The Nixon Years
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Who would be the major players in the
Election of 1968?
The Election of 1968
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Johnson in late March 1968 made the
announcement that he would not seek
reelection.
Vice-President Hubert Humphrey
would receive the nomination for the
Democratic Party after the favored
candidate Robert Kennedy was killed
in California after the California
primary which he had won.
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Richard Nixon would receive the
nomination for the Republican Party.
Governor George Wallace of Alabama
would represent the American
Independent Party.
Nixon would win the Election of 1968
with 43% of the popular vote and 301
electoral votes.
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What was Nixon's Vietnamization policy?
The Vietnam War
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In June 1969, Nixon proposed that both the
U.S. and North Vietnam gradually withdraw
their forces from South Vietnam.
The Communist North Vietnamese rejected
Nixon’s peace plan and called for an
American withdrawal from South Vietnam
before there would be any peace talks.
N. Vietnam believed that American public
opinion would a cause the Americans to
withdraw.
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Nixon would initiate his policy of
Vietnamization in order to turn
responsibility for the war over to the
South Vietnamese.
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Nixon would call on the support of the
“Silent Majority” of Americans since many
Americans wanted immediate withdrawal.
Nixon would gradually bring American
troops home.
Nixon would strengthen S. Vietnamese
armed forces so they could fight without
direct U.S. involvement.
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Increased bombing of Laos and Cambodia
where Communist troops were being
supported.
Bombing of Laos and Cambodia would lead
to massive demonstrations at Kent State
University in Ohio and in Mississippi and
elsewhere.
Congress would end up repealing the Gulf
of Tonkin Resolution which had given
Johnson military authority in Vietnam.
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In November 1972, Nixon would be
reelected for a second term of office.
In January 1973, the Paris Peace
Accords were accepted by North
Vietnam and the U.S.. They called for
complete withdrawal of U.S. troops
(left on March 28, 1973).
The settlement also promised that
American prisoners of war would be
returned.
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What was Watergate?
What role did President Nixon play in
Watergate?
What was the outcome of Watergate?
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The Pentagon Papers
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Published by the New York Times in
1971
Classified Defense Department history
of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
Leaked by former Pentagon official
Daniel Ellsburg
Documents showed that Kennedy and
Johnson misled the American public
about their intentions in Vietnam.
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Attorney General Mitchell asked the
courts to stop further publication of the
Pentagon Papers stating that it was a
matter of national security.
On June 30, 1971, in New York Times v.
U.S., and U.S. v. Washington Post, the
Supreme Court upheld the right of
freedom of the Press allowing the papers
to be published.
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The Plumbers
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Secret group created by Nixon to stop
leaks from his administration.
Put wiretaps on phones of administration
officials and reporters
Bugged Daniel Ellsburg’s psychiatrist and
the headquarters of the National
Democratic Party at the Watergate
building in Washington.
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At 2:30 am on June 17, 1972, five men
were caught breaking into the head
quarters of the Democratic National
Committee at the Watergate
apartment complex in Washington D.C.
The men were intending to wiretap
and bug the offices.
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In late 1972, the Watergate burglars
went on trial and the courts found
them guilty in January 1973.
Judge John Sirica, the judge in charge
of the burglary case, released a letter
from James McCord, watergate
burglar, in which McCord told that he
and the other defendants had lied
under oath and had been paid by high
Nixon officials to conceal the truth and
plead guilty.
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By April 1973 investigations revealed that
other Nixon officials had misused campaign
funds and had covered up illegal activities.
It had also been found that Nixon officials
burned important Watergate documents.
Archibald Cox would be appointed as a
special prosecutor to investigate Watergate.
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Cox would seek an order directing
Nixon to turn over tapes containing
conversations between Nixon and his
aides.
Judge Sirica ordered release of the
tapes but
Nixon appealed on the grounds of
executive privilege and separation of
powers.
Nixon would try to prevent the release
of the tapes by having Cox fired. This
became known as the “Saturday Night
Massacre.”
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Calls for impeachment forced Nixon to
release tapes with missing info.
In April 1974, Nixon was ordered to
release more tapes but Nixon refused
claiming again executive privilege.
In U.S. vs. Nixon the Supreme Court
ordered Nixon to release the tapes
saying that evidence in a criminal case
was more important than executive
privilege.
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The released tapes showed that Nixon
was involved in the Watergate
burglary and in its cover-up.
On August 8, 1974 Nixon announced
his resignation since it was certain that
the House would vote for
impeachment.
On August 9, 1974 Gerald Ford became
the first unelected President.
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What were the highlights of Nixon's
domestic and foreign policy decisions?
Other Domestic Issues
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Nixon Battles Inflation
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Johnson had adopted a program of deficit
spending.
Food prices and oil prices increased.
Nixon would try to raise interest rates to
discourage borrowing.
Nixon tried to reduce government spending.
In August 1971 he imposed wage and price
controls for 90 days to try to control inflation. This
became quite unpopular.
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The Space Program
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On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Edwin
Aldrin would step on the surface of the
moon.
The moon landing would and a turbulent
decade by being a triumph for science and
a source of national pride.
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
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U.S. Recognizes Communist China
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In February 1972 Nixon would visit China.
They agreed to open trade and improve
scientific and cultural relations.
The U.S. would recognize that Taiwan was
part of China.
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Tensions Ease Toward the Soviet Union
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Nixon and Secretary of State Kissinger
would adopt a more flexible approach to
the Soviet Union to encourage “détente” or
the easing of tensions between the
nations.
In 1971, the United States worked an
agreement with the Soviets about Berlin.
The Soviets would guarantee access by the
U.S., Britain, and France to West Berlin and
would respect the cities independence.
The Western allies agreed to recognize
East Germany.
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By 1972 the U.S. and Soviet Union agreed
to increase trade and cooperate on space
exploration.
They would also agree to limit the number
of offensive missiles and defensive missile
sites.
In October 1973 the U.S. and Soviets
would help mediate the Yom Kippur War
between the Arabs and Israelis.