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Eventful 2024? Think 1940, 1968, or 1973

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Images from prominent events of 2024 in the US. (Rebecca Droke/AFP; Qian Weizhong/VCG; Justin Sullivan; Erin Schaff/POOL/AFP, all via Getty Images)

By Philip Klinkner

History usually happens at a leisurely pace, with major events months or even years apart. But this year, it seems like someone has pushed fast-forward, with significant events coming on a weekly or even daily basis. One company is now selling a T-shirt declaring “THIS IS MY LIVING IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES SHIRT.”




The announcement on July 21, 2024, that Joe Biden would withdraw from the presidential race was the latest in a dizzying series of major domestic events in 2024. Here’s a brief list:

While 2024’s fast pace of events is rare in American history, it’s not unique.

1968: Assassinations, political turmoil, war

Many observers have already compared 2024 to 1968. Both years saw incumbent Democratic presidents bow out of the election, as well as tragic outbreaks of political violence. But 1968 also saw a rapid unfolding of other historic events. Here’s what happened that year:



1940: War, US draft and FDR’s historic reelection

Two other years stand out for the rapid pace of significant events. The first is 1940, which was dominated by Nazi Germany’s invasions of European countries, the response to that aggression and a precedent-setting third term for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Troops marching along a street that has smoke rising at the end.
British troops march down a Dunkirk street in France on June 13, 1940, heading for the ships that will take them back to England.
AP Photo

1973: Abortion, peace deal, Watergate, political mayhem

Finally, 1973 also witnessed a rapid sequence of historic events. The federal right to abortion was guaranteed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Vietnam War ended after almost 60,000 Americans and millions of civilians were killed. War began in the Middle East. And Congressional hearings commenced in a political scandal that would, the next year, end Nixon’s presidency.



A newspaper headline from Oct. 11, 1973, announcing Vice President Agnew's resignation.
The New York Times on Oct. 11, 1973, announcing Vice President Spiro Agnew’s resignation.
New York Times archive

What do these years of unprecedented events have in common?

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One factor seems to be that wars and presidential elections seem to generate a cascade of events. Second, important events seem to beget more events. In 1940, the Nazi invasions led to Churchill becoming British prime minister and probably boosted the likelihood of Roosevelt running for and winning a third term.

In 1968, the Tet offensive helped trigger the challenges to President Johnson, which led to his decision to drop out. That helped set the stage for the calamitous Democratic convention that year.

Trump’s political and legal comebacks this year made Democrats even more desperate for a winning nominee, increasing the pressure on Biden after his poor debate performance.

We don’t know if the pace of news events this year will begin to slow down. What we do know is that most Americans might appreciate a bit of a breather before encountering another potentially historic event.

Philip Klinkner is James S. Sherman Professor of Government at Hamilton College.

The Conversation arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse and recognition of the vital role that academic experts could play in the public arena. Information has always been essential to democracy. It’s a societal good, like clean water. But many now find it difficult to put their trust in the media and experts who have spent years researching a topic. Instead, they listen to those who have the loudest voices. Those uninformed views are amplified by social media networks that reward those who spark outrage instead of insight or thoughtful discussion. The Conversation seeks to be part of the solution to this problem, to raise up the voices of true experts and to make their knowledge available to everyone. The Conversation publishes nightly at 9 p.m. on FlaglerLive.
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Comments

  2. Greg says

    Pretty sad what’s going on in the Democratic Party. A few of the elites, actually threw out a sitting president from office. The voices of millions who voted for him no longer matter. And they talk about the end of democracy, they need to look at themselves. They will do ANYTHING to win. My vote was wasted.

  3. Daniel Lopez says

    This points to the fact that all Americans need to vote this November. It’s essential that you realize the stakes for you, your family and the nation.
    The Nation is headed towards a period of great peril in the near future. The prospect of War is rearing it’s head as well as polical turmoil at home.
    We must pick someone with a clear head and an understanding of the importance of uniting our Nation.
    Look at the candidates. Their ideas and how they state them.
    Our lives and our future depend on it.

    1

  4. Samuel L. Bronkowitz says

    There’s always some old guy complaining about how kids these days don’t know what hard is

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