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In March 1965, students and teachers at the University of Michigan began a teach in where they discussed the issues surrounding the war and reaffirmed their reasons for opposing it. This sparked a national teach in in May 1965 which involved 122 colleges. -
U.S combat troops first arrived in Vietnam during the Spring of 1965. At this time 66% of Americans approved of the war.
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According to General William Westmoreland, an American Commander in South Vietnam, "The enemies hopes are bankrupt, the end begins to come into view." Although on tv, Americans were seeing something far different; what they were seeing was many young, lifeless American bodies. This sparked outrage as the general population didn't know who to believe anymore.
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From 1965 to 1968, officials persecuted over 3,000 Americans who refused to serve. This was due to people not believing in the war and because of this, not wanting to put their lives on the line for it.
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On January 30, 1968, guerilla fighters launched a massive offensive on American and South Vietnamese air bases. This put a dent in America's moral and furthered people's feelings that the war should be done with.
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On March 31, 1968, Johnson, knowing defeat is inevitable, exits the presidential race. This allowed for Nixon to later win the presidency.
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On April 4th, 1968, leading civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. MLK was shot in the head while standing on his hotel room balcony. This shocked the nation as MLK was helping progress civil rights in America more than anyone else and was world renown.
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Robert Kennedy, soon-to-be the representative for the Democratic party in the presidential race was assassinated on June 6, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in LA.
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November 5, 1968, Richard M. Nixon was elected as the 46th president of the United States of America. People were mainly attracted to his promises to bring peace and order back to America and to handle the Vietnam situation.
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On July 1, 1971, due to public pressure, the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. American citizens strongly believed that if one can go and fight for their country then they should at least be able to vote.