Political Failures

  • Eisenhower failed to make the Republican party moderate and this is shown with the Goldwater nomination in 1964. Failed at first to speak out against civil rights violence in the south. Failed to make the Cold War situation better, when he left office it was more hostile. 
  • Bay of Pigs disaster - Kennedy’s “Cold Warrior Attitude” ultimately failed
  • Ultimately the Progressive ideas of the 60s failed and by the beginning of the 70s America resulted back to Conservative thinking shown within the popularity of figures like Ronald Reagan. (Reagan switched parties in ‘64)
“I will repeat again today that no one presently employed at the White House had any involvement, awareness or association with the Watergate case.”  
                                                        - Richard M. Nixon 

Governmental Mistrust 

  • Watergate truly showed an ugly side of politicians, created great mistrust from then on out and also polarized the country against the government.
  • Burning of draft cards and protests showed the ugly side of America and the great disconnect between the leaders in politics and the citizens of the country.
  • “War on Poverty” was ultimately an unreachable and unrealistic goal set out by Johnson, and gave the country false hope for the future.
  • Bombing of Laos and Cambodia with Operation Menu escalated the Vietnam War which was a broken promise by Nixon even though he ultimately pulled out troops.