Although the death of President John F. Kennedy, led to Lyndon B. Johnson becoming the 36th U.S. President, the transition was far from smooth; Johnson was sworn-in on board Air Force One in Dallas and faced a nervous nation. A lot of unfinished business lay before him as well. Mr. Johnson, a tall Texan with a strong voice and ability to craft successful political alliances through his years of experience in congress, quickly went to work.
Mr. Johnson's first major move was to finish what President Kennedy had begun to do for civil rights. In 1964 Mr. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act which prohibited discrimination based on race in all public places and employment settings. Although Johnson used all of his persuasion skills to get this act passed through the senate, he was able to pass it. The next year (1965) Mr. Johnson passed the voting rights act, which allowed African Americans to vote without any additional obstacles. Both of these acts have greatly impacted our society and are still felt today.
President Johnson also continued his "Great Society" initiative which included a series of programs intended to eliminate poverty and provide equal opportunities to all citizens. He introduced medicare and medicaid to provide medical coverage to elderly individuals and low income families. Educationally, he passed new legislation which provided financial support for schools in poverty-stricken communities. Additionally, he established HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) and headstart to provide educational and housing opportunities to young children. During much of his presidency unemployment levels remained relatively stable and the national economy performed fairly well.
For many historians, President Johnson's domestic accomplishments are considered some of the most significant legislative initiatives since the New Deal.
However, the impact of Vietnam began growing stronger throughout Johnson's presidency. When Johnson took over the leadership of the military in Vietnam he had less than one thousand personnel stationed in Vietnam. However, under his leadership the number of American soldiers stationed in Vietnam increased dramatically. Following the reported attack on two American naval ships by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964, Congress granted President Johnson broad authority to escalate American participation in the conflict. By mid-1968, approximately 500,000 American servicemen were actively involved in the fighting and nightly television broadcasts showed scenes of battle and increasing loss-of-life for American soldiers. Demonstrations opposing the war increased on college campuses and city streets across America. Perhaps the greatest blow to President Johnson's administration came when the Tet offensive occurred in February 1968. Even though the U.S. military described the Tet offense as a victory for them, public opinion regarding the war was severely shaken.
President Johnson ultimately made the decision to not seek re-election for the presidency on March 31, 1968. His remaining time in office was spent attempting to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Paris; however, very little progress was achieved. Upon leaving the white house in January 1969 President Johnson turned over control of the nation to Richard Nixon. It was several more years until America withdrew its combat troops from Vietnam.
In conclusion, President Johnson's legacy represents both great success and monumental failure. The passage of numerous pieces of legislation including the civil rights act, voting rights act and other legislation that has been instrumental in lifting millions of people out of poverty and providing opportunities for everyone regardless of color or economic status are truly impressive accomplishments. Conversely, his policies regarding Vietnam resulted in thousands of lost lives, fractured America and damaged his personal image.