle America horrified
Some at DNC supported communist cause in Vietnam and nominated Mao Zedong as party leader.
George McGovern:
Democrat candidate- (“candidate of the counter culture”)
Wanted to legalise marijuana and abortion
Wanted to give $1000 to every American to aid with poverty.
INCREASED NIXON’S APPEAL!!
In what ways was Nixon’s campaign successful?
What were the outcomes of this?
Campaign played on middle America’s fears
Labelled McGovern as the “3 A’s candidate”- Abortion, Acid and Amnesty
Nixon promised to tackle the “5Ps”: Permissiveness, Pot, Protest, Pornography and Patriotism
Won a landslide victory of 60%
Nixon’s attack on the Great Society:
What was Nixon’s attitude to the welfare system?
How did America feel about welfare at this time?
Wanted to reform the “welfare mess” and save taxpayers’ money.
1968: 84% of US believe there were too many welfare recipients.
How did Nixon tackle the OEO? How did he shrink housing?
Shrank OEO and closed 59 Job corps centres
Cut Federal Housing programmes
What was the Family Assistance Plan?
What were its terms and why did these make it likeable for some?
Why was it rejected?
Family Assistance Plan (FAP):
Welfare recipients only receive $1,600 per annum
Work requirements
Liked by conservatives
Overall aim to make welfare recipients work
BUT… would make 13 million more Americans eligible for welfare, so rejected in congress due to criticism.
What act did Nixon veto and why? (Hint- childcare)
Vetoed 1971 Child Development Act
Would give mothers free childcare
“Smacked of communism”
However, how did Nixon endorse welfare despite these measures?
Grew up in poverty so ultimately sympathetic to the poor
Increased expenditure on…
Education
Private healthcare
Social Security
Medicare/Medicaid
Spent more money on welfare than Johnson
What did the supreme court rule in 1971/3? How did Nixon and the US population feel about this?
1971/3: supreme court rulings for bussing to end de-facto segregation in schools
Opposed by Nixon and US; Nixon claims bussing is “wrenching” children from their families.
How did Nixon feel about de-segregation?
How did he succeed with this?
Wanted to slow down/stop desegregation
Initial failure, BUT… appointment of Conservative Supreme Court Justices helped to end bussing.
Despite his actions, how did Nixon help minorities?
How did his actions surrounding affirmative action have a long-term impact?
Administration gave minorities help
Put pressure on federal contractors to employ more minority workers
Promotion of affirmative action helped to entrench it in federal government for years to come.
The role of the media in influencing attitudes:
How did Film/TV show pro and anti-war attitudes? What does their popularity suggest?
How does film/TV show general conservatism?
“The Green Berets” (1958) was pro-war and did well in box office
Shows many were in support of war
“M*A*S*H” (1970): critical of militarism- also did well…
“The Sound of Music” (1965) was conservative and family friendly
Contrasted with “Easy Rider” (1969) which was violent and promoted drugtaking.
How did news coverage impact the civil rights movement positively AND negatively?
Coverage of white violence during the Birmingham march changed many Northern attitudes and aided in the passage of the 1964 CRA.
BUT… coverage of ghetto riots dissuaded many from giving further aid to Black Americans in 1965.
Overall, how did the news impact attitudes towards the government during the Vietnam war?
Coverage challenged the governments credibility and led many to be anti-war.
What was the TET offensive and how did it impact attitudes?
Prior: US optimistic about winning the war
News coverage of Communists overturning the city of TET led many to realise they had been misled.
= credibility gap
= Media more critical towards govt; began challenging official sources
Led to cynical public opinion of the war and politicians.
What was the My Lai massacre?
How did it impact attitudes?
347 unarmed civilians beaten/killed by US troops
US tried to cover up; Hershe’s coverage picked up my major newspapers by 1969
Many were unswayed; felt that this was just how war was
Some felt that US boys had been turned into killers, so it was time to end the war before anything escalates.
What were the Pentagon Papers?
What did they reveal?
How did they impact attitudes?
Pentagon Papers= leaked defence department documents
Revealed many US leaders had been misleading congress and public order over the escalation of US role in the Vietnam war
How did news coverage aid other protest movements?
How did it influence attitudes? (hint: middle)
Feminism
Ridiculed by the news… but this still gave it a platform to raise awareness
E.g. river in Ohio spontaneously combusted which raised awareness for environmentalism
Hippies disproportionately covered (e.g. San Diego); sparked Middle-American opinions.
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