Life Before Watergate
Optimism that was sparked by the beginning of the 1960’s and the Great Era began to die down. Political participation was at an all time high because of the many sociological movements occurring during the sixties such as the space race, the civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and the Cold War. The United States was at verge of radical change because of the public's uncertainty towards the government's actions. The Silent majority began expressing disapproval towards an intervening government that helped the needy and supported the war in Vietnam. Anti-war protests began intensifying in the country, and around the world. Although there was growing mistrust, before Watergate, there wasn't any time in United States history that caused a sense of betrayal by the government.
Nixon and Vietnam
Nixon during his presidential campaign, told his supporters his supporter that he had a plan to end the Vietnam war, though his plan was never revealed. Anti-war protests all over the world began intensifying. With television sets now a commodity, the American Public was easily accessible to the horrors in Vietnam and in the Country. At home, protests that were once peaceful in college campuses, began to take a violent turn between protestor and guards. The horrors of Vietnam were being regularly televised during the news. Being the first war to be televised, it showed the public the reality of battle, which more than likely caused Americans to become opposed to the war.The unpopularity of Vieam War began causing the public's perspective to view the government as cynical
The Pentagon Papers
“The Report of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Taskforce” was a Secret department of defense study of involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967.
Requested by Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, the study revealed many of the decisions made for the Vietnam war, including details that revealed that Nixon prolonged the Vietnam War in order to win the 1968 Presidential Election. Military analyst Daniel Ellsberg copied the reports and gave them to the New York Times, which led to their publication to the public. The United States Department of Justice attempted to prevent further publications of the report which was now known as the, “Pentagon Papers”, but the New York Times joined with The Washington Post to fight their claim. The Supreme Court ruled that the Pentagon paper’s publication posed no threat and were alleviated from any charges. The Pentagon Papers lead to Nixon indicting Ellsberg and Anthony Russo for espionage. Their case began on 1973, but was dropped after the discovery that the burglars of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist were found to be workers of the white House. (The same group that later would break into Watergate).
Requested by Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, the study revealed many of the decisions made for the Vietnam war, including details that revealed that Nixon prolonged the Vietnam War in order to win the 1968 Presidential Election. Military analyst Daniel Ellsberg copied the reports and gave them to the New York Times, which led to their publication to the public. The United States Department of Justice attempted to prevent further publications of the report which was now known as the, “Pentagon Papers”, but the New York Times joined with The Washington Post to fight their claim. The Supreme Court ruled that the Pentagon paper’s publication posed no threat and were alleviated from any charges. The Pentagon Papers lead to Nixon indicting Ellsberg and Anthony Russo for espionage. Their case began on 1973, but was dropped after the discovery that the burglars of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist were found to be workers of the white House. (The same group that later would break into Watergate).
References
- Louis Henkin, "The Right to Know and the Duty to Withhold: The Case of he Pentagon Papers" The University of Pennsylvania Law Review 1971
- Stephen Stathis, "Nixon, Watergate, and American Foreign Policy" Center for the study of the the Presidency and Congress, 2010
- Michael Mandelbaulm "Vietnam: The Television War" The MIT Press, 1982
- History.com Staff "Vietnam War Protests" 2010
- History.com Staff "The 1960" 2010