THE NIXON YEARS

“This country could run itself domestically without a President. All you need is a competent cabinet to run the country … you need a President for foreign policy.”

THEIMPERIALPRESIDENCY

Richard NixonPresident of the U.S. from 1969-1974.The Imperial PresidencyVice President under Eisenhower from 1953-1961.Served in the Congress from 1946-1952.Only President to resign from office (after Watergate Scandal).Strict Republican and Anti-Communist.

NEW FEDERALISMPolicy to reduce federal government’s role in the economy and turn over many tasks to state and local governments

Passed “revenue-sharing” bills that granted federal funds to state and local governments to do with as they wished.

DOMESTIC ISSUES:1ST President to be elected in modern times after having lost a prior bid for the Presidency Southern Strategy – What is it? Anti-war protest at his inauguration

WAR ON CRIME: Takes a stance against

permissive attitudes of courts towards criminals

Replaces liberal judges on Supreme Court with conservatives

Appoints Warren Burger as new Chief Justice to replace Earl Warren

Nixon”& his Staff – the “Berlin Wall”

Avoided Cabinet & relied on his staff

Fiercely loyal team players

Cabinet posts are approved by Senate, staff positions aren‘t

H.R. Haldeman, Chief of Staff, “I get done what he wants done and I take the heat instead of him.”

John Ehrlichman, chief domestic advisor, framed issues and narrowed down options

John Mitchell, Attorney General, Nixon’s former law partner and most loyal supporter

All will later do prison time for their roles in Watergate.All will later do prison time for their roles in Watergate.

MAJOR SUPREME COURT DECISIONS:NY TIMES vs. U.S., 1971 Publication of Pentagon papers NOT a violation of national security

SWANN case, FORCED BUSING, 1971 To achieve racial integration; Nixon opposed

ROE vs. WADE, 1973 Legalization of abortion

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT (reverses Warren Court) Court holds that it does NOT violate Bill of Rights

U.S. vs. NIXON, 1973 Watergate – executive privilege does NOT allow P to withhold items

requested by Congressional subpoena

26TH AMENDMENT passed lowering voting age to 18

Environmental Awareness!Environmental Awareness!

The “Greenest” President

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring Pesticides – led to ban on DDT

EPA created under Nixon in 1970 Deals with all environmental & toxic waste policies

CLEAN AIR ACT, 1970 DOT has responsibility to reduce automobile emissions

Water Pollution Control Act, 1972 To clean up nation’s lakes and rivers

Endangered Species Act, 1973Earth Day – April 22, 1970

Nader’s Crusade, “Nation’s Nag”

Convinced that the law placed too much emphasis on driver mistakes and not enough on the unsafe design of cars.

Unsafe at Any Speed, charged that automakers stressed styling, comfort, speed, power, and a desire to cut costs at the expense of safety – particular target was the Corvair

Get two dozen landmark consumer protection laws, including the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Consumer Products Safety Act, and the Freedom of Information Act

FOREIGN POLICY: Major focus & Nixon’s greatest strengthAfter a period of confrontation, After a period of confrontation, we are entering an era of we are entering an era of negotiation.”negotiation.” -Richard Nixon’s 1st Inaugural Address

Sheds his image as a “Cold Warrior”Policy of DÉTENTE:Relaxation of tensions with

communist nations

FOREIGN POLICY GOALSStrategic arms limitationPeaceful negotiation with foreign powers “Rapprochement” with China“Détente” with the Soviet Union

Reduced commitments of manpower to foreign nations (Nixon Doctrine)Promote peace and prevent imposition of power by hostile countries on others“Peace with honor” in Vietnam - how?Minimal public support for the warMajor reason for Nixon’s election

Henry KissingerNational Security Advisor from 1969-1975, and Secretary of State from 1973-1977.

Didn’t really fit in with the other key advisors

Key contributor to the foreign policy decisions of the Nixon Administration.

Advocates a practical foreign policy based on maintaining American strength

Triangular & Shuttle Diplomacy

Triangular DiplomacyThe U.S. exploited growing Soviet-Chinese tensions. Russia hoped to protect itself from the

growing Chinese threat in the East. Pit the 2 Communist superpowers against

each other….if the U.S. develops better relations with China, it might loosen China’s ties to the Soviets…and vice versa

Used successes in foreign policy with China and Russia to gain leverage from the other country

After Nixon announced a visit to China, the Soviets expressed interest in a meeting with Nixon to ease tension as well.““Right now, we need the Chinese to Right now, we need the Chinese to correct the Russians, and to discipline correct the Russians, and to discipline the Russians.”the Russians.” -Kissinger

COMMUNIST CHINAChina admitted to U.N. in 1971

Reasons for rapprochement: Trade with China— huge

market Main reason: increase Sino-

Soviet tension

Ping Pong Diplomacy: U.S. team invited to visit in

1971 – first Americans allowed into Communist China

Huge diplomatic success!

America lifted its 20-year trade embargo on mainland China.

COMMUNIST CHINA:Nixon first President to visit Communist China; Feb. ’72Had been set up by

Kissinger the year before

US grants diplomatic recognition

Nixon lifts trade and travel restrictions

Removed Navy from Taiwan

For a Democrat, negotiating with Communist China could have been a fatal political mistake. But the Republican Nixon was known as a hard-liner anti-Communist, and so could get away with it.

SOVIET RELATIONS

Nixon and Kissinger hoped to negotiate for the mutual benefit of both the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. as opposed to demanding that the U.S.S.R. give into U.S. demands.Détente focused on peaceful negotiations and weapon limitations between the two nations.

The Soviets:

Nixon visits Moscow / meets with Brezhnev in May 1972

Strategic Arms (nuclear weapons) Limitations Talks – some missile limitations but more important for opening up of relations

Also: trade agreements reached – US grain sales to Soviets

SALTNegotiations:

End of U.S. Involvement in

VietnamCease-Fire in January 1973Sec. Of State Kissinger gets Nobel Peace Prize

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

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 GainsThe pale blue indicates Israeli territory before the Six-Day War.The slightly darker blue indicates Israeli territorial gains. massive border expansions,

especially on the Sinai Peninsula.

YOM KIPPUR WAR:YOM KIPPUR WAR: Oct. 1973 on Jewish

Holiday Egypt & Syria launch

surprise attack on Israel Goal is to recapture

territory lost in 6-day War of 1967

Israel pushes troops back inside Egypt & calls on U.S. for aid

Nixon personally orders airlift of $2 billion in military supplies to IsraelSoviets supplied Egypt & SyriaA proxy war?

US aid to Israel causes Arab nations to place embargo on oil shipments to US & other nations supporting IsraelUS & USSR trying to work through UN to arrange cease-fire; agreed to by late OctoberPeace-keeping force sent by UN by end of 1973

HENRY KISSINGER & SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY

Kissinger – a political scientist of German/Jewish heritage; came to U.S. in 1938 at age 15; naturalized U.S. citizen in 1943

Became Sec. Of State in 1973

Shuttle Diplomacy: Working with Egypt & Israel to

reduce Middle East tensions Constant flying back & forth

between these 2 countries Got significantly greater

peace between them by 1974/1975

THE OIL CRISIS:Arab oil-producing nations (OPEC) place embargo on oil shipments in 1973 to force end to US support of IsraelThe first time Arab nations would use oil as a

political and economic weapon.

US had 1/16 of world population; used 1/3 of its oilDidn’t work BUT caused oil shortage & oil prices to rise as much as 400%Devastating effect on U.S.Nixon wants to make US less dependent on foreign oil, more self-sufficient

Effects of Oil Crisis:State governments requested citizens not put up Christmas lightsNixon requested gasoline stations to voluntarily not sell gasoline on Saturday nights or Sundays; 90% of owners complied, which resulted in lines on weekdays.1974, National max speed limit of 55mph, Emergency Highway Energy Conservation ActThe retail price of a gallon of gasoline rose from a national average of 38.5 cents in May 1973 to 55.1 cents in June 1974. (Average 13.5 mpg)1977, Dept. of Energy createdDaylight Savings Time year roundCars lighter, more energy efficientNASCAR cuts all distances by 10% & cancelled 24 hrs of Daytona & 12 hrs of Sebring races

THE ECONOMY:MAJOR PROBLEMS: Inherits huge budget deficit & inflation from

LBJ (Great Society & Vietnam)Japanese & German competitionAmerica’s dependence on OPEC

Cuts $ supply to tackle inflationResulted in “STAGFLATION”Economic slowdown, coupled with inflationThen, institutes freezes on wages & pricesAlso tries to stimulate economy with tax cuts

and deficit spendingUS loses dominance in world markets – fewer US exports being purchased since prices so high (inflation)

Election of 1972

GEORGE MCGOVERN

Democrat

SD Senator

Anti-war Troops out

in 90 days

Pro Social Welfare

GEORGE WALLACE

AL, Independent

Segregationist/ Conservative

Anti-civil rights

Assassination attempt – drops out

NIXONRepublican

Landslide victory

521 to 17 electoral votes

Over 60% of popular vote

WATERGATE

Watergate & the Election of 1972

McGovern complains about Watergate

Most Americans though believe the cover-up and that Nixon was not involved

1973-VP Spiro Agnew resigns, Ford appt. under the 25th Amend.

Story broke in the Washington Post -Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

Fight to keep their unofficial sources secret --- called informant “Deep Throat” -- later identified as W. Mark Felt, former Deputy Director of the FBI

Hotel Guard Frank Willis

On his rounds noticed a taped door, removed it, came back later and it was retaped, called the police and the burglars were arrested

’ChapStick’ surveillance devices

WatergateEvents

Operatives, the “plumbers, ” backed by CREEP are caught in a break-in at the DNC headquarters at the Watergate complex.

Nixon participates in an illegal cover-up of the break-in involving, “hush money” to the burglars.

Archibald Cox appointed as Special Prosecutor

During hearings of special Senate comm., Nixon’s White House counsel, John Dean, and other staff members disclose illegal activities…including discussing the cover-up with Nixon.

Existence of the Oval Office tapes comes out.

Pressure to release tapes; Cox fired and others resign in the “Saturday Night Massacre”

Nixon ordered to release tapes… but turns over edited transcripts instead.

(“expletive deleted”)

Nixon finally releases tapes …. one has an 18 minute gap of silence.

Nixon charged with obstruction of justice in July 1974.

Nixon claims executive privilege to defend his actions.

House Judiciary Committee working on impeachment charges and impeachment appears imminent.

U.S. V Nixon 1974Claiming executive privilege, in regards to turning over taped White House conversations as evidence in the Watergate Case

". . . Absent a claim of need to protect military, diplomatic, or sensitive national security secrets, we find it difficult to accept the . . . [absolute] confidentiality of presidential communications.“ — Chief Justice Burger

8-0 decision, limits presidential power

Effects of Watergate?

Drags on for 2 long years, public loses trust in the office of the PresidentNixon is only P to ever resign the officeFord becomes only unelected VP & P in U.S. historyCongress reasserts its authority after Nixon’s “imperial presidency” – passes the War Powers ActProof that no one is above the law.All later Presidential scandals have “gate” added to the endCongress can appoint independent investigationsFederal Campaign Act Amendments-limits contributions & agency established to overseeEthics in Government Act-Financial disclosure by high government officials in all 3 branches.

Articles of ImpeachmentObstruction of JusticeCover-up, hush $,

illegal use of CIA/FBI

Abuse of power Illegal wiretaps

Contempt of CongressRefusing to respond

to congressional subpoenas

New President Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, Pat and Richard Nixon walk to the helicopter for Nixon's departure, August 9, 1974.

Nixon, the onlyPresident to everresign, salutes andsays goodbye to the White House forever as he enters Marine One on Aug. 9, 1974.

Nixon & Haldeman, “Jews are born spies”