February 27, 1968: Walter Cronkite of CBS calls for an end to the war in Vietnam.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Walter Cronkite of CBS called for end to Vietnam War today 1968, provoking LBJ's reputed observation about himself that he now must have now lost middle America.

Link to tweet

[Chainfire]

1. I always felt like Cronkite was a wise uncle

telling me about what had been happening around the world. He was what journalism should be.

I miss him.

[Best_man23]

2. Here is the broadcast from 1968

Cronkite is still one of the benchmarks for TV journalists.

[Caliman73]

3. LBJ listened.

There were Peace Talks going on in 1968 that could have ended America's involvement in the War.

Nixon, as a way to secure his election, helped to scuttle those talks by promising the South Vietnamese a "better deal". He went around LBJ's back illegally and prolonged the war another 5 years.

LBJ knew about it. The government intercepted communications from people tied to Nixon, but LBJ sat on it because he thought news of this would "destroy the nation".

Sitting on it lead to Nixon, who lead to Reagan, who lead to W. Bush, who lead to Trump. So basically, LBJ's decision prevented massive unrest, but doomed the US to a slow death.