The Nixon Years

1. The Nixon Years

2. Nixon’s Politics and Domestic Policies • Believed the federal government was too large • Enacted “southern strategy” to appeal to former segregationists • Firm stand against crime and drug use • Increased funding for programs such as food stamps and increased Social Security payments • Took special interest in environmental issues • Created a new organization to prevent work-related injuries and deaths • Advanced affirmative action Conservative or Liberal?

3. Nixon’s Foreign Policies with China and the Soviet Union • Nixon had great success with his foreign policy issues. • Henry Kissinger was Nixon’s national security advisor and later secretary of state. • Kissinger shaped much of Nixon’s foreign policy. • Kissinger believed in the notion of realpolitik—or basing foreign policies on realistic views of national interest rather than on broad rules or principles. • Nixon took steps to ease tensions with Cold War enemies—a policy called détente. • The goal of détente was to build a more stable world in which the United States and its adversaries accepted one another’s place.

4. Kissinger and Realpolitik Kissinger believed the United States should consider each foreign-policy conflict or question from the standpoint of what is best for America. The government should not be bound by promises to fight communism or promote freedom wherever it is threatened. Kissinger’s realpolitik marked a significant change from earlier policies such as containment.

5. Nixon’s Foreign Policies The Soviet Union • In 1969 Nixon began talks with the Soviet Union in order to slow the arms race, known as the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) • Both nations had increased their number of weapons and made innovations in weapons technology • In 1972 Nixon and Brezhnev agreed to SALT I treaty or reduction in arms agreement. • Negotiations began on a second round of discussions (SALT II), these talks never led to a new treaty. China • Nixon wanted to improve relations with the Communist People’s Republic of China. • His efforts were done secretly • Nixon surprised Americans by visiting China in 1972 where he met with Chinese leaders and Mao Zedong. • They agreed to disagree about Taiwan.

6. Trouble in the Middle East Oil Embargo • Several Arab nations imposed an oil embargo in reaction to the Yom Kippur War. • They agreed not to ship oil to the United States and other countries who supported Israel. • The Arab countries were a part of OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). • With the U. S. dependent on foreign sources for one third of its oil needs, the embargo caused serious economic problems. Shuttle Diplomacy • Henry Kissinger tried to solve the crisis in the Middle East. • He was unable to get all the parties to meet together to talk about solutions. • Started what came to be called shuttle diplomacy • Kissinger traveled—shuttled—from group to group trying to work out separate agreements. • Eventually the fighting ended and the oil embargo was lifted.

7. Major Social and Cultural Events during the Nixon Years • On July 16, 1969 the Apollo 11 successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center. • Three astronauts were on board—Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins. • On July 20 Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. NASA • Nixon was worried about the high rates of inflation and unemployment. • He announced a 90-day freeze of wages and prices in order to stop inflation from rising. • The wage and price controls did work temporarily. Inflation and Price Controls

8. Watergate On June 17, 1972, police arrested five men who had broken into the offices of the Democratic National Committee. Although the break-in barely made the news when it happened, it quickly became clear that the men had connections to the president. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post refused to let the story die and continued to investigate the break-in. The Post reported that the break-in was part of a widespread spying effort by the Nixon campaign, but this did not seem to affect voters. On election day Nixon won one of the most overwhelming victories in U.S. history.

9. Watergate Scandal Unfolds After the 1972 Election • Several men associated with the break-in were officials who worked for the White House or Nixon’s re-election team. • People wondered if Nixon knew about the wrongdoing and if he helped to cover it up. • Nixon ordered an investigation into the Watergate scandal • Several men resigned from their White House jobs as a result of the investigation and the Republicans were satisfied. The Senate Investigation • The Senate committee began its own investigation to find out what the president knew and when did he know it. • The bombshell came when a former presidential aide said that Nixon had tape-recorded all conversations in his office since 1971. • Nixon did not want to give up the tapes.

10. Watergate Continues… The Crisis Continues • Nixon continued to deny his involvement in the break-in or a cover-up. • Public confidence in Nixon was very low. • The White House revealed that an 18-minute portion of the tape had been erased. • There were calls for impeachment. • Nixon released some transcripts of the tapes in the spring of 1974. Nixon Resigns • The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must hand over the tapes. • At the same time, the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend impeachment. • On August 8, 1974, Nixon resigned the presidency. • He must have known that the tapes would reveal clear evidence of his wrongdoings.