For U.S. – War Over For Vietnam – NOT Over Don’t obey cease-fire 1975: Vietnam unified (comm.) Death Toll U.S. – 58,000 (300,000 injured) Vietnam – 2 million dead Did Communism Spread??? Yes (but not as bad as thought) Laos and Cambodia turn comm. No appreciation to returning troops No warmth/ No parades Physical/ psychological issues $$$ + Death Toll = Distrust Leaders War Powers Act: President must consult Congress within 48 hours if send troops to foreign conflict U.S. – No Foreign INVOLVEMENT Don’t want another “Vietnam”
Transcript
For U.S. – War OverFor Vietnam – NOT OverDon’t obey cease-fire1975: Vietnam unified (comm.)Death TollU.S. – 58,000 (300,000 injured)Vietnam – 2 million deadDid Communism Spread???Yes (but not as bad as thought)Laos and Cambodia turn comm.No appreciation to returning troopsNo warmth/ No paradesPhysical/ psychological issues$$$ + Death Toll = Distrust LeadersWar Powers Act: President must consult Congress within 48 hours if send troops to foreign conflictU.S. – No Foreign INVOLVEMENTDon’t want another “Vietnam”
The Election of 1968The Election of 1968
Richard Nixon only narrowly won the 1968 election, but the Richard Nixon only narrowly won the 1968 election, but the combined total of popular votes for Nixon and Wallace indicated a combined total of popular votes for Nixon and Wallace indicated a shift to the right in American politics. shift to the right in American politics.
The 1960's began as an era of optimism and possibility and ended The 1960's began as an era of optimism and possibility and ended in disunity and distrust. in disunity and distrust.
The Vietnam war and a series of assassinations and crises eroded The Vietnam war and a series of assassinations and crises eroded public trust in government and produced a backlash against liberal public trust in government and produced a backlash against liberal movements and the Democratic party. movements and the Democratic party.
SWBAT…SWBAT…
identify the charges brought against the President identify the charges brought against the President and analyze how this reflects the concept that Nixon and analyze how this reflects the concept that Nixon was considered an “imperial president”was considered an “imperial president”
list the major events of the Water Gate scandal list the major events of the Water Gate scandal and briefly explain them in two column notes.and briefly explain them in two column notes.
Despite the growing stain of Watergate, which had not yet Despite the growing stain of Watergate, which had not yet reached the President, Nixon won by the largest margin in reached the President, Nixon won by the largest margin in history to that point.history to that point.
On June 17, 1972, five men carrying On June 17, 1972, five men carrying wiretapping equipment were arrested wiretapping equipment were arrested breaking into the Democratic National breaking into the Democratic National
CommitteeCommittee’’s headquarters located in the s headquarters located in the Watergate ComplexWatergate Complex in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C.
Bernard BakerFormer CIA operative, was involved with Bay of Pigs
Virgilio GonzalesMiami locksmith, Cuban refugee
James McCordSecurity co-worker for the Committee to Re-Elect the Presdient (CREP) & former FBI & CIA agent
Eugenio MatinezCIA connections and was anti-Castro Cuban Exile
Frank SturgisCIA connections and involved in anti-Castro activities
Questioned by the press, the White Questioned by the press, the White House dismissed the incident as House dismissed the incident as ““a a
third-rate burglary attempt.third-rate burglary attempt.”” Pressed further, Pressed further, PresidentPresident NixonNixon himself denied any White House himself denied any White House
In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & E. In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & E. Howard Hunt, were former FBI and Howard Hunt, were former FBI and CIA agents currently working for CIA agents currently working for
NixonNixon’’s Committee to Re-elect the s Committee to Re-elect the President. Their job was to protect President. Their job was to protect the Nixon administration, anyway the Nixon administration, anyway
necessary, legal or not.necessary, legal or not.
Howard HuntG. Gordon Liddyhttp://www.helmr.com/images/liddy.jpg http://media.keprtv.com/images/070124_Howard_Hunt.jpg
Hunt and Libby had arranged for the Hunt and Libby had arranged for the illegal wiretaps (listening devices) illegal wiretaps (listening devices) at the Democratic headquarters, at the Democratic headquarters,
part of their campaign of part of their campaign of ‘‘dirty trickdirty trickss ’’ against the rival Democratic against the rival Democratic
The Watergate incident was not an The Watergate incident was not an isolated incident. It was part of a pattern isolated incident. It was part of a pattern
of illegality and misuse of power by a of illegality and misuse of power by a paranoid and ruthless White House and paranoid and ruthless White House and
Ordering the CIA to stop the FBI Ordering the CIA to stop the FBI from investigating the Watergate from investigating the Watergate incident was an incident was an obstruction of obstruction of justicejustice, a criminal offense., a criminal offense.
In January 1973, the Watergate In January 1973, the Watergate burglars were found guilty. One of burglars were found guilty. One of them began to talk about his White them began to talk about his White House connections. House connections.
In the meantime, two reporters at the In the meantime, two reporters at the Washington PostWashington Post, , Carl BernsteinCarl Bernstein and and Bob Bob WoodwardWoodward, uncovered the Committee, uncovered the Committee’’s to s to Re-elects illegal Re-elects illegal ““slush fundslush fund’’ and its links and its links to key White House aides. to key White House aides. Received all Received all info from an anonymous informant - info from an anonymous informant -
The The slush fundslush fund received its money received its money illegally from the campaign illegally from the campaign
contributions of the Republican contributions of the Republican party to finance party to finance ““mischiefmischief”” against against anyone that posed a threat to the anyone that posed a threat to the
In May, a Senate committee began In May, a Senate committee began holding nationally televised holding nationally televised hearings, at which it was hearings, at which it was discovered that the Watergate discovered that the Watergate break-in was linked to the White break-in was linked to the White House.House.
Attorney General John Mitchell,controlled secret “slush fund.”
The guilty White House officials The guilty White House officials implicated President Nixon. During implicated President Nixon. During the testimony, it was discovered the testimony, it was discovered that Nixon had installed a that Nixon had installed a secret secret taping systemtaping system in the Oval office. in the Oval office.
Claiming Claiming executive privilegeexecutive privilege, Nixon , Nixon refused to surrender the White House refused to surrender the White House tapes. Under enormous pressure, he tapes. Under enormous pressure, he
eventually released some of the tapes. eventually released some of the tapes. One of the tapes was suspiciously One of the tapes was suspiciously missing 18-minutes of recording.missing 18-minutes of recording.
http://watergate.info/images/740429address.jpg
Finally on June 23, 1974, the Finally on June 23, 1974, the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to Supreme Court ordered Nixon to
releaserelease the unaltered tapes. the unaltered tapes. Lawyers were shocked to find Lawyers were shocked to find
concrete evidence that the concrete evidence that the president had orderedpresident had ordered the cover-up the cover-up
of the Watergate break-inof the Watergate break-in..
By then, the House of By then, the House of Representatives had began to Representatives had began to consider consider articles of impeachmentarticles of impeachment, , to remove the president from office.to remove the president from office.
What charges did the House of Representatives bring against President Nixon during theimpeachment process?Highlight, circle, or underline the parts of the document that answer these questions:1. What is the main charge being brought against the President in each Article?2. In Article I, what event is Nixon charged with covering up?3. Identify at least six methods the President was accused of using to cover up the June 17, 1972 break‐in at the Watergate.4. In Article II, identify four ways that the President allegedly violated the constitutional rights of citizens.5. According to Article III, in what way did Nixon violate the principle of separation of powers?6. In what ways do these Articles support the assessment of the Nixon administration as an “imperial Presidency”?
Certain that he would be convicted Certain that he would be convicted by the Senate, on August 9, 1974, by the Senate, on August 9, 1974,
Nixon became the first U.S. Nixon became the first U.S. president to president to resignresign from office. from office.
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Gerald Ford swears in as President of the United States.
The next day, Vice President The next day, Vice President Gerald FordGerald Ford was sworn in as president. Congressman was sworn in as president. Congressman Ford had replaced Vice President Spiro Ford had replaced Vice President Spiro
Agnew, who had himself resigned in 1973 Agnew, who had himself resigned in 1973 for accepting for accepting ““kickbackskickbacks”” while governor while governor
One lesson of Watergate – that, in One lesson of Watergate – that, in America, the rule of law prevailed.America, the rule of law prevailed. No one is above the lawNo one is above the law, not even , not even
A second lesson involved the A second lesson involved the constitutional constitutional separation of powersseparation of powers. As . As
commander-in-chief, Nixon asserted commander-in-chief, Nixon asserted unlimited authority, excusing his unlimited authority, excusing his
wiretapping. The president does not have wiretapping. The president does not have absolute power due to absolute power due to checks & balanceschecks & balances. .
Congress pushed back against the Congress pushed back against the abuses of the Nixon administration, abuses of the Nixon administration, passing the passing the War Powers ActWar Powers Act (1973), (1973), limiting the presidentlimiting the president’’s ability to s ability to deploy U.S. forces without deploy U.S. forces without congressional approval.congressional approval.
Lastly, Congress passed the Lastly, Congress passed the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Federal Intelligence Surveillance ActAct (1978), prohibiting domestic (1978), prohibiting domestic wiretapping without a warrant.wiretapping without a warrant.
