BREAKING NEWS: August 1968 – A Month of Turmoil and Triumph
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August 1968 was a month that will be remembered for generations to come. It was a time of turmoil, triumph, and transformation, with events unfolding that would have far-reaching consequences for the world.
Vietnam War Escalates
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The Vietnam War, which had been raging for over a decade, took a dramatic turn in August 1968. US President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to deploy an additional 100,000 American troops to Vietnam, a move that marked a significant escalation of the conflict. This decision was met with widespread protests and outrage from anti-war activists across the United States.
Mao’s Cultural Revolution
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In China, Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution was in full swing. The Chairman’s radical agenda aimed to purge Chinese society of what he saw as counter-revolutionary elements, including intellectuals, artists, and members of the bourgeoisie. August 1968 saw the height of the Cultural Revolution’s brutal suppression of perceived enemies, leading to widespread chaos and devastation.
Mexico City Olympics
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In a more uplifting moment, the 1968 Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, took place in Mexico City, Mexico. The event saw top athletes from around the world compete in events such as track and field, swimming, and gymnastics. The games were marked by a historic moment when US athlete Tommie Smith and Australian athlete Peter Norman wore black gloves and raised their fists in solidarity with the Black Power movement during the playing of the national anthem.
Prague Spring
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In Eastern Europe, the Prague Spring was underway. A reform movement had begun in Czechoslovakia, aiming to liberalize the country’s communist system. However, the Soviet Union saw the developments as a threat to its own interests and dispatched troops to crush the movement. August 1968 saw the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, marking a significant event in the Cold War.
Summer of Love
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In the midst of turmoil and conflict, a vibrant counterculture movement was flourishing in the United States. The Summer of Love, a term coined to describe the era, saw a surge in activism, alternative lifestyles, and artistic expression. In San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, young people from around the world gathered to celebrate peace, love, and freedom.
Conclusion
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In August 1968, the world was transformed by a series of events that would shape the course of history. From the escalation of the Vietnam War to the brutal suppression of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, the month was marked by turmoil and conflict. However, it also saw moments of triumph, such as the Olympics and the Summer of Love, which showed that even in the darkest times, there is always hope and beauty to be found.
During the Democratic convention in Chicago that summer, I was a year and a half off active duty and camping in the Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin with my wife and kids and not listening to the news on the radio. On Wednesday, we visited relatives who had a cabin nearby for showers and breakfast. They had the TV on. It was showing Columbus Drive and surging protesters and violent cops. I hope i never see that or anything like it again.
That, of course, was in the middle of the reactions to the Vietnam War. This year, it's Gaza. Ugly but not the same intensity. Still, judging from reports from friends involved in the protest movement reacting to Gaza, it could also get ugly. I hope not. Not because I don't sympathize with the protesters, but because seriously dividing Democrats this time around could cause damage in the final result (the election) similar to that suffered in 1968. Harris and Walz have started out well. I hope single issue fanatics don't fuck up keeping Trump out of the White House which really ought to be priority number one!
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I spent the summer of 1968 with casts on both arms after breaking my wrists jumping off a swing. That was the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade. The folks had just bought a cottage on Wonder Lake and I wasn’t able to swim for the entire summer!
Being out in the sticks back then, we had a directional TV antenna on the roof and could pull in WGN and WLS plus a Rockford station. I distinctly recall the powder blue helmets with visors, and the riot batons being used with two hands to drive it into the abdomens of the protesters. People being dragged by the hair to the wagons. And that famous picture of the shirtless guy standing in front of a line of protesters flipping the bird at the Chicago police.
Ten years later, I went to work for my dad at the corner of Milwaukee & Howard, and a solid 20% of our customers were Chicago police, living in Edison Park. (some things never change) More than one of them spoke of being down there that summer, and it was pretty much unanimous that the Chicago police were in the right, and that the hippies and the dippies and the weirdos deserved to get cracked with clubs.
It’s 46 years ago now, so the customers have changed but only generationally. Still loads of Chicago cop customers, and they still think they can do no wrong. They are already geared up for this. Game faces are already on.
Remember what Richard the Elder said all those years ago *Da police aren’t dare to create disorder; dare dare to preserve disorder.*