What was one reason Johnson didnt run for president in 1968

President Lyndon Johnson declined to run for re-election in 1968 due to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. With the public’s opinion of the war souring, Johnson felt his chances of winning the election were slim.

Explanation

The Vietnam War was an incredibly divisive and costly conflict in U.S. history. President Johnson’s decision not to run for re-election in 1968 was an acknowledgement of the unpopularity of the war and the futility of his efforts to negotiate with the North Vietnamese.

The Vietnam War had a devastating impact on the U.S. financially, socially, and politically. Financially, the war cost the U.S. approximately $168 billion dollars. Socially, it strained race relations in the U.S. as African American soldiers were disproportionately represented in the war. It also caused a great deal of unrest domestically as the public protested the war and burned draft cards. Politically, it resulted in the election of Richard Nixon in 1968 who promised to bring the war to an end.

The implications of President Johnson’s decision not to run for re-election in 1968 are still felt today. His decision set off a chain of events that led to the end of the Vietnam War and the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from the region. It also marked a shift in the American public’s attitude towards war and foreign policy. The Vietnam War has been seen as a cautionary tale that has shaped the U.S.’s foreign policy decisions ever since.