Historical events of the late 1960’s/early 1970’s that would play a major role in Americans turning on their presidents who had won their last elections in landslides.
The Tet Offensive. 1968.
“The Tet offensive proved in fact a serious psychological defeat for the United States because it suggested the unreliability of Johnson’s claims about an imminent South Vietnamese-United States victory. …The Tet offensive destroyed much of whatever political support Johnson still commanded among antiwar Democrats and threw his strategic planners into confusion.” –from the Third Edition of Liberty Equality Power, an American history textbook
Two months after the start of the Tet offensive, President Johnson announced he would not run again for reelection as a Gallop poll showed that only 26% of Americans approved of his handling of the Vietnam War.
President Johnson had won 61% of the popular vote in 1964 while winning 486 electoral votes of the 538 needed.
The Watergate Break-In. 1972
The Watergate burglary in June 1972 involved employees of Nixon’s 1972 reelection committee that eventually was linked to several top White House aides in early 1973. President Nixon insisted that he took no part in the break-in or in any kind of cover-up. Eventually however over the coming months, events would prove otherwise and Nixon would end up having to resign from the White House in August of 1974.
President Nixon had won 60.7% of the popular vote in 1972 while winning 520 electoral votes of the 538 needed.
The Tet Offensive & The Watergate Break-in
March 15, 2025 by Blogging For 20 Years • History, Politics • 0 Comments
Historical events of the late 1960’s/early 1970’s that would play a major role in Americans turning on their presidents who had won their last elections in landslides.
The Tet Offensive. 1968.
“The Tet offensive proved in fact a serious psychological defeat for the United States because it suggested the unreliability of Johnson’s claims about an imminent South Vietnamese-United States victory. …The Tet offensive destroyed much of whatever political support Johnson still commanded among antiwar Democrats and threw his strategic planners into confusion.” –from the Third Edition of Liberty Equality Power, an American history textbook
Two months after the start of the Tet offensive, President Johnson announced he would not run again for reelection as a Gallop poll showed that only 26% of Americans approved of his handling of the Vietnam War.
President Johnson had won 61% of the popular vote in 1964 while winning 486 electoral votes of the 538 needed.
The Watergate Break-In. 1972
The Watergate burglary in June 1972 involved employees of Nixon’s 1972 reelection committee that eventually was linked to several top White House aides in early 1973. President Nixon insisted that he took no part in the break-in or in any kind of cover-up. Eventually however over the coming months, events would prove otherwise and Nixon would end up having to resign from the White House in August of 1974.
President Nixon had won 60.7% of the popular vote in 1972 while winning 520 electoral votes of the 538 needed.