Nixon, Ford, & Carter
The America of 1968 seemed to be a country in crisis. Riots, demonstrations, and
assassinations plagued the nation. On Election Day 1968, Richard Nixon was elected to
the presidency by a narrow margin. He came to office in a weary America, hungering for
new leadership to solve its many problems.
Richard Nixon won the 1968 election by promising to achieve "peace with honor" in
Vietnam. Soon after taking office, Nixon instituted a policy of Vietnamization, calling
for the gradual replacement of U.S. combat troops with South Vietnamese soldiers.
Nixon also increased bombing attacks on North Vietnam, believing they would hinder
communist attacks on the South and persuade North Vietnam to seek a negotiated peace.
But despite the bombings, the communists were not quick to negotiate. The war dragged
on, the bombings increased, and anti-war demonstrations in America became larger and
sometimes violent. Finally, in early 1973, the two sides negotiated a treaty. North
Vietnam agreed to halt its attacks on the South, and the U.S. agreed to pull its forces out
of South Vietnam. But soon after the U.S. withdrawal, the communists resumed their
attacks. In 1975, South Vietnam fell and was reunited with North Vietnam.
Despite his failure to contain communism in Vietnam, Nixon had some foreign policy
successes. To improve relations between the U.S. and China, President Nixon moved
toward recognition of China's communist government. With a policy known as détente,
President Nixon also improved relations with the Soviet Union. In 1972, the two nations
signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I), limiting the production of certain
strategic nuclear weapons.
In domestic affairs, Nixon sought to cut funding for President Johnson's War on
Poverty. In bitter battles with the President, Democrats in Congress tried to block
Nixon's efforts. Intense, even underhanded, rivalry between Nixon and the Democrats
developed, culminating in a break-in by Nixon supporters at the Democratic Party
headquarters in the Watergate office complex, trying to steal party secrets. During the
following months, investigations revealed that Nixon and his staff had tried to cover up
their role in the Watergate break-in. Faced with what appeared to be sure impeachment,
Nixon resigned, the first time in U.S. history that a President was forced from office.
Vice-President Gerald Ford replaced Nixon. Claiming that it was in America's interest
to put an end to the Watergate ordeal, Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes he might have
committed. Many people faulted Ford for granting Nixon a pardon. In the 1976
presidential election, the Democratic nominee, Jimmy Carter defeated Ford.
Carter hoped to use his presidency to make a better, more humane world. Seeking to
advance human rights, Carter announced that the U.S. would not support the government
of any country, even those of military allies, that violated the human rights of its people.
As a part of his quest for a better world, Carter led talks that resulted in a peace treaty
between two long-time foes, Israel and Egypt.
But other problems plagued the Carter presidency. Led by Arab oil producers, an oil
cartel called the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) repeatedly raised the
price of oil. This, in turn, led to price inflation in the U.S. Unemployment also increased.
In 1979 the U.S. suffered another setback when Iranians took more than 50 Americans as
hostages. Carter's failure to gain their quick release accentuated his image as a weak
leader.
In the presidential contest of 1980, Americans showed their disapproval of Carter by
electing the conservative Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan.