1968 Snapshot
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The Vibe
Pop Culture
Student Revolts
Slang
"Dig it"
Price Check
Gas: $0.34
Notable Deaths
Martin Luther King Jr., Robert F. Kennedy
Music & Style
Hard Rock
World Affairs
MLK Assassination
Tet Offensive
Year's Summary
- Global Events: A year of upheaval. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The Tet Offensive in Vietnam. Apollo 8 orbits the Moon—the first humans to see the 'Earthrise.'
- Culture & Mood: Intense social unrest and protest. The 'Generation Gap' is at its widest. Yet, the year ends with a sense of awe at the first photos of Earth from space.
- Fashion & Slang: Longer hair and beads. If you understand, you 'Dig it.'
- Fun Fact: The Big Mac makes its nationwide debut at McDonald's for 45 cents, and the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system is first introduced in the US.
- 10 Jan 1968: Outbreak of the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly Elections – Historic legislative elections commenced under Australian administration, marking a significant step toward self-governance and eventual independence for Papua New Guinea.
- 30 Jan 1968: Launch of the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War – North Vietnamese forces and the Viet Cong launched a massive, coordinated surprise attack against military and civilian command centers across South Vietnam, dramatically shifting American public opinion and political discourse regarding the Vietnam War.
- 4 Apr 1968: Assassination of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr. – Nobel Peace Prize laureate and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically assassinated by James Earl Ray at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, sparking nationwide grief, widespread civil unrest, and a profound national reckoning on racial equality.
- 10 May 1968: Paris Student Protests Erupt Into the Historic 'May 68' Upheaval – Widespread student demonstrations and labor strikes paralyzed France, leading to massive social unrest, clashes with police, and a profound political crisis that ultimately challenged the administration of President Charles de Gaulle.
- 6 Jun 1968: Assassination of US Senator Robert F. Kennedy – Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot by Sirhan Sirhan following his victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, deepening the profound political trauma of the turbulent 1960s.
- 20 Aug 1968: Soviet Military Forces Crush the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia – A massive invasion involving Warsaw Pact troops led by the Soviet Union entered Czechoslovakia, abruptly ending Alexander Dubček's liberalizing 'Prague Spring' reforms and enforcing strict communist control under the Brezhnev Doctrine.
- 12 Oct 1968: Opening of the XIX Olympic Games in Mexico City – Mexico City hosted the Olympic Games, marking the first time the global sporting event was held in a Latin American nation, though overshadowed by high-altitude athletic challenges and powerful Black Power civil rights protests by American sprinters.
- 5 Nov 1968: Richard Nixon Elected 37th President of the United States – Republican candidate Richard Nixon narrowly defeated Democratic opponent Hubert Humphrey in a polarized presidential election shaped by the Vietnam War, domestic civil unrest, and shifting political alignments across the nation.