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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.
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