Final answer:
Nixon's victory in the 1968 election was influenced by the national desire to leave the Vietnam War, promising 'peace with honor.' His policy of 'Vietnamization' sought to withdraw US involvement, leading to the end of American participation in the war by 1973.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nixon's victory in the election of 1968 was largely influenced by the nation's desire to abandon the Vietnam War. This conflict had become deeply unpopular, with widespread protests across the nation and a growing disillusionment with the war's progress. By campaigning on a promise of "peace with honor," Nixon sought to appeal to both the anti-war sentiment and those who valued a strong national security stance. His actions once in office, such as the policy of "Vietnamization," aimed at reducing American involvement while training South Vietnamese troops, further illustrated his response to the nation's desire for disengagement from the Vietnam War.
Although Nixon eventually helped orchestrate the Paris Peace Accords, resulting in a ceasefire and the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973, the war did not end honorably for the United States or for South Vietnam. The latter ultimately fell to North Vietnam in 1975. Nixon's presidency, while marked by this attempt to extricate the nation from an unpopular war, was also overshadowed by the Watergate scandal, leading to his resignation in 1974.