Vietnam - 81968

Violence of 1968

MLK shot on April 4

Rioters took to the streets

Robert Kennedy

June 4 – wins California Primary

Walking through a hotel kitchen, Bobby is shot

Sirhan Sirhan Angered by

Kennedy’s support of Israel

1968

Peak of 536,000 troops in Vietnam

Violence and protests the norm

1968 Presidential Election Richard Nixon –

Republican Hubert H.

Humphrey – Democrat Current VP

Georg C. Wallace – American Independent

Turmoil in Chicago

Democratic National Convention held in Chicago

Hubert Humphrey vs. Eugene McCarthy (anti-war activist)

Humphrey had secretly already been nominated by the party

Chicago

Thousands came to protest in Chicago

Mayor Richard J. Daley, “as long as I am mayor, there will be law and order” 12,000 police

mobilized 5,000 National

Guardsmen

Chicago

When Humphrey announced…chaos erupted

Meanwhile…the whole world was watching on TV

Richard Nixon

Lost to JFK in 1960 Lost the

Governor's race of California in 1962

Joined a New York law firm

Helped the GOP in 1966 elections

Won the Presidential bid in 1968

Nixon

Promised law and order

Promised to end the war

Helped by George Wallace Former democrat

who won 5 southern states

1968 Election Results

Nixon wins by more than 100 electoral votes

43% of popular vote

And the saga continues…..