The Unraveling | THE AMERICAN YAWP

I. Introduction

• Altamont Motor Speedway free concert (Dec 6, 1969) contrasted with Woodstock.
• Concert featured violence and disorganization; security was managed by Hells Angels.
• Highlighted the darker side of sixties youth culture.
• Marked a shift towards conservative mood in the U.S. amid social and economic crises.

II. The Strain of Vietnam

• Vietnam War led to public disillusionment; escalated U.S. involvement.
• Antiwar protests grew, media exposed the brutal reality of war.
• Tet Offensive (1968) demonstrated the war's stalemate; My Lai Massacre was exposed.
• Nixon elected with a promise to end the war through "Vietnamization" and "peace with honor."
• Secret bombings in Laos and Cambodia; prolonged war efforts.
• Vietnam War ended with Paris Peace Accords (1973); Vietnam united under communism by 1975.

III. Racial, Social, and Cultural Anxieties

• Civil rights movement fragmented; rise of Black Power.
• Cultural shifts with new music forms; 'All in the Family' portrayed societal tensions.
• Notable urban riots in Watts, Newark, and Detroit; Kerner Commission investigated causes.
• Black neighborhoods faced systemic poverty and discrimination.

IV. The Crisis of 1968

• 1968 marked by violence: assassinations of MLK Jr. and RFK.
• Democratic National Convention protests in Chicago turned violent.
• Nixon campaigned on "law and order," capitalizing on societal fears.

V. The Rise and Fall of Richard Nixon

• Nixon elected in 1968, focused on foreign policy and dtente.
• Visited China and Soviet Union; achieved SALT I and ABM treaties.
• Energy crisis (1973) due to OPEC oil embargo; economic impacts felt.
• Watergate scandal led to Nixon's resignation (1974).

VI. Deindustrialization and the Rise of the Sunbelt

• Postwar economic prosperity masked vulnerabilities.
• Deindustrialization hit cities like Detroit hard; job losses, urban decline.
• Sunbelt's economic growth contrasted with Rust Belt's decline.
• Political power shifted to the South and West.

VII. The Politics of Love, Sex, and Gender

• Sexual revolution expanded throughout the 1970s.
• Key rulings: Roe v. Wade (abortion rights) and opposition to the ERA.
• Gay rights movement galvanized by the Stonewall riots.
• Cultural opposition from conservative groups.

VIII. The Misery Index

• Carter elected amid economic turmoil; oil shocks and stagflation.
• Economic policies struggled to address international competition and inflation.
• Carters human rights foreign policy faced challenges.
• Iranian hostage crisis and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan further damaged Carter's presidency.

IX. Conclusion

• The 1970s saw political and social flux; economic decline and cultural clashes.
• Emerging conservative movement sought to restore a nostalgic vision of America.

X. Primary Sources

• Reports and speeches highlighting key issues from the era.

XI. Reference Material

• Contributions from various editors; recommended readings on related topics.