Chap. 29: LIMITS OF A SUPERPOWER, 1969- 1980 Nixon’s Foreign Policy, (1969-1974) - Review.

Chap. 29: LIMITS OF A SUPERPOWER, 1969- 1980 Nixons Foreign Policy, (1969-1974) - Review

Vietnamization Nixon s main policy in Vietnam was the process of Vietnamization. It began right after he took office in 1969. The process sought to save American lives and expenses through gradual withdrawal of forces from Vietnam. It was the first troop withdrawal since President Johnson escalated troop presence. Vietnam advisors insisted that South Vietnam, with continued American financial and military aid, could successfully defend itself against the North Vietnamese.

U.S. Troop Levels in Vietnam, 1960-1972

The Nixon Doctrine (1969) America will honor its treaties and provide aid to its allies, including protection against nuclear powers. However, in other cases of aggression, such as insurrections or non-nuclear threats, America s allies are expected to use their own manpower for their own defense. America will still provide economic and limited military aid in such cases. Most direct application: Vietnamization

While Nixons policy of Vietnamization was taking effect, Nixon did something in 1970 that caused the anti-war protests to increase. What did he order?

Nixon Orders the Invasion of Cambodia, 1970

Along with the killings of student protesters at Kent State in Ohio and Jackson State in Mississippi, the American public was turned further against Vietnam by two other reports about the war What were these revelations?

My Lai Massacre, 1968

Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers Daniel Ellsberg was an employee of the Defense Department who leaked a classified assessment of the Vietnam War in 1971 known as the Pentagon Papers. They cast doubt on the justification for entry into the war and revealed that senior government officials had serious misgivings about the war. When the New York Times and Washington Post began to publish the Pentagon Papers, the Nixon Administration sued them. The Supreme Court ruled that the papers could continue to publish the documents.

Nixon sent Kissinger to begin secret talks with North Vietnam in 1972, which eventually led to an armistice or truce in 1973, called the Paris Accords. The agreements listed in the Accords were as follows:

A promise of a cease-fire and free elections The U.S. would withdraw the rest of its troops from South Vietnam The U.S. would get back all prisoners in enemy hands North Vietnam would keep some of its troops in South Vietnam

This armistice allowed the U.S. to finally separate itself from 12 years of war in Vietnam, which claimed 58,000 American lives. Nixon had achieved his peace with honor. Unfortunately, without direct American military involvement, South Vietnam fell in April, 1975, after a massive invasion by the North.

The Fall of Saigon, 1975

Nixons Vietnamization Policy Successes: Brought home all the troops by end of 1973. The South Vietnamese successfully defended themselves from 1973-1975 without any U.S. support. Failures: Saigon fell to Communist forces on April 30, 1975. America refused to respond to calls for help from the South Vietnamese leader. Vietnam established a Communist government, rendering U.S. involvement in the war futile.

Nixon Visits China Since 1949 the US had not recognized the Communist Chinese Government Ping-pong diplomacy began in 1971 Nixon wanted to play the China Card and take advantage of the rift between China and the USSR Nixon s visit to China opened up diplomatic and economic relations Both would cooperate and participate in scientific and cultural exchanges

Ping-Pong Diplomacy The American ping-pong team received a surprise invitation to visit the PRC in April, 1971. Their acceptance made them the first Americans to be allowed into communist mainland China since the Chinese Civil War of 1949. Ten journalists accompanied them; Americans eagerly followed the team s progress in the news media. The trip was a diplomatic success! The American public became more willing to open up relations with the PRC. America lifted its 20-year trade embargo on mainland China.

Nixons China Trip

Nixon and Premier Zhou En-lai

Nixon Visits the Soviet Union In May 1972, three months after visiting China, Nixon became the first President to visit Moscow Nixon met with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev They signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) It limited ICBMs and sub missiles to 1972 levels Nixon offered to sell $1 billion in wheat crop to the USSR

Nixons Visit to the Soviet Union

The issue of war and peace cannot be solved unless we in the United States and the Soviet Union demonstrate both the will and the capacity to put our relationship on a basis consistent with the aspirations of mankind. -Richard Nixon s Address to the U.N. General Assembly, October 23, 1970

Did Nixon Succeed in the U.S.S.R.? Nixon successfully was able to limit production of missiles through a treaty for the first time with the U.S.S.R. He was able to open up foreign relations with a country that had been a tremendous enemy since 1945. Was able to ease tensions between the two superpowers and subsequently greatly lower global tensions through dtente.

Nixons Domestic Policies, 1969 - 1974

Nixon s New Conservatism Nixon was determined to turn the US in a more conservative direction with a sense of order The US was intensely divided over Vietnam Nixon felt LBJ s Great Society programs gave the federal government too much responsibility Nixon s plan was New Federalism which was to distribute a portion of federal power to state and local governments Under the Revenue Sharing Plan state and local governments decided how they spent Fed. $

Two Sides to New Federalism The Nixon administration increased Social Security, Medicade, Medicare and made food stamps more accessible Yet Nixon tried to eliminate the Job Corps, and in 1970 he denied funding for (HUD) By 1973 Nixon had impounded more than $15 billion in funds for housing, health, and education (Federal Courts overturned the impounding of these funds) Nixon abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity

Causes of Stagflation Between 1967-1973 the US faced high unemployment and high inflation (Stagflation) High Inflation was caused by LBJ funding the war and the Great Society through deficit spending Increased international competition in trade Floods of new workers (Domestic Baby Boomers and Foreign) Heavy dependence on foreign oil

Nixon Battles Stagflation To reverse deficit spending Nixon raised taxes and cut the budget (Congress opposed) Nixon tried to reduce the amount of $ in circulation by pushing for higher interest rates Nixon took the US off the gold standard In 1971 Nixon froze wages, rents, fees and prices for 90 days it helped temporality but the recession continued

Nixon s Southern Strategy Nixon tried to get support from white southern democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and a liberal supreme court Nixon favored slow desegregation. In 1969 he ordered the Dept. of Health, Ed, and Welfare to delay segregation in Miss. and SC (Overturned by the Supreme Court) Desegregation through school busing became a civil rights issue (Whites in Detroit and Boston opposed it) Nixon was opposed to it

The 1972 Election Nixon ran a successful negative campaign against Senator George McGovern (D) They let the press know that McGovern s VP candidate Senator Thomas Eagleton had undergone shock therapy for depression Voter turnout was an all time low With promises of peace in Vietnam, Nixon won in a landslide

ARAB-ISRAELI RELATIONS

Arab-Israeli Tensions Ever since Israel s declaration of independence in 1948, Arab nations had engaged in wars with the Jewish state, and none had opened up diplomatic relations with Israel by the 1970s. The Arabs, especially Palestinians, considered Israeli territory rightfully theirs. Also, the Muslim (and Jewish) holy city of Jerusalem was located within Israel s borders. From the beginning, the United States had been Israel s steadfast ally.

The Six-Day War (1967) Israel had won a crushing victory against the Arabs in the Six-Day War of 1967, which expanded the nation s borders to include the Golan Heights, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula. Therefore, they assumed that the Arabs would not dare to attack them again so soon. But the Arabs were as determined as ever to reclaim their territory and eliminate the Jewish state.

Israeli Territorial Gains The pale blue indicates Israeli territory before the Six-Day War. The slightly darker blue indicates Israeli territorial gains. Clearly, the war resulted in massive border expansions, especially on the Sinai Peninsula.

The Yom Kippur War (1973) On October 6, 1973, the Arab nations of Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel. The Arabs chose the date with a very specific reason in mind: it coincided with Yom Kippur, Judaism s holiest holiday. The Arabs correctly assumed that Israel would be most vulnerable on this day. Indeed, for the first two days of the war, the Israelis could not stop their enemies advance. The war lasted a mere 20 days, but the fighting was intense; thousands were slain.

Shuttle Diplomacy Secretary of State Henry Kissinger traveled back and forth between Middle Eastern countries Kissinger s efforts paid off In January 1974 Egypt and Israel signed a peace accord In May Israel signed a cease fire with Syria

OPEC and War During the 1960 s the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the price of oil The Six Days War in 1967 impacted prices The 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and Egypt and Syria increased prices The US sent massive military aid to Israel; Arab OPEC nations cut oil sales to the US (Oil Embargo). By 1974 price of gal./gas increased 4x Major gas lines and shortages in the US early, mid 1970 s

Did Nixon Succeed in the Middle East? In keeping with the Nixon Doctrine, he stood by an American ally, providing aid and supplies, but not manpower, for a successful defense. With Kissinger s aid, he also reduced the Soviet sphere of influence, of which Egypt was no longer a part by war s end.

Chap. 29: LIMITS OF A SUPERPOWER, 1969- 1980 Nixon’s Foreign Policy, (1969-1974) - Review.

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Transcript of Chap. 29: LIMITS OF A SUPERPOWER, 1969- 1980 Nixon’s Foreign Policy, (1969-1974) - Review.