Lyndon B. Johnson

====1967====
[[File:Vietnam War protestors at the March on the Pentagon.jpg|thumb|Vietnam War protestors march at [[the Pentagon]] outside [[Washington, D.C.]], on October 21, 1967, as support for the [[Vietnam War]] was falling and the [[Opposition to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War|anti-Vietnam War movement]] was increasing]]
In January and February 1967, probes were made to assess North Vietnamese's willingness to discuss peace, but they fell on deaf ears. Ho Chi Minh declared that the only solution was a unilateral U.S. withdrawal.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=445–447}}</ref> A Gallup poll in July 1967 showed that 52&nbsp;percent of Americans disapproved of the president's handling of the war, and only 34&nbsp;percent thought progress was being made.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=474}}</ref> Johnson's anger and frustration over the lack of a solution to Vietnam and its effect on him politically was exhibited in a statement to Robert F. Kennedy, who had become a prominent public critic of the war and loomed as a potential challenger in the 1968 presidential election.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=461}}</ref> Johnson had just received several reports predicting military progress by the summer, and warned Kennedy, "I'll destroy you and every one of your dove friends in six months".<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=447}}</ref> McNamara offered Johnson a way out of Vietnam in May; the administration could declare its objective in the war—South Vietnam's self-determination—was being achieved and the upcoming September elections in South Vietnam would provide the chance for a coalition government. The United States could reasonably expect that country to then assume responsibility for the election outcome. But Johnson was reluctant, in light of some optimistic reports about the conflict that provided hope of improvement, though those were of questionable reliability. Meantime, the CIA was reporting wide food shortages in Hanoi and an unstable power grid, as well as military manpower reductions.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=463–464}}</ref>

By mid-1967, nearly 70,000 Americans had been killed or wounded in the war. In July, Johnson sent McNamara, Wheeler, and other officials to meet with Westmoreland and reach an agreement on plans for next steps in the war. At the time, the war was being described by media and others as having reached a "stalemate". Westmoreland said such a description was pure fiction, and that "we are winning slowly but steadily and the pace can excel if we reinforce our successes".<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=470–471}}</ref> Though Westmoreland sought the deployment of additional U.S. troops, Johnson agreed to an increase of 55,000 troops, fewer than Westmoreland sought, which brought the total number of U.S. troops deployed in Vietnam to 525,000.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=473}}</ref> In August, Johnson, with support from the Joint Chiefs', chose to expand the air campaign, exempting only [[Hanoi]], [[Haiphong]], and a buffer zone with [[China]] from its list of targets.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=477}}</ref> In September, [[Ho Chi Minh]] and North Vietnamese premier [[Pham Van Dong]] appeared amenable to French mediation, leading Johnson to ceas bombing in a 10-mile zone around Hanoi. In a Texas speech, known as the "San Antonio formula", Johnson agreed to halt all bombing if Ho Chi Minh would launch productive discussions and if North Vietnam would not seek to take advantage of the halt. North Vietnam was unresponsive to the proposal, but Johnson pursued the possibility of negotiations and paused the bombings.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=482–484}}</ref>

With the war still arguably in a stalemate and with growing and widespread disapproval of the conflict, Johnson convened a group called the "Wise Men" for an in-depth look at the war, including [[Dean Acheson]], General [[Omar Bradley]], [[George Ball (diplomat)|George Ball]], [[McGeorge Bundy]], [[Arthur Dean (lawyer)|Arthur Dean]], [[C. Douglas Dillon]], [[Abe Fortas]], [[Averell Harriman]], [[Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.|Henry Cabot Lodge]], [[Robert Daniel Murphy]], and [[Maxwell D. Taylor]].<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=494}}</ref> At the time, McNamara reversed his position on the Vietnam War, recommending a cap of 525,000 on the number of forces deployed and that the bombing be halted since he saw no military progress from it. This recommendation agitated Johnson, and McNamara soon resigned. Except for George Ball, the "Wise Men" all agreed the administration should "press forward".<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=495–496}}</ref> Johnson was confident that Hanoi would await the 1968 U.S. election results before deciding to negotiate.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=501}}</ref>

On June 23, 1967, Johnson traveled to [[Los Angeles]] for a Democratic fundraiser. Thousands of [[Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War|anti-war protesters]] led by a coalition of peace protestors tried to march past the hotel where he was speaking. However, a small group of [[Progressive Labor Party (United States)|Progressive Labor Party]] and [[Students for a Democratic Society|SDS]] protestors activists placed themselves at the head of the march and, when they reached the hotel, staged a sit-down. Efforts by march monitors to keep the main body of the marchers moving were only partially successful.

Hundreds of [[Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD]] officers were massed at the hotel. When the march slowed, a police order was given to disperse the crowd. The riot act was read and 51 protestors arrested.<ref name="NYT62467">{{cite news |first1=Gladwin |last1=Hill |title=51 Protesters Arrested |access-date=December 12, 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=June 24, 1967 |url=http://nyti.ms/2heLqF0}}</ref><ref name="Marxist5R">{{cite web |author1=Jim Dann and Hari Dillon |title=The Five Retreats: A History of the Failure of the Progressive Labor Party – Chapter 2: The retreat from the anti-war movement 1967–1968 |url=https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/1960-1970/5retreats/chapter2.htm#bk15 |website=Marxist.org |access-date=December 12, 2016 |quote=On June 23, 1967 President Johnson came to Century City, Los Angeles to speak. The Mobe got permission to march past his hotel without stopping. PLP, SDS, the War Resisters' League, and other left forces determined to stop in front of the hotel. The leadership of the march of 20,000 was wrested from the hands of the Mobe's marshals by the PL-led militants. A four-hour bloody battle ensued after the police attacked the march, with injuries on both sides and a partial victory for the anti-war movement because LBJ never dared speak in public again.}}</ref> The Los Angeles demonstration was one of the first massive war protests in the United States, and the first in Los Angeles. The demonstration ended with protesters clashing with riot police, setting a pattern for the massive anti-[[List of protests against the Vietnam War|Vietnam War protests]] that followed.<ref name=LATretro >[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2009/05/crowd-battles-lapd-as-war-protest-turns-violent-.html  "Crowd Battles LAPD as War Protest Turns Violent"]</ref> Due to the size and violence of this event, Johnson attempted no further public speeches outside military bases.<ref name=LATretro /><ref name="Marxist5R"/>

In October, with ever-increasing public protests against the war, Johnson engaged the FBI and the CIA to investigate, monitor, and undermine anti-war activists.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|pp=486–487}}</ref> In mid-October, there was a demonstration of 100,000 at [[the Pentagon]]; Johnson and [[Dean Rusk]] were convinced that foreign communist sources were behind the demonstration, but that was refuted in the CIA's findings.<ref>{{harvnb|Dallek|1998|p=489}}</ref>