ABSTRACT
Against its preoccupation with the Vietnam War. the Johnson administration could give comparatively limited attention during 1968 to the issue of computers and trade control. The war was not going well for the Americans. The Johnson administration. following on that of Kennedy. described by one writer as comIwising the 'best and the brightest' of that generation, found victory in Vietnam to be e1usive. l More American troops had been despatched. more allies enlisted and more bombs dropped on the North. but no end was in sight. The US generals confessed that Vietnam would require a US occupation bcyond the next se\en years. The results of the early presidential primaries indicated that the nation was turning against the war and their President. By March 1968 Lyndon Johnson had come to realise that he had lost the opportunity to establish his 'great society' and had lost the war as well. He announced on the eve of the Wisconsin primary that he \vould not run for his second term as Presidcnt. For the r..:mainder of the year the US administration remained immobilised as the President stood by to watch Vice-President Hubert Humphrey. who had locked himself into the Johnson policy, go on to lose the Democrats' control of the White HOllse in the No\Cmber elections to Ri..:hard 0Jixon.
