How is the Tet Offensive related to the credibility gap? Yet, he refused to say he had already increased ground forces in Vietnam and would continue to do so. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. US-Soviet treaty placing limits on strategic weapons arsenals; signed by Carter and Brezhnev in 1979, the treaty was never ratified in Congress after the Iranian hostage crisis and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan changed the political climate. Finally, he issued a presidential directive ordering the development of smaller nuclear weapons that could be used to strike highly specific targets. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you! At each escalation, Johnson refused to divulge the full story to the American public. | The Silent Majority Concept & Significance. The first man to be made president solely by a vote of Congress after the resignations of President Nixon and Vice President Agnew; outraged Democrats by granting Nixon a complete pardon; lost to Carter in the 1976 election. The following year, nearly half a million American soldiers were stationed or being sent out to Vietnam. Successful commander of American forces in the First Persian Gulf War, 2nd African American Supreme Court Justice. The credibility gap is the result of the people not trusting the government due to broken promises. Conservative Supreme Court chief justice who succeeded Warren; Nixon sought appointees who would strictly interpret the Constitution and refrain from engaging in social and political questions; despite Nixon's intentions, his court was reluctant to dismantle the liberal rulings of the Warren Court and even produced the controversial Roe v. Wade ruling. But Carter was also responding to public opinion. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! As the 1980 general election approached, Carter concluded that he needed to take a more-confrontational approach with the Soviet Union if he expected to serve a second term. The release of the papers solidified the perception that the American people could not trust the government, cementing the credibility gap as a lasting legacy of the Vietnam War. Even if the Soviets had planned to push further into the Middle East, fierce Afghan resistance soon created havoc for the Soviet invaders. 1992; Gives civil rights projections to those provided on the basis of race, sex, national origin, age, and religion; EOC administers these laws. In a speech at Johns Hopkins University in April 1965, President Johnson said, 'America will always oppose the effort of one nation to conquer another nation.' Nixon's plan to achieve a solid majority vote in 1972 (he had been elected as a minority president) by courting southern voters; his plan included appointing conservative Supreme Court justices, soft-pedaling civil rights, and opposing school busing to achieve racial balance. Site of an anti-war demonstration following the invasion of Cambodia in 1970; National Guard members responded to the protest by firing into the crown, killing four and wounding many more. The administration declared the American counter-attack to the Tet Offensive a success. The lessons learned - and not learned - from the credibility gap in regards to Vietnam (its existence of which was demonstrated superbly by the reveal of the 'Pentagon Papers') arguably still reverberate today. Media's Role in the Anti-Vietnam War Movement. Conflict in the Middle East: OPEC's 1970s Oil Embargo & Its Impact. Corrections? Landmark Supreme Court case that struck down laws prohibiting abortion, arguing that a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy was protected by the constitutional right to privacy. succeed. A possibility even more alarming to Carters administration was that the invasion of Afghanistan was the Soviet Unions first move in an attempt to control the Middle Easts vast oil resources. An error occurred trying to load this video. An American neoconservative theorist and writer for Commentary magazine, an American columnist, journalist, and writer who was dubbed the "godfather of neoconservatism". 11.) The credibility gap created an unsettled feeling in American society. Flexible Response Overview & Policy | What is Flexible Response? The credibility gap made Americans think the light at the end of the tunnel was just another train. As Nixon's national security advisor he met secretly with North Vietnamese officials to negotiate peace; later, as Secretary of State, he aided the Israelis, who were under attack from Soviet-armed Syrians and Egyptians. *AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this web site. Use a web diagram to fill in events that illustrate the anti-Communist fear in the United States. Richard Nixon Presidency & Accomplishments | Was Nixon a Republican? It became part of American culture during the Vietnam War. Former associate of Clarence Thomas, who accused him of sexual harassment in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? Philippine politician and president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992; she struggled to restore political stability, return to democracy, and rebuild the nation's economy. Top-secret Pentagon study that documented the blunders and deceptions of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, especially the provoking of the 1964 North Vietnamese attack in the Gulf of Tonkin; leaked to the New York Times by a former Pentagon official, fueling the fires of antiwar discontent. Constitutional amendment that declared that equal rights under the law could not be denied or abridged on account of sex; championed by the women's movement and approved in Congress, it was quickly ratified by 26 states, but unable to achieve the required 38. Helped end the USSR and force Gorbachev to resign. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Carter-Doctrine, Baker Institute for Public Policy - Carter Doctrine 3.0: Evolving U.S. Military Guarantees for Gulf Oil Security, United States presidential election of 1980. Tapes that had recorded Nixon giving orders to use the CIA to hold back an inquiry by the FBI into the Watergate scandal; Nixon initially refused to hand over the tapes, but was forced by subpoena to provide them to the House Judiciary Committee. Soviet leader who met with Carter to sign the SALT II agreements.



Called the "mother of the modern conservation movement" because of her 1962 book, Silent Spring, which exposed the poisonous effects of pesticides. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} Elected leaders began to raise questions about America's role in Vietnam. Public statements that the President and his administration offered about the Vietnam War lacked specifics. Elected president in 1976; helped negotiate the Camp David Agreement between Egypt and Israel but alienated the American public with his reaction to the energy crisis and his failure to end the Iranian hostage crisis. AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more! Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Carter's speech criticizing Americans for causing the energy crisis by falling into a "moral and spiritual crisis" and being too concerned with material goods; his words stunned Americans who felt he was losing touch with the people. U.S. Involvement in Vietnam | History, Politics & War, Roosevelt & Truman: Beginning American Involvement in Indochina, George W. Bush's Second Term | Policies, Timeline & Major Events, Ku Klux Klan Nativism & Eugenics | Movement & History. Johnson's limited approach in speaking to the public about the specifics regarding the war established groundwork for the credibility gap. Era of relaxed tension with the Soviet Union, following Nixon's visit in 1972; the US promised to sell the Soviets much-needed grain, an anti-ballistic missile treaty (ABM) was signed, and both sides agreed to a series of arms reduction negotiations (SALT). Scandal including arms sales to the Middle East in order to send money to help the Contras in Nicaragua even though Congress had objected. The gap continued as President Johnson's successor, Richard Nixon, continued the war. The 1980 Presidential Election & Ronald Reagan | Who Ran against Reagan in 1980? The media enhanced this with televised footage from the war that directly contradicted the administration's positive spin. It was to his detriment. Provide sources as proof. Which event had the greatest impact on the country? They included the withdrawal of the United States from the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, the suspension of grain sales to the Soviet Union, and the withdrawal of the SALT II treaty from Senate consideration. However, he promised the American people in the 1964 presidential election campaign that he was not going to embroil America in Vietnam. - Mythology, Overview, TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293): Practice & Study Guide, Understanding the Scientific Methods for Research, Bliss by Katherine Mansfield: Characters & Quotes, Hemoglobin: Structure, Function & Impairment, John F. Kennedy's Accomplishments: Lesson for Kids, Evapotranspiration: Definition, Formula & Calculation, Henry Mintzberg & Organizational Structure, Quiz & Worksheet - The Death of Washington, Quiz & Worksheet - Aphorisms in The Importance of Being Earnest, Quiz & Worksheet - US Gang Violence Overview, Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics, Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate, NGSS | Next Generation Science Standards Guide for Teachers, Introduction to Environmental Science: Certificate Program, AP Calculus AB & BC: Homeschool Curriculum, SAT Subject Test Mathematics Level 1 Flashcards, Quiz & Worksheet - Anatomy of the Thigh Muscles, Quiz & Worksheet - Important DNA Virus Families, Quiz & Worksheet - Chemical Digestion Process of Carbohydrates, Quiz & Worksheet - Rh Blood Group, Rh Factor & Erythroblastosis Fetalis, How Crystalline Solids & Amorphous Solids Differ, How to Write an Appeal Letter for College. After the Tet Offensive, protests against the war, which had been going on heavily since 1965, increased. How many Vietnamese pharmaceutical factories in Vietnam? Brown v. Board of Education | Facts, Summary & Decision, Praxis Social Studies - Content Knowledge (5081): Study Guide & Practice, Praxis World & U.S. History - Content Knowledge (5941): Practice & Study Guide, History 106: The Civil War and Reconstruction, SAT Subject Test US History: Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, Western Civilization I: Certificate Program, High School World History: Help and Review, Create an account to start this course today. We hope your visit has been a productive one. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. As the war progressed, the term gained momentum. Roots of the Vietnam War: Help and Review, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Primary Source: Letter from Ho Chi Minh to Robert Lansing in 1919, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Indochina from 1900 to 1945: Culture, Government & Unrest, First Indochina War: Battle of Dien Bien Phu & the Geneva Conference, Primary Source: Department of State Bulletin, Oct. 5 1953 - 'Assistance to Indochina', Primary Source: The American Response to the Geneva Accords, Unrest in Vietnam During the Eisenhower Years: Help and Review, John F Kennedy and the Vietnam War: Help and Review, Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam War: Help and Review, Vietnam War During the Nixon Years: Help and Review, Major Battles & Offensives of the Vietnam War: Help & Review, The Vietnam War After American Involvement: Help and Review, AP European History: Homework Help Resource, NY Regents Exam - US History and Government: Test Prep & Practice, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, The Achaemenid Empire: History, Region & Timeline, Adeimantus of Corinth & the Battles of Artemisium & Salamis, Alexander the Great: Biography, Conquests & Facts, Anaxagoras: Biography, Philosophy & Quotes, Clytemnestra of Greek Mythology: Character Analysis, Overview, Roman God Pluto of the Underworld: Facts & Overview, Who Was the God Prometheus? However, such tension put him in a difficult political position, and Johnson proceeded with advancing the Vietnam War. Updates? Why did Antonin Scalias seat on the Supreme Court remain empty for so long? Unfortunately for Carter, his new doctrine did not result in his reelection. President Nixon encountered a credibility gap one more time during the Watergate Scandal, which involved burglars breaking into the Democratic Party's campaign offices at the behest of Nixon and his administration. This term was coined by a senator from Arkansas named J. William Fulbright in 1966, when he voiced his displeasure at the conduct of the government in communicating to the public its actions in Vietnam. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons Foreign-policy advisers within the Carter administration speculated that the Soviet Union wished to prevent the spread of the Islamic Revolution (197879) that had erupted in Iran and that threatened to engulf the neighbouring Soviet republics. denounced abortion, pornography, homosexuality, feminism, and especially affermative action. I feel like its a lifeline. Explain the importance of each term or name: Congress of Racial Equality (CORE); internment; G.I. How did the Vietnam War change journalism? Soviet statesman whose foreign policy brought an end to the Cold War and whose domestic policy introduced major reforms (born in 1931).

They concluded that President Johnson systematically lied, not only to the public, but also to Congress. Create your account, 7 chapters | What action did Congress take to block abolitionists? I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you This was because the government was saying one thing, and the reality was something quite different (such as Johnson claiming he wouldn't immerse America in the war). Operation Rolling Thunder History & Facts | What Was Operation Rolling Thunder? Vice President of Jimmy Carter and Democratic nominee for President; lost a crushing defeat against Ronald Reagan. That announcement marked a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy, which had been focused since the beginning of Carters presidency on promoting international human rights and on pursuing dtente with the Soviet Union. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Executive Order 9066 Significance & Summary | What Did EO 9066 Do?

his administration greatly increased military spending, cut taxes, and reduced spending for social programs. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you. difference in political views between men and women. The origins of the credibility gap in the Vietnam War started with President Lyndon Johnson, 36th president of the United States. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The government did not trust the people with the truth, who in turn failed to trust the government. However, he refused to say how long troops would be in Vietnam or what an exit strategy would look like. The President wanted to 'handle' the public through manipulation of the media. They accepted the need for American involvement. Carter Doctrine, foreign policy initiative of the United States, introduced by U.S. President Jimmy Carter in his 1980 State of the Union address, that returned the country to its traditional strategy of containment of the Soviet Union. Policy that proclaimed that the US would honor existing defense commitments, but that in the future other nations would have to fight their own wars without the aid of American troops; a response to the war in Vietnam. Polls demonstrated that Americans were upset about the invasion of Afghanistan, that they believed that the invasion and other events of 1979 (most notably the taking of 52 American hostages by Iranian militants in the Iran hostage crisis) had made the United Statesand specifically the Carter administrationseem weak and indecisive, and that they did not support the SALT II treaty. How is a republic different from a direct democracy? Confronted with media-supplied ghastly images of the war, public discontent began to rise. Fulbright spoke of 'the arrogance of power' in the Johnson administration. Scandal that erupted when five men from CREEP (the Republican Committee for the Reelection of the President) were arrested after a failed attempt to "bug" the Democratic party headquarters; the Senate conducted televised hearings into the matter and Nixon was accused of obstructing justice by covering up the break-in; he refused to hand over incriminating taped conversations and fired his attorney general and other legal counsel; eventually the tapes were released and, facing impeachment, Nixon resigned in shame. Others feared that the Soviet Union was returning to its earlier policy of expansionism. They could no longer share the stated optimism of President Johnson, leading to his decision to not seek reelection. Former White House lawyer who accused top officials, including the president, of obstructing justice by attempting to cover up the Watergate scandal; his testimony before Congress was later corroborated by Nixon's taped conversations. The two presidents paid the ultimate political price for their participation in the disconnect between the government and its citizens with Johnson deciding not to seek reelection and Nixon resigning (which also had to do with the Watergate Scandal, which involved burglars breaking into the Democratic Party's campaign offices at the behest of Nixon and his administration). Initially, the public believed President Johnson's message about Vietnam. Federal agency established by Nixon to protect and preserve the environment; along with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the establishment of OSHA, this agency made notable progress in reducing automobile emissions and cleaning up waterways and toxic dump sites. Carter apparently accepted the last possibility, which became the implicit rationale of his warning to the Soviets to refrain from aggressive actions in the Persian Gulf. In December 1967, National Security Adviser Walt Rostow declared A light at the end of the tunnel in the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War, this gap was rooted in mutual mistrust, beginning with 36th President of the United States President Lyndon Johnson and ending with Johnson's successor, President Richard Nixon. Yet, as of Christmas 1965, the number of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam had grown to 200,000. He believed that American involvement was required to stop the Communist North Vietnamese from taking over South Vietnam. Court ruled that a women's right to privacy also encompases her right to an abortion/ Warren Burger, the United States and its allies defeated Iraq in a ground war that lasted 100 hours (1991). As the war escalated with no end in sight, the constant reassurances of a quick war and positive messages about success stopped resonating. Bill of Rights; James Farmer; Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). Legislation passed over Nixon's veto which required the president to report to Congress within 48 hours after committing troops to a foreign conflict or substantially enlarging American combat units in a foreign country; a response to the administration's secretive actions in Cambodia and a reflection of the "New Isolationism" that arose after America's involvement in Vietnam. 's' : ''}}. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. I thought we were winning the war.'. The Domino Theory & the Vietnam War | Significance & Eisenhower's Speech. A credibility gap is a difference in perception between the government and its people. How was the situation resolved?

A lack of transparency was met with demands for truth. To trick counterfeiters, Benjamin Franklin deliberately misspelled Pennsylvania when printing official currency for the American colony. Florence Kelly, Carrie Chapman Catt, Ida Tarbell, Alice Paul. President Richard Nixon's Foreign Policy | History, Diplomacy & Detente, Easter Offensive of 1972: Vietnam War | History, Impact & Aftermath. In 1966, J. William Fulbright, A senator from Arkansas, expressed frustration with the President's vague language regarding the conflict. Nixon's controversial affirmative action plan; required construction trade unions to establish "goals and timetables" for the hiring of black apprentices, effectively creating hiring quotas for minorities. 1968 massacre of innocent women and children in a Vietnamese village by US troops; the incident disgusted the American public when revealed in 1970, leading to deeper demoralization and discontent. A group of anti-American Muslim militants stormed the US embassy in Tehran, taking all occupants hostage and demanding the return of the exiled Iranian shah; after economic sanctions and political pressure failed, Carter launched a ill-fated rescue mission and the crisis continued throughout his presidency. Warning that informs someone accused of a crime that they have the right to remain silent and are entitled to other protections; established by the ruling in the controversial Miranda Supreme Court case, presided over by Chief Justice Warren. The public refused to accept what he was saying, leading to his resignation in 1974. How to Assign a Study.com Lesson to Your Students, Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers, Health and Medicine - Questions & Answers. President Jimmy Carter Term & Accomplishments | Who was the 39th President? Editorials appeared in publications like the New York Times, which talked about how 'It was time to call the spade a bloody shovel' and that America was in an undeclared and unexplained war. What position did America's hawks take during the Vietnam War? Carters policy of dtente had culminated in 1979 in the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) II nuclear arms treaty between the Soviet Union and the United States. Then, only a month later, the credibility gap experienced its zenith with the Tet Offensive, one of the largest campaigns the U.S. undertook in the Vietnam War. The 1971 release of the 'Pentagon Papers' solidified the credibility gap. She was a congresswoman running for Vice President with Walter Modale. Definition of the Credibility Gap in Vietnam, What is the Silent Majority? An organized, deliberate advance by the North Vietnamese caught American troops by surprise. They focused on anti-communism and humanitarianism. first woman supreme court justice. The picture that the Johnson administration gave to the public was one of confidence in American troops and a rapid military operation. The wide scale of the attack resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, prompting trusted newsman Walter Cronkite to exclaim, 'What the hell is going on? If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form. The disconnect was increasing as the number of American military personnel who were killed and injured rose each day. Nixon's policy toward the conflict in Vietnam aimed at placating the American public; 540,000 US troops would be withdrawn over an extended period with the South Vietnamese gradually taking over the fighting, with American money, weapons, and training. While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. What are the NYS Regents Exams Requirements? With that directive, which envisioned the possibility of a limited nuclear war, Carter abandoned the doctrine of mutually assured destruction, which had previously (from the 1960s) governed the nuclear strategy of both the United States and the Soviet Union. What effect did the credibility gap have on public opinion? Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. the practice of organizing on the basis of sex, ethnic or racial identity, or sexual orientation to compete for public resources and influence public policy, Jesse Jackson's idea of forging an alliance between groups of minorities and the disadvantaged, the mass expulsion and killing of one ethic or religious group in an area by another ethnic or religious group in that area, 1969 automobile accident that happened on an island in which a young woman assistant was drowned when Kennedy's car plunged off a bridge, 1980s; Reagan's economic program which cut taxes and government regulation in order to increase productivity, and eventully increase tax revenue as cash flowed in the economy, Term for "young urban professionals" of the 1980s who flaunted their wealth through conspicuous consumer spending, Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars"). Although the invasion was ostensibly aimed at supporting the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anticommunist Muslim guerrillas (the mujahideen), its ultimate motivation was not entirely clear. In his speech, Carter declared that the United States would employ military force against any country that attempted to gain control of the Persian Gulf region. Day of celebration and awareness of global environmental issues launched by conservationists on April 22, 1970; reflected the growing concern and interest in environmentalism. Ashley has taught history, literature, and political science and has a Master's Degree in Education. Democratic candidate in the presidential election of 1972; appealed to antiwar supporters, racial minorities, feminists, leftists, and youth, but alienated the working-class segment of the party; lost to Nixon, who won every state but Massachusetts. All rights reserved. Influenced by the continuing hostage crisis in Iran (which was made even more humiliating by the failure of a secret U.S. military mission to rescue the hostages in April 1980), most of the public agreed, and Carter was voted out of office. After his State of the Union address, Carter outlined specific measures that he would take to implement his new doctrine. Omissions? In televised addresses to the nation, the President indicated the United States must intervene to stop the bloodshed. It occurs when there is a disconnect between what is being told to the people and what they actually believe. However, like Cronkite, the public saw horrific images of over 500 U.S. military personnel killed and 2,500 wounded in just one week. President of the Russian Republic in 1991. He also recommended a 6 percent increase in the defense budget and created a Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force that could be quickly dispatched to any combat zone in the world. a school of economics that believes tax cuts can help an economy by raising supply, an economic policy adopted in the former Soviet Union, a policy of the Soviet government allowing freer discussion of social problems. Explore the definition of the credibility gap, the Vietnam War background, and what this meant for Presidents Johnson and Nixon. They also detailed how President Nixon secretly expanded a bombing campaign into Laos and Cambodia without public disclosure. For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums. 1992 SuCo: Standard for evaluating abortion restrictions was loosened. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content.