Final answer:
Johnson's primary reason for announcing the 'war on poverty in America' was his inability to sufficiently address poverty in the country.
Step-by-step explanation:
Johnson's primary reason for announcing the 'war on poverty in America' was his inability to sufficiently address poverty in the country. Johnson was greatly impacted by the depth of poverty revealed in the book 'The Other America' by Harrington. To combat poverty, he enacted the Economic Opportunity Act that allocated almost $1 billion for antipoverty measures, small business loans, youth programs, and job training.