Contending with Decline

This chapter charts the decline of the American Century in the mid-to-late 1960s. Ties with European allies were cordial, notably with West Germany. Also, U.S.-Soviet relations improved, as seen at the 1967 Glassboro summit meeting. Decline, however, overshadowed such gains. In the Middle East, black Africa, and Southwest Asia, the Johnson administration had trouble asserting leadership. And in the Americas, Washington often supported military regimes, thereby diminishing the chances for democracy. Also, Ho Chi Minh largely thwarted U.S. goals in Vietnam. The 1968 Tet Offensive, the gold crisis in March of that year, and reports by the Interagency Youth Committee on anti-American dissent around the world showed the eroding credibility of the United States and the American Century’s fading appeal.