APUSH Exam Notes

The youth of America exploded with a revolutionary counterculture after the Kennedy assassination, continuing through the 60s until Nixon's resignation.
The roots of the counterculture movement started in the late 1950s with the Beat Generation, including figures like Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsberg.
The Beat Generation inspired student protests, advocating for liberalizing universities, notably at Cal Berkeley.
Groups like Students for Democratic Society (SDS) and the Weathermen emerged, protesting the Vietnam War.

The US involvement in Vietnam was rooted in Cold War policies like the Truman Doctrine, containment, and domino theory.
Kennedy shifted to flexible response, allowing for conventional military action in Vietnam, unlike Eisenhower's massive retaliation policy.
The French withdrawal from Indochina led to a communist North Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh) and a US-backed South Vietnam (Diem).
Diem's assassination and Kennedy's reluctance to commit troops led to increased instability.
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident in 1964 provided the pretext for increased US involvement, with Congress giving Johnson a "blank check."
Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965 marked a significant troop deployment, leading to a quagmire of guerrilla warfare and disillusionment among soldiers and the public.
The draft system was perceived as unfair, disproportionately affecting poor and minority youth.
Protests against the war increased, with slogans like "Hell no, we won't go" and growing congressional opposition.
The Tet Offensive in 1968 was a turning point, demonstrating the Viet Cong's strength and leading to increased public demand for an end to the war.
Johnson's decision not to run for reelection and Nixon's promise of "peace with honor" shaped the 1968 election.

The 1968 Democratic Convention was marked by anti-war protests and civil unrest, while Republicans nominated Nixon.
George Wallace ran as a third-party candidate, employing a "Southern strategy" to attract racist Southern Democrats.
The cultural upheaval of the 60s included the Free Speech Movement, the embrace of LSD, and the rise of hippies.
The Stonewall Rebellion in 1969 marked a turning point for gay rights.
The Students for Democratic Society (SDS) transitioned into the violent Weather Underground.
Woodstock epitomized the counterculture, while the moon landing represented a return to American pride.

Nixon's personality was characterized by paranoia and distrust, despite his political skills.
His foreign policy successes included achieving détente with the Soviet Union (SALT treaty) and opening relations with China (triangular diplomacy).
He backed Israel in the 1973 war, leading to an oil crisis.
Domestically, Nixon implemented wage and price controls to combat stagflation.
He also expanded social programs and created the EPA.
His administration was marked by the secret bombing of Cambodia, leading to protests and the Kent State shooting.
Nixon's Vietnamization policy aimed to withdraw US troops while supporting South Vietnam.
The release of the Pentagon Papers led to the creation of the "plumbers" to stop leaks.

The Watergate scandal began with the plumbers breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters to plant bugs.
The cover-up involved White House officials and attempts to obstruct the FBI investigation.
Woodward and Bernstein's reporting exposed the connections to the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) and a secret slush fund. Information from Deep Throat.
The discovery of taped conversations led to a legal battle, culminating in the Supreme Court ordering Nixon to release the tapes.
Facing impeachment, Nixon resigned the presidency.