Reactions To Tbe Counterculture 1968-72 Flashcards
What was the main goal of Johnson’s Great Society?
To address poverty and unemployment
How did Johnson’s administration attempt to improve housing?
Through federal funding and social programs
Why was it thought necessary to introduce Medicare and Medicaid?
To provide healthcare support for the elderly and low-income individuals
How far did Johnson advance the cause of civil equity for African Americans?
Significantly, through civil rights legislation and social programs
What do Sources 7, 8, and 9 indicate about the dire circumstances of certain populations?
They reveal the struggles faced by marginalized groups
What did President Nixon call for in his speech on November 3, 1969?
Peace with honor and support for the South Vietnamese armed forces
What was the ‘silent majority’ that Nixon referred to?
The majority of Americans who supported his policies and opposed the protests
True or False: Nixon’s proposal for ending US involvement in Vietnam was similar to that of student protestors.
False
Fill in the blank: Nixon viewed the anti-war demonstrators as a _______.
militant minority
What was a key difference between Nixon’s approach and that of the anti-war protestors?
Nixon proposed a gradual handover of fighting to South Vietnamese forces rather than immediate withdrawal
What percentage of Americans supported Nixon’s Vietnam policy according to a Gallup poll?
77 percent of those polled supported Nixon’s Vietnam policy.
Who supported Nixon’s policies in Congress?
More than 300 Congressmen and 40 senators supported Nixon’s policies.
What term did Nixon use for the first time in his speech?
The term ‘silent majority’ was used for the first time in Nixon’s speech.
Who were the ‘baby boomers’?
The ‘baby boomers’ were working-class and middle-class Americans who grew up in the late 1940s and 1950s.
What values were ‘baby boomers’ brought up with?
They were brought up in a period where traditional American values of family and patriotism were commonplace.
What events in the 1960s appalled many ordinary Americans?
The sight of Yippies and other demonstrators trying to disrupt the Democratic Party National Convention and the university campus anti-war demonstrations.
What group became an important source of support for the Republican Party?
The Christian right became an increasingly important source of support for the Republican Party.
Who was George Wallace?
George Wallace was a former Alabama governor who stood for the presidency in 1968 as the American Independence Party candidate.
How many votes did George Wallace poll in the 1968 election?
George Wallace polled 9.9 million votes and won 46 Electoral College votes.
What is the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is the body that elects the president and vice president of the United States, based on votes from each state.
How are Electoral College votes allocated?
Each state has as many Electoral College votes as it has seats in the Senate and House of Representatives combined.
What can happen if a candidate wins the popular vote but loses the Electoral College?
It is possible for a candidate who has won the popular vote nationwide to lose the election because of the Electoral College vote.
What did Nixon pledge in his campaign for the presidency?
Nixon pledged to end the war in a way that the USA could win the peace.
What was a significant factor in Nixon’s victory in the 1968 election?
Nixon’s victory was partly due to Democratic disunity and the support of voters wanting a return to traditional values.
What role did television play in shaping public opinion during the Vietnam War?
Television became the main source of both entertainment and news, heavily influencing the formation of public opinion.
Who was Walter Cronkite and what was his influence on the Vietnam War opinion?
Walter Cronkite was a CBS newsman who, after witnessing the Tet Offensive, stated on national television that the USA should negotiate an honorable withdrawal from Vietnam.
What significant event occurred in Vietnam in January and February 1968?
The Tet Offensive, where Vietnamese communist forces attacked all major cities in South Vietnam.
What was the outcome of the Tet Offensive?
It was a military failure for the communist forces, who suffered heavy casualties.
What was the public opinion of Walter Cronkite after his broadcast on the Vietnam War?
70 percent of Americans trusted Walter Cronkite more than any other public figure.
What action did LBJ take after losing support from Walter Cronkite?
He ordered an end to bombing of North Vietnam and announced he would not stand for re-election.
What was the most popular television sitcom in 1969?
All in the Family, which was based on the BBC show Till Death Us Do Part.
Who was the leading character in All in the Family?
Archie Bunker, an opinionated, white, working-class father.
What did Archie Bunker represent in the show?
His views reflected the attitude of many white Americans towards the counterculture and social changes.
What political shift occurred in response to the counterculture of the 1960s?
There was a rise in support for the Republican Party, with Ronald Reagan elected governor of California.
What was Nixon’s strategy to attract southern voters?
Nixon adopted a southern strategy to woo southern white voters to the Republican Party.
What major event occurred at Kent State University in 1970?
Four students were shot dead during a protest.
What was the impact of the Vietnam War on American society?
It became the most divisive domestic issue since the US Civil War.
When did LBJ commit US ground troops to Vietnam?
In March 1965.
What was the public’s reaction to the graphic images from the Vietnam War?
It intensified domestic opposition, particularly among young people who feared the Draft.
What did the My Lai Massacre represent in the context of the Vietnam War?
It was a significant event that highlighted the brutality of the US military tactics.
What was the effect of television on public perception of the Vietnam War?
For the first time, ordinary Americans could see the realities of war, leading to increased opposition.
What is the National Guard?
The National Guard is the US equivalent of the territorial army in the UK. It is a part-time, volunteer force organised on a state-by-state basis under the control of the state governor.
Who can bring the National Guard under federal control?
The US president can bring the National Guard under federal control when it is considered necessary.
What event occurred in March 1968 at My Lai?
In March 1968, US troops engaged in a massacre of over 200 unarmed people at a village called My Lai.
What was the public response to the My Lai massacre?
The My Lai massacre led to increased student protests against the Vietnam War.
What happened on May 4, 1970, at Kent State University?
A major student demonstration led to the Ohio National Guard being sent in to quell rioting, resulting in the Guardsmen firing on students and killing four.
What was the outcome for the Ohio National Guardsmen involved in the Kent State shootings?
A grand jury indicted eight of the Ohio National Guardsmen, but charges against them were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
What were the Pentagon Papers?
The Pentagon Papers were leaked documents that showed the US government had not told the full story of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, leading to greater military involvement in Vietnam.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurred between 2 and 4 August 1964, when two US destroyers were allegedly attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats.
What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allow President Johnson to do?
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowed President Johnson to send US ground troops into South Vietnam and to increase US military assistance.
When did the first US ground troops land in South Vietnam?
The first US ground troops landed in South Vietnam in March 1965.
What was Nixon’s promise during the 1968 presidential campaign?
Nixon promised ‘peace with honour’ during the 1968 presidential campaign.
What was the Hard Hat Riot?
The Hard Hat Riot occurred on 8 May 1970, when 200 construction workers demonstrated in favor of Nixon’s policies and attacked anti-war student demonstrators.
Who won the 1968 presidential election?
Richard Nixon won the 1968 presidential election over Democrat Hubert Humphrey by a narrow margin - 31.7 million votes to 31.2 million.
What was Nixon’s approach during his first term as president?
Nixon appealed to the American people by offering a new direction in domestic as well as foreign policy.
What did Nixon attack in his domestic policy?
Nixon attacked what he saw as the excesses of LBJ’s Great Society programme.
How much was spent on the Great Society programme?
Expenditure of $1.4 billion had not brought peace and stability to the USA.
What social issues occurred during Nixon’s presidency?
Riots occurred in major American cities, and the Weathermen advocated violence.
What was Nixon’s vision for domestic reform?
On 8 August 1969, Nixon set out his vision for domestic reform, advocating New Federalism.
What is New Federalism?
New Federalism is where more power would be handed back to the states.
What is revenue-sharing?
Revenue-sharing is where federal funding would be given to the states, which would decide on their own priorities.
What was the Family Assistance Plan?
The Family Assistance Plan proposed to end hand-outs to the poor, guaranteeing low-income households an annual income of between $1,500 and $2,000 for a family of four.
What happened if a parent refused work under the Family Assistance Plan?
If a parent refused work offered, the parent’s income support would be stopped.
How did conservatives and liberals react to the Family Assistance Plan?
Conservatives believed the plan did not go far enough, while liberals disliked the idea of restricting aid for the poor.
What was the outcome of the Family Assistance Plan?
The measure was defeated in the Senate, still dominated by Democrats, and dropped.
How was Nixon’s domestic programme viewed?
Nixon’s domestic programme was regarded by many as too progressive for a conservative politician.
What did the Educational Standards Act of 1972 require?
The Educational Standards Act laid down that colleges must set up affirmative-action programmes to ensure equality of opportunity for women.
What was the Philadelphia Plan?
The Philadelphia Plan required trade unions working on federal projects to accept quotas for black American workers.
What did the Occupational Health and Safety Act do?
The Occupational Health and Safety Act increased social security benefits by linking them to the rate of inflation.
What was the date of Nixon’s address to the American people on television?
8 August 1969
What did Nixon propose regarding the flow of responsibility between federal and state governments?
Nixon intended to reverse the tide of responsibility flowing toward Washington and turn back to the States a greater measure of responsibility.
What significant environmental legislation did Nixon support?
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, which created the Environment Protection Agency.
Who was appointed as the first director of the Environment Protection Agency?
William Rogers
What was Nixon’s political strategy to gain support from voters?
He portrayed himself as a consensus politician appealing to the silent majority.
What was the composition of Congress during Nixon’s presidency from 1969 to 1971?
Democrats controlled 58 out of 100 seats in the Senate and 243 out of 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
What was Nixon’s southern strategy?
He attempted to appeal to white Democrat voters in the Old South and opposed the extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
What measures did Nixon take against radical groups?
The CIA launched Operation Chaos and the FBI’s COINTELPRO aimed to destroy the Black Panther Party.
What economic issues did Nixon face during his first term?
The economy experienced the ‘Nixon Recession’ with rising inflation and unemployment.
What major decision did the USA make in 1971 regarding currency?
The USA abandoned the Bretton Woods Agreement and began floating the US dollar on foreign exchanges.
How did Nixon’s foreign policy contribute to his popularity?
His improved relations with the USSR and communist China gave him a strong reputation as an international statesman.
What was the outcome of the 1972 presidential election?
Nixon won a landslide victory over Democrat candidate George McGovern.
What scandal led to Nixon’s resignation?
The Watergate Scandal.
What was the focus of Nixon’s first State of the Union address?
Assessing government performance and outlining future plans.
What did Nixon propose regarding the welfare system?
He called for a total reform of the welfare system to abolish it and adopt a program of income support, job training, and work incentives.
What is meant by ‘New Federalism’ as proposed by Nixon?
Power will begin to flow from Washington back to the States and the people of the United States.
What reforms did Nixon advocate for to expand opportunities for Americans?
Equal voting rights, equal employment opportunity, and new opportunities for expanded ownership.
What was the Bretton Woods Agreement?
An international agreement aimed to stabilize the global economy after the Second World War by fixing currency exchange rates.
