Richard Nixon Administration (Chapter 24)

1
Richard Nixon Administration (Chapter 24)
2
Foreign Policy

• Nixons foreign policy had at least 3 Major
  Successes
• 1. US got out of the Vietnam War
• 2. Visit to China leading to later recognizing
  the Peoples Republic of China
• 3.Arms Control with the Soviet Union

3
Nixon and Kissinger

• Nixon and Kissinger (secretary of state) began to
  take advantage of the rivalry between the two
  Communist giants, China and the Soviet Union.
• Their diplomacy was praised for bringing about
  détente, a deliberate reduction of Cold War
  tensions.

4
Visit to China

• After a series of secret negotiations with
  Chinese leaders, in February 1972, Nixon traveled
  to Beijing.
• The visit was extensively covered on television.
  This trip led to the US later recognizing the
  government of the Peoples Republic of China.

5
Visit to USSR

• In May, 1972, Nixon visited the Soviet Union and
  met with Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev.
• Nixon and Kissinger used the new relationship
  with China to put pressure on the Soviets to
  agree to a treaty limiting antiballistic
  missiles.
• This led to the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks
  (SALT I) http//www.youtube.com/watch?vneVsSxuJ17
  w

6
Economy

• During Nixons administration, the US suffered
  from a combination of Inflation and Unemployment
  which is called Stagflation.
• Nixons cutting of the government spending
  contributed to a recession.(slowdown of economy)
• He also tried deficit spending (When a
  government's expenditures exceed its revenues)
  and later imposed a 90-day wage and price freeze
  (the government declared that nobody could change
  prices for 90 days)

7
Trouble in the Middle East

• October 6, 1973 Syrians and Egyptians launched
  an attack on Israel in an attempt to recover
  lands lost in the Six Day War in 1967.
• Nixon ordered US nuclear forces on alert and we
  shipped 2 billion in arms to Israel. This
  helped Israel take control of the war.

http//www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51290185
51290185
8
OPEC Oil Embargo

• In response to the US support of Israel, the
  Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
  (OPEC) placed an embargo on oil sold to Israels
  supporters.
• This caused a worldwide shortage and long lines
  at gas stations in the US

9
Nixons Paranoia

• The White House had compiled an enemies list of
  prominent Americans who opposed Nixon, the
  Vietnam War, or both.
• People on this list were investigated by
  government agencies such as the IRS.
• Also, there was a group of former covert
  government agents who were called plumbers.
  These agents were in charge of plugging security
  and information leaks in the administration.
• In actuality, these agents had carried out a
  series of dirty tricks against those who the
  Nixon administration felt had harmed Nixon.

10
CREEP

• The Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP)
  had also committed a series of illegal
  activities.
• The Democratic Party had nominated George
  McGovern to run against Nixon in the 1972
  election.
• In June, 1972 a group of men hired by CREEP were
  caught breaking into the offices of the
  Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the
  Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C.
• These men were found guilty and sent to prison.
• Nixon overwhelmingly defeated McGovern.

11

• Two Washington Post reporters, Robert Woodward,
  and Carl Bernstein, published a story claiming
  these burglars had ties to the Nixon
  administration.
• Also, information was uncovered showing that
  money and possible pardons had been promised to
  the burglars in exchange for their silence.

12
Senate Investigation

• These revelations led to a Senate investigation
  headed by Democratic Senator Sam Ervin of North
  Carolina.
• These televised hearings showed Americans that
  the Nixon administration had carried out many
  unethical and possibly illegal activities.

13
Cover-Up

• Through the testimony of White House lawyer, John
  Dean, the president was linked to a cover-up of
  the burglary.
• Also Nixons top aides, H.R. Haldeman and John
  Erlichman resigned to protect Nixon.
• They, along with many others were later indicted
  for obstructing justice.

14

• While the Senate and the Post were investigating,
  Nixon appointed a special prosecutor, Archibald
  Cox to investigate as well.
• Alexander Butterfield testified that Nixon had
  tapes of every conversation held in the Oval
  Office.
• This led to a year long struggle between Nixon,
  who claimed executive privilege for the tapes,
  and the investigators, who wanted the tapes to
  prove the cover-up charges.

15

• To make matters worse, Vice President Spiro Agnew
  was forced to resign in the Fall of 1973 for
  having taken bribes while he was governor of
  Maryland
• Nixon chose Gerald Ford, a longtime member of
  Congress from Michigan, to become the new Vice
  President

16
Saturday Night Massacre

• Cox subpoenaed the Nixon tapes, but Nixon refused
  to turn them over.
• When Cox persisted, Nixon fired Cox and the US
  Attorney General resigned in protest.
• Leon Jaworski was appointed to replace Cox, and
  he immediately demanded the tapes.
• The House of Representatives now started
  impeachment hearings.

17

• Nixon next turned over transcripts of the tapes,
  but the Supreme Court eventually forced Nixon to
  turn over the tapes
• The released tapes clearly showed Nixon had
  engaged in the cover-up only days after the
  Watergate break-in.
• The House Judiciary committee voted three
  articles of impeachment obstruction of justice
  abuse of power and contempt of Congress.

18
Resignation

• Faced with certain impeachment by the House, and
  a trial in the Senate, Nixon resigned on August
  9, 1974.
• His appointed Vice President, Gerald Ford, then
  took the oath of office as the first unelected
  President in US history.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vIHnmriyXYeg