Wanderlust World Wanderlust World
The year began with the Tet Offensive, a massive attack by the North Vietnamese Army against South Vietnam and U.S. forces. The offensive was a failure, but it showed that the war was far from over. In the United States, the Tet Offensive led to a decline in public support for the war.
Civil rights protests also continued in 1968. In April, King was assassinated, sparking riots in cities across the country. The riots were the most widespread and destructive in American history since the Civil War.
In addition to the war and civil rights protests, 1968 also saw the election of Richard Nixon as President. Nixon promised to end the war and bring "law and order" to the country. His election signaled a shift in the country's mood, but it did not end the divisions that had emerged during the 1960s.
The domestic turbulence of 1968 was a reflection of the deep divisions that were tearing the United States apart. The country was struggling with issues of race, class, and war. The events of 1968 would shape American politics and society for years to come.
Here is a timeline of some of the key events of 1968:
* January 31: The Tet Offensive begins.
* February 29: The Kerner Commission issues its report on the riots of the previous summer.
* April 4: Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated.
* April 11: Riots break out in cities across the country following King's assassination.
* May 10: The Paris peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam begin.
* June 5: Robert Kennedy is assassinated.
* July 19: The Democratic National Convention opens in Chicago. Protests outside the convention turn violent.
* August 26: The Republican National Convention opens in Miami Beach. Nixon is nominated for President.
* November 5: Nixon is elected President.
* December 25: The United States and North Vietnam agree to a cease-fire in the Vietnam War.