And in the decade that followed, the gulf widened, dangerously so for the stability of the young nation.
Since then, the gulf between the two Americas has widened to new levels of disproportion.
There is nothing close to a middle class, as the gulf has widened between an extremely rich minority and an impoverished majority.
The gulf widened further during the 1980s partly because of the international pressure against apartheid.
The gulf in relations between the two teams widened as the Jets' chances got more bleak.
But, perhaps because of this very fact, they seemed to be growing away from him - the gulf widened daily.
If anything, the gulf between him and the rest of the grand prix field has widened this season.
He was clearly ill at ease, and I wondered how the gulf between us had widened to such an extent.
"The gulf of hatred between the Pakistani and American people is widening."
The gulf was widening, the vision fading beyond recall.