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diff --git a/smith/17_lbj b/smith/17_lbj new file mode 100644 index 0000000..65cf477 --- /dev/null +++ b/smith/17_lbj @@ -0,0 +1,211 @@ +LBJ was very much a proponent of civil rights in his administration: + - Pro-women + - Pro-racial equality + - Pro-gay/lesbian + - But the Great Society promised too much. + - The Cold War caused the War in Vietnam + - Most controversial, least successful war in the nation's + history + +What was Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson trying to do with the war on poverty +and the "Great Society?" + +What were his achievements in the Civil Rights movement? Why did +activists push him to support him? + +Why did he escalate a war in Vietnam? What were the consequences for his +political career and the US? + +LBJ is a white Texan, sworn in in 1963 from JFK's VP spot. +- Rags to riches story: worked his way out of poverty +- Ego and insecurities were as massive as his vanity and ambition + - Couldn't stand being alone and insisted on + - "My war on Vietnam," "my cabinet," "my ideas" + - Cruel idealist, brutal optimist + - Wanted to be the greatest president, genuine compassion for the + poor and civil rights (in part motivated by political desire to + bring the South into mainstream political life) + - First job was at school in Texas teaching poor Mexican children. + - His wife said, "Johnson loved the human race, and half of the + human race were women." + - Poll taxes, literacy taxes, inconvenient application process + continued. + - Intimidation with beatings, lynchings. + - LBJ wanted to force Mississippi to enfranchise black people in + Mississippi. + - (Mostly) idealistic white college students helped black people + register, navigate the system in Mississippi Freedom Summer. + - Mississippians prepared for "communist invasion" by doubling + police force and stockpiling weapons. + - KKK and white racists harassed, arrested, and insulted volunteers. + - Jun 1964: volunteers abducted and murdered by Klan members, + along with black people + - "End of innocence." + - Black Americans began to question MLK's nonviolence strategy + because of belief that Feds wouldn't protect them from white + racists + - Young black people, especially, were radicalizing. + - Congress passes Civil Rights Act, and LBJ signs it into + law. + +- Personal talks with senators to produce the Civil Rights Act of 1964. +- Johnson put all his chips on the table, betting on the Civil Rights + Act. +LBJ feared the Civil Rights Act would cost him the presidency. +- Americans rediscovered poverty in 1962 with "The Other America" by + Michael Harrington (>40mn ppl were mired in a culture of poverty, + which caused cultural issues; much more extensive because it was + hidden from view in inner cities, isolated rural areas) + - LBJ's declares war on poverty to establish a legislative package + with real impact. + - Kennedy wanted his advisors, before assassination, to investigate + solutions +War on Poverty included a bunch of stuff: +- grants to small farmers +- loans to businesses that hire the chronically unemployed +- later the foodstamps program +- student loans, early preschool + +Election of 1964 +- Republican Conservative counter-attack by Barry Goldwater + - Square-jaw straight-talking leader. + - One of six Republican senators voting against Civil Rights Act, + explaining it in fear of a police state. + - Wanted to vastly reduce programs like Social Security. + - Out of his depth as a Pres Candidate, advised wholesale bombing of + Vietnam. + - Called War on Poverty a waste of money; didn't want feds to + provide money for education. +- Johnson framed himself as a responsible centrist. +- Goldwater was vastly rejected, with only 38.4% of the popular vote and + 52 electoral votes from AZ and the deep south. +- Johnson misread his popularity as a mandate for massive changes. + - "Every day I'm in office, I'm going to lose votes." + - "You need to get this legislation done fast." + - Rich and Powerful, Great society w/o poverty + - Medicare and Medicaid, Higher Education Act, Immigration Act + of 1965 + - Federal govt = powerful lever for improving the life of all Ams +- Opposition of AMA had stalled equal health insurance coverage. + - They stood by the Republicans only supporting free healthcare for + those over 65. + - LBJ got Medicare and Medicaid. + - Higher Education Act = low-rate loans, grants, scholarships +- Immigration Act or Hart-Celler Act + - Sweeping bipartisan change to Immigration Policy. + - Redress the wrong done to those from Southeast Europe and Africa + and Asia. + - Fixed the "old system" of advantaging GB, France, etc + +- Marchers in Selma assaulted by state and local police. "Bloody Sunday" + televised for the entire country to witness + - MLK was torn between a second march or not and supported a second + march. + - Federal judge authorized feds to protect the protest. + - MLK advised "creative nonviolence." + - South became a Republican stronghold as white voters began + switching parties. + +Note: this is like gibberish. read the book for better info. + +LBJ was similar to Wilson in that his "crusading idealism" would hurt +him + +The "Vietnam thing" was wearing him down, while racial violence in +cities was rising. + - Viet Cong, a guerilla force, was trying to implement a communist + takeover of US-backed regime (from the South). + - Vietminh led by Ho Chi Minh, a seasoned revolutionary, supported a + revolution against colonial Japan, with power in Northern Vietnam. + - Supported independence. + - Declared creation of Democratic Republic of Vietnam with + capital in Hanoi + - French underestimated determination to maintain independence + and tried to restore the colonial regime. + - French forces regained cities, but Vietminh controlled + countryside. + - Predicted that French would give in before Vietnamese. + - By end of 1953, Eisenhower was paying nearly 80% of French + military effort in Vietnam. + - 55K Vietminh fighters dug trenches and tunnels, starting + from Dec, to surround French forces by March, who tried to + take control by airdropping into Dien Bien Phu. + - Eisenhower refused to support French colonial rule in SEA + because it was politically impossible unless GB stepped in + (plus nuclear forces were entirely off the table) + - Geneva Accords gave Laos and Cambodia independence, and + divided Vietnam at 47th parallel. Viet Minh got control of + the north, while French maintained southern control until + national elections in 1956. + - Eisenhower began providing aid to Premier Diem, installed + by France, who autocratically opposed any disapproval. + - Eisenhower contended its only option with Diem was + "sink or swim" and invaded on basis of domino theory. + - Diem didn't do social and economic reforms or hold + democratic elections. Opposed Buddhist majority. + - Eisenhower: >$1bn in aid. JFK sent "advisors," + military, more money. + - US military relocated Vietnamese peasants to + "strategic hamlets" surrounded with barbed wire to + "protect" them from the Viet Cong + - National Liberation Front (NLF) in South. + - South Vietnam essentially became a US colony, with + much monetary support diverted to corrupt politicians. + - Tonkin Gulf Resolution was official justification for Johnson. + - Acting on false information that Vietnamese had attacked US + ships, the info from Robert McNamara (Sec of State). But + America actually attacked Vietnamese first. + - Empowered pres. to "take all necessary measures" to protect. + - Johnson interpreted as a Congressional declaration of war + - Unlimited military authority + - Only 2 senators voted against it + - Johnson implemented Operation Rolling Thunder + - Sustained bombing campaign of Northern Vietnam + - Created two fronts: US war planes bombing the north and the + south with ground combat. + - Search and Destroy missions against Viet Cong + - War of attrition, wanted to kill as many Viet Cong as + possible. They blended into villages, so American soldiers + killed villagers. + - War criticism grew, but Johnson said "we will not withdraw" + (viewed it as a test of manliness) + - Sec McNamara told Johnson the situation seemed worse than + a year ago. Proposed three options: + - Cut losses and withdraw + - Stay in at current level + - Build up forces and apply pressure, despite inefficacy + of existing methods. + - By end of war effort, 540K soldiers in Vietnam. + - Johnson thought the war was unwinnable. + - Did not want to be blamed for losing it to communism + - US was actually fighting to prevent the Viet Cong from + winning. + +Antiwar Movement +- College campuses hosted teach-ins critical of war effort + - Professors gathered to teach students about policy in Vietnam. +- Nightly television accounts of Vietnam questioned accuracy of + statements claiming an American win. "Living room war" +- Johnson became occupied with the war, demanding information about + enemy movements and control over attacks, bombings, etc. +Tet Offensive (1968) +- First day of Vietnamese new year +- Surprise coordinated attack from North Vietnam on US, South Vietnam + forces. +- Within a few days, American firepower took back power, but damage had + been done. +- Huge political impact in US turning Americans against the war + - Scope and intensity of the offensive made people realize that + winning the war wasn't happening. +- Clifford, who replaced McNamara, advised Johnson that the US was mired + in a sinkhole. Federal funds earmarked for war on poverty "swallowed + up by the war effort." $2bn each month in Vietnam. + +McCarthy pushed a "Dump Johnson" message in 1968 Dem Primary. +Bobby Kennedy, NY senator launched opposition to Johnson reelection. +- This opposition devastated Lyndon Johnson. +- Johnson rejected nomination from his party because he raised some + false hopes by overpromising. + - Vietnamese troops remained for 5 more years, but limited war vs. + absolute war (from vietnamese) meant US couldn't win. The effort + to win ended after Johnson was removed. |