Reading #VI: Nixon & Foreign Affairs

Henry Kissinger is the architect of American foreign policy in the Nixon & Ford years.

• National Security Advisor & Sec. of State in the Nixon & Ford Administrations from 1969 to 1977.

Major diplomatic accomplishments.....• Negotiated the Paris Peace Accords that ended the Vietnam War • Responsible for détente with the Soviet Union • Facilitated the opening of the People's Republic of China • Key role in the Middle East peace negotiations during this time

The China Card (1972)• The US never diplomatically recognized the People’s Republic of China

(PRC).

• Nixon’s goal was to form an alliance with PRC in order to pressure the USSR into being more cooperative. The thought of the US & PRC cooperating would create Soviet suspicion & give the US leverage against the USSR.

• Nixon establishes diplomatic relations with the PRC...

-The PRC communist government is recognized

-The US will support PRC’s admission to the UN

-The US & PRC begin trade

Improved relations with the PRC is often cited as the most successful diplomatic achievements of Nixon’s

Presidency.

President Nixon & the First Lady visit China & walk the Great Wall.

• The first time a U.S. President visited the PRC. • The visit ended 25 years of fear & hostility strained relations.

The cultural ice breaker between China & US...Ping Pong Diplomacy

July, 1971

Forest Gump plays ping pong...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJP5svbymi0

Nixon plays the “China Card”...• Three months after the China visit the Soviets want to

talk• Nixon meets with Soviet Premier Brezhnev regarding...

-Nuclear arms reduction

-Selling grain to the Soviets... Due to a food crisis in the Soviet Union

Brezhnev & Nixon

S.A.L.T. I (1972)Strategic Arms Limitations Talks

The U.S. & USSR reach the first agreement on limiting their offensive intercontinental

ballistic missiles.

Détente(French meaning: Relaxation)

Nixon & Kissinger are credited with having opened up a period of détente. A period in the late 70s in

which Cold War tensions were reduced.

The Yom Kippur War October, 1973

• A coalition of Arab nations (primarily Egypt & Syria) attack Israel

on Yom Kippur in 1973.• This was a Cold War confrontation... The US & Soviet Union supply

their respective allies during the war & this almost led to war between the two superpowers.

Results of the Yom Kippur War... •Israel fought the aggressors & regained territory lost in the previous Six Day War.•Israel took territory from Syria & Egypt. •Henry Kissinger helps negotiate a settlement.

1973 Oil (Energy) CrisisAs a result of the Yom Kippur War, OPEC stops shipments

of oil to nations supporting Israel

Oil Producing & Exporting Countries...

The Oil Crisis - October, 1973• Gas prices double• No gas + gas rationing• Gas lines… Fist fights• Siphoning… Gas locks

Nixon’s response…

• Created the Dept. of Energy

• 10% cut in air travel

• 55 MPH Speed limit

• State & local response…Winter break or “energy break” for schools

Reading #VIII:The Nixon Economy

The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA)

• Nixon supported the creation of the EPA• Charged with protecting the environment& human health related to the environment.

Occupational, Safety & Health Administration

(OSHA)

Nixon established this agency to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses & deaths by enforcing

workplace safety rules.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

The US law enforcement agency that combats drug smuggling & use within the US.

Roe v. Wade (1973)• The U S Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. • Decided that the right to privacy under the 14th

Amendment extended to a woman's decision to have an abortion.

The Apollo 11 Launch

July 16, 1969

July 20, 1969 "That's one small step for a man, one

giant leap for mankind." -Neil Armstrong

1972 Presidential Election

Nixon has been successful in his first term...•A good economy •Ending American involvement in the Vietnam War

•The diplomatic opening of China

George McGovernLiberal Democrat McGovern on the issues...

•Anti-war… Return our POWs •Reduce defense spending•$6,500 minimum income for Americans•Supports the Equal Rights Amendment for women & abortion•Amnesty for Vietnam draft evaders•Acid (LSD)

The perception of many voters was that he was a left-wing extremist.

•Senator Thomas Eagleton ran as McGovern’s VP candidate• Eagleton had undergone electroshock therapy for depression & the press played up the issue•McGovern consulted with doctors & was advised that the depression could reoccur •McGovern dismissed Eagleton. ..the lack of conviction was perceived badly & hurt McGovern’s campaign ... McGovern's poll ratings had plunged from 41% to 24%•Six prominent Democrats refused the VP nomination •Sargent Shriver, brother-in-law to JFK, RFK & TK, accepted.

Big problems for McGovern...

1972 Election – A Landslide win

Results of the 1968 Election

Electoral College / % Pop Vote

Nixon: 520… 60.7%

McGovern: 17… 37.5%

Nixon’s dirty tricks…•Breaking into Ellsberg's psychiatrists office•Nixon used the FBI to gather info on political rivals•Manufactured, irrelevant, cruel & incorrect rumors about political rivals•Nixon accepted illegal campaign contributions

Nixon & Dirty Tricks-Deceitful, unethical or unfair political strategies

Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP)• A private group of loyal Nixon supporters who raised money to reelect

the President. The money was funneled into to paying for Nixon’s “dirty tricks.”

The White House Plumbers or Plumbers •Nixon’s covert investigation group•The Plumbers were financed by CREEP & became involved in many illegal activities ...Dirty tricks

Two important terms moving forward...

The Watergate HotelForrest Gump & Watergate...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_f4rEqaOds

An overview of Watergate...• CREEP breaks into the offices of the Democratic National

Committee NC (Watergate Hotel) - 5 arrested & convicted• Questions arise ...Who would want to do this? • RMN denies any knowledge of the incident• Washington Post Reporters (Woodward & Bernstein) follow

evidence that traces the crime back to the oval office & Nixon.• Congress appoints a special prosecutor & conducts an

investigation• The hearings are televised unravel a troubling pattern of

wrongdoing• The existence of recorded oval office tapes is revealed• The special prosecutor demands the tapes… Nixon refuses

claiming “executive privilege”• Nixon fires the special prosecutor over the tape issue• The tape issue becomes a Supreme Court case and the court

orders the tapes be turned over as evidence. ...the issue is executive privilege vs. criminal evidence

The Nixon tapes reveal…•Nixon ordering the Watergate break-in & Watergate cover-up•Nixon ordering government agencies to harass private citizens

RMN: Resigns August 9, 1974

* The first US President to resign

Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

In 1973 Spiro Agnew resigns as a result of …

- Receiving “kick backs” (money given for state contracts ...illegal!) as the Gov. of MD.

- Income tax evasion

Gerald Ford

• On Oct. of 1973, VP Agnew resigns & Gerald Ford was sworn in as the VP

• The Watergate investigation continued & evidence linking Nixon to Watergate was discovered. ... The “smoking gun” had been found in the tapes

• In Ford’s words... "Al Haig [asked] to come over and see me," ..."to tell me that there would be a new tape released on a Monday, and he said the evidence in there was devastating and there would probably be either an impeachment or a resignation. And he said, 'I'm just warning you that you've got to be prepared, that things might change dramatically and you could become President.' And I said, Betty (his wife), I don't think we're ever going to live in the vice president's house.”

President Gerald Ford

Taking the oath of office