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Explaining History

The American New Left, Cold War Liberals and the Vietnam War

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In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the emergence of the "New Left" in 1960s America—a movement born from the failure of Cold War liberalism to deliver on its promises.


Drawing on Kim McQuaid’s The Anxious Years, we delve into the deep disillusionment that fuelled student radicalism. Why did young activists view "vital centre" liberals like JFK and LBJ not as allies, but as "closet right-wingers" trapped in an imperialist mindset? We examine the "bipartisan banality" of the era, where fear of being labelled "soft on communism" drove Democrats to escalate wars in Vietnam and Cuba, often with more ferocity than their Republican counterparts.

From the devastating psychological blow of the Tet Offensive to the collapse of trust in the "foreign policy establishment," we uncover why 1968 became the year the liberal consensus shattered.


Plus: Big announcements about our upcoming live masterclasses for history students in January and February 2026!


Key Topics:

  • The New Left: How the SDS and student radicals challenged the "Old Left" and the liberal establishment.
  • Cold War Liberalism: Why Democrats felt compelled to "out-hawk" the Republicans.
  • The Credibility Gap: How the Tet Offensive exposed the lies of the war managers.
  • The "Deep State": The origins of the term and the critique of an unelected power elite.

Books Mentioned:

  • The Anxious Years: America in the Vietnam-Watergate Era by Kim McQuaid
  • The Great Fear by David Caute


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