Limits of a Superpower, 1969-1980

Limits of a Superpower, 1969-1980HIST 202 - HESENRichard Nixons Foreign PolicyJanuary 1969 inaugural addressBring Americans togetherAlienated himselfImperial PresidencyHenry Kissinger Nixons chief security advisorDick CheneyDonald Rumsfeld

Nixon and Vietnam500,000 troops in VietnamWanted to reduce U.S. involvement in warWanted to avoid perception of defeatU.S. was seeking peace with honor

VietnamizationGradual withdrawal of U.S. troopsSend S. Vietnam money to help rebuildAllowed advisors to train S. VietnameseTroops 540,000 in 1969.30,000 in 1972Nixon Doctrine

Opposition to Nixon1970 U.S. invades CambodiaNationwide protestsKent State UniversityJackson State Repealed Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionMy Lai MassacrePentagon PapersDaniel Ellsberg

Peace in Vietnam1972 Peace is at handMore B-52 bomber attacks on N. VietnamParis Accords Nov. 1973Cease fireFree electionsWar ended in 197558,000 American lives lost$118 billion spent

Dtente with China and Soviet UnionNixon and KissingerFocused on China and USSRDtente reduction of Cold War tensionsNixon in ChinaFirst pres. to visit China (1972)Visit led to discussions and recognition of Chinese govt. (1979)

Dtente with China and Soviet UnionArms control with USSRUsed relations with ChinaStrategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)Asked Soviets to freeze missile productionNo nuclear testingSignificant drop in tension

Nixons Domestic PolicyThe New FederalismNixon tried to rid Johnsons GS plansClean water and clean airNative American rightsCivil rightsPut control of social programs in state and local hands

Nixons Economic PoliciesRecession 1970High inflation + economic slowdown = stagflationIncreased tariffs 10%Price and wage fixed for 90 daysRecession ended in 1972

Southern Strategy43% of southern votes in 1968Wanted to appeal to South Silent MajorityDelayed integration plansNominated two southern conservatives to S. Court

Election of 1972Southern Strategy was successfulElection was assured by:Visit to China and policies towards USSRHyperliberal Democratic candidate George McGovern

WatergateJune 1972Nixons reelection committee broke into Democratic officesCREEP Committee to Re-Elect the PresidentPlumbers stopped leaksEnemies ListsBugging, break-ins

1973Watergate ScandalResignation of high profile political membersWar Powers Act limited Presidents powers during warCongress must approve any action lasting more than 60 days

Nixon ResignsAugust 4, 1974Nixon resigns amid criticismSeveral members of his staff also resignHouse Judiciary CommitteeObstruction of justiceAbuse of powerContempt of Congress

Nixon Resigns

Gerald FordNixon resigns Gerald Ford becomes presidentPardoned Nixon for WatergateInvestigated CIAAppointed George HW Bush to reform CIA

Failure in VietnamUnable to get funds to continue warFall of SaigonApril 1975U.S. supported govt collapsedGenocide in CambodiaVietnam War is marked as U.S. failure

Election of 1976Ford won nomination over Ronald Reagan

Democrats pick Jimmy Carter

U.S. picked lesser of two evils

Carters PresidencyInformalLikable former governor of GeorgiaSeen as an outsiderVeterans in Congress made fun of Carter

Carters Foreign PolicyCamp David Accords (1978)Brought Egypt and Israel together Peace settlement in Middle EastEgypt recognized IsraelIsrael withdrew troops from Sinai

Carters Foreign PolicyIran Hostage Crisis1979Ayatollah Khomeini Militants seized U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran50 American hostages were heldCarter reacted too slow1981 hostages released

Carters Domestic PoliciesDealing with inflation1980 inflation rose to 13%Standard of living was poor for middle classSick and tired of Carter and Democrats1980 Election of Ronald Reagan