Americans Attitude Change In The 60's

Question 1: For many Americans, the 1960s began with JFK's "Age of Camelot," an era that seemed to exude confidence in American institutions. Yet, by the early 1970s, those expectations and attitudes seemed to be replaced by a sense of bitterness and cynicism. Discuss and analyze the causes and consequences of this profound attitudinal shift.

Question 3: How did official US policy towards Vietnam change between 1950 and 1975? How did American leaders link events in Vietnam to national security interests? How did the American public react to the war in the sixties and early seventies?

Answer: These two questions are so intertwined with one another that combining the two answers is the most efficient way of telling the story. Vietnam was a legacy of Kennedy and a primary reason for the split in American society.

I think one of the biggest reasons for such a change in American's ideas and confidence comes from a major generational gap. The difference between the WWII era citizens ("the greatest generation") and their children ("baby boomers") is dramatic and holds within itself some of the keys to the answer. The answer also lies within sociological and political changes that occurred in and around the 60's.

During WWII, America had devoted itself almost entirely to the war effort. Countless numbers of able-bodied men were in the service in the Pacific and European theaters. Millions of women went to work in the factories and industries that had converted to full time war production. Food and raw materials such as rubber and oil were rationed and sacrificed. It is an easy conclusion to draw that WWII had affected every American. Like the previous generation, this last war was seen as the war to end wars. It was the bloodiest in all of humanity. Millions upon millions were killed. Entire European nations were wiped out. In America, returning troops and civilians though America had fought and won the "good" fight. In the late forties, and entire generation was born into one of the most prosperous times in American history.

This new generation, which would come of age during the 1960's, grew up with a different perspective for America. In such a prosperous time, more people went to college than ever before. People had more time and money to begin analyzing social issues with a greater sense of criticism.

Following the victories of the U.S., Britain, French, and Russian troops, Europe quickly became re-divided. The war torn country of Germany had been subsequently dived into eastern and western hemispheres by the allied powers. Within the center of this division lay Berlin. Russia's communist intentions were becoming clearer to western powers. Stalin had no plans to back down from further conflict. In 1946, Churchill delivered the "Iron Curtain" speech, symbolizing future relations with the communist powers. In 1947, U.S. president Truman established his famous doctrine of containment policy, which outlined in vague terms the west's distain and containment intentions of further communist expansion by Russia. In 1948, Americans witnessed the pressurized showdown in Berlin between western forces and Russian occupiers, which eventually led to the division of Germany, and the construction of the Berlin Wall. Once, the Russians began developing and testing nuclear weapons, and the subsequent development of space flight, Americans placed their lives in the hands of their government to handle this new, Cold War.

The baby boom generation grew up in this environment. They grew up with missile drills and McCarthy's witch-hunt of communists within the government. Communism was something to be feared, and America knew it.

The election of 1960 brought hope to much of America, despite the close margin of victory for the Kennedy camp. JFK himself had been a war hero, and was viewed by Americans as determined to win the cold war. JFK was an attractive man, had a beautiful wife, and a seemingly perfect family. "The best and the brightest" term seemed to hold true. Americans were obsessed with their new leader. More Americans than ever were owning televisions and this new First Family made for great viewing. Within JFK's staff was his younger brother Robert, McNamara, Rusk, etc. All in all there were 15 Rhodes Scholars. Americans had every right to believe in their president and his staff. In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis was viewed by the public as a great victory over communism. (Americans saw it as a victory, although in truth, there was little victorious about it. According to McNamara, in The Fog of War, Castro and the Russians had already had nuclear war heads ready for deployment before Kennedy's naval blockade had occurred. Recently, we have learned the resolution was because of an agreed trade of the pull-out of Russian missiles from Cuba, for the pull-out of an out-dated U.S. missile system in Turkey.) Regardless, Americans were provided more belief that their leaders were doing a good job. Kennedy was strong on social issues. He was viewed as a proponent of Civil Rights. He formed the Peace Corps. He challenged America to put a man on the moon within ten years. He brought America hope and pride.

In Kennedy's push to halt communism, he became more and more aware that communists had gained further control of the former French colony of Vietnam. Fearing that China and Russia were feeding the northern Vietnamese, Kennedy saw fit to fund and supports the leader of South Vietnam, Diem Bien Phu. In 1957, free elections were supposed to have occurred in Vietnam, but they hadn't. The Eisenhower administration had placed 600 military advisors in South Vietnam. By Kennedy's end, there are 17,000 advisors (along with Special Forces and other secret government agents) in the country.

What seems to have begun the turning of the tide for Americans perception of government is what comes next. In November of 1963, JFK was assassinated in Dallas. In one explosive moment, Camelot came crashing down and died with Kennedy. America was shocked, and events such as Jackie's witness to Johnson's swearing in, all while continuing to wear the blood and brain speckled suit, further personified the event.

Johnson was not as liked as a president. He had somewhat of a personality complex. He always wished to be viewed as powerful. He was a tall Texan, and his professed arrogance was pushed on all who contacted him. For example, he had a powered chair lift installed in Air-Force-One so that he could raise himself inches above the people he was talking with. Johnson had always been a strong legislator, and he brought these talents to the white house. He pushed for social issues. He was