Anno 1968
All hopes of this year are directed toward ending the Vietnam War. It is quite possible that the war will come to end, although the North Vietnamese side is obviously intended to protract the war until after the American presidential election in the fall.
South Bend, January 1, 1968
The Rose Bowl Parade
The main entertainment of Americans on New Year’s Day is to watch the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California on TV, as well as a number of Bowl Games that decide the national championship in college football.
[Bowl in this connection refers to a stadium. Since 1902 the college football game in the Rose Bowl has always taken place on January 1. The game is preceded by the Tournament of Roses, a parade lasting hours with marching bands and floats of fresh roses. The roses and other flowers are creatively arranged according to a given theme. The best floats are awarded prizes.]
South Bend, January 6, 1968
The U.S.A. is primarily a state idea to which regional, ethnic and racial characteristics are subordinated. This idea has overcome the nation state.
South Bend, January 15, 1968
The restriction of dollar assets as well as the announcement by President Johnson that travels abroad will be cut back in order to improve the American balance of payments are more disquieting to Europeans than the War in Vietnam.
South Bend, January 18, 1968
The State of the Union Address
As required by the constitution, the American president is obligated to deliver in January of each year his “State of the Union Address” to the joint session of Congress. This Address belongs to the most important political statements not only for the domestic agenda of the United States but also for the rest of the world because of America’s global foreign policy commitments. Johnson’s speech, which was broadcast on national television, remained predominantly concentrated on domestic affairs and the Vietnam War. He showed a tendency toward the utopian. He spoke continuously about the progress of the domestic development referring primarily to the new schools built and the improvements made in health care. Each week, he said, a new college is being opened so that every second youth of his age group will have the benefit of a college education. His announcement that the federal government will fight crime more vigorously received the most spontaneous applause. Johnson’s references to foreign policy were naive. Europe was not mentioned with a single word. Altogether Johnson demonstrated in his speech of being a strong personality but with a mediocre understanding of world politics. The world outside America seemed not to exist; his main interest remained directed toward domestic policy issues.