Lecture # 13
The Nixon Presidency
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Nixon won the popular vote 43.4% to 42.7%
Never specified his plan for dealing with the unpopular war in Vietnam
“Peace with Honor” and he was going to restore law and order at home
Said he represented the Silent Majority – those Americans who worked, paid
taxes, and didn’t demonstrate, picket, or protest loudly.
George Wallace ran as 3rd party candidate on the following platform:
“Segregation Now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation forever!” (13.5% of
popular vote – South)
Humphrey ran on democratic side
Nixon won based on his platform and broken Democratic party
Nixon did a series of things that made everyone shake their heads:
o Ordered illegal government actions
o Enhanced welfare programs
o Improved environment
o Widened and intensified war in Vietnam
o Made moves towards détente with China
Nixon’s War
 Despite “peace with honor,” war lasted 4 more years
 A big part was because of Henry Kissinger – Nixon’s national security advisor
 Vietnamization – the withdrawal of US troops as fast as possible without
undermining SV government by having the SV troops take over much of the
fighting
 Nixon ordered withdrawal of several thousand troops
 At same time, without getting congressional approval, Nixon ordered US troops
to invade Cambodia
 Why? To try and stop NV from moving into SV
 Protests and demonstrations were huge in response to invasion (ex. Kent State)
 It was at this point that Nixon knew it had to be over
 Yet, Kissinger was still telling Nixon not to accept defeat
 Nixon continued to order small invasions here and there throughout Laos,
Cambodia, and North Vietnam
 Kissinger was sent to Paris for peace negotiations with NV
 Both parties agreed to cease-fire if (1) all US troops withdrew and (2) all US
POWs were returned
 SV refused to agree because that’d signal defeat
 Christmas 1972 – Nixon ordered 1 more wave of bomb attacks to try and improve
negotiations
 By January 1973, the negotiated terms differed very little from those in 1969, so
for 4 years….
 March 1973 – withdrawal of US troops made it clear we would not win
 December 1973 – only 50 American military personnel remained
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April 1975 – Saigon fell
The two Vietnams were united and the war was over
58,000+ Americans dead
Failed to achieve our goal
Policy of Containment was impossible to achieve
The China Card
 Nixon confused people as he implemented a policy of détente
 China was communist
 So we should condemn them and do everything in our power to contain
communism, right?
 Nixon thought if he could make relations of any sort with China, perhaps he could
ally with them against SU
 At same time, Nixon wanted to work out trade negotiations with SU to prevent
CH from gaining too much power in Asia, Middle East, and Africa
 Nixon was criticized for “double dealing” and for acknowledging communist
regimes
 This playing of the “China Card” was pretty big deal
 Examples of Ping Pong diplomacy (1971+)
o CH hosted US Table Tennis team
o Kissinger held secret meetings with CH officials
o Nixon and wife flew to Beijing
“There must be room in this world for two great nations with different systems to live
together and work together.” (Nixon)
 SALT I – Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty – signed in 1972 by US and SU to
slow the nuclear arms race