Nixon, Ford, Carter and the 1970s

1. Nixon, Ford, Carter and the 1970s Mr. Winchell APUSH Period 8

2. Let’s Review…America in the 1960s • By the end of the 1960s, the United States had experienced major changes: • Economic prosperity, a rapid growth of suburbs, a baby boom, & increased college enrollment. • Nuclear threats in the Cold War & a controversial war in Vietnam. • Assassinations of political leaders, a growing poverty gap, & tensions over civil rights for black Americans.

3. One impact of the 1960s was the rise of the “New Left” – youth and minority movements focusing on liberalism, anti-militarism and awareness of injustices (poor, minorities, adolescences, etc.). VS. By the early 70’s these new movements created such upheaval in society - “The Silent Majority” pushes back (conservativism, a return to status quo, middle class mainstream, etc.). - believed the youth movement was destroying traditional American values.

6. Other Movements – Asian and Mexican Americans “Yellow Power” • Asian Americans faced discrimination in the U.S. (Chinese Exclusion Act, Japanese internment during WWII, anti-Asian attitudes due to Vietnam). • Gained Asian-American studies programs in colleges, health services in Asian communities, & reparations for interned Japanese-Americans. “Brown Power” • Mexican American groups worked to improve the lives of “Chicanos” – population increased due to US sponsored programs and the need for cheap labor. • Embraced Mexican heritage (“La Raza”) - fought for voter registration, poverty reforms, & bilingual education programs. • César Chávez organized the United Farm Workers - helped gain better pay, union recognition, & better working conditions for farm laborers.

7. Other Movements – Homosexuals and American Indians “Rainbow Power” • The Gay Liberation movement started in 1969 after a police raid at the Stonewall Inn led to riots in New York City. • The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was formed to bring an end to discrimination against homosexuals - emphasized “gay pride” & encouraged people to “come out of the closet.” “Red Power” • By the 1960s, Native Americans had the lowest income, highest unemployment rate, & shortest life expectancy of any group of Americans! • Want tribal autonomy & the return of lands taken by broken treaties with Indian tribes. • In 1969, a group of 78 Native Americans seized Alcatraz Island in San Francisco.

8. Other Movements – Women’s Liberation “Pink Power” • Feminism: Started with Betty Freidan publishing Feminine Mystique in 1963 - a dissatisfied housewife who wants equality for all women. • Drew attention to sexual discrimination & unequal pay for women - Betty Freidan co-founded the National Organization of Women (NOW) to advocate for women. • Demanded an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to ban sexism - defeated in the 1970s by conservatives & anti-ERA women. • Gained abortion rights in Roe v Wade (1973). • Congress passed Title VII to protect women from sexual harassment. • Congress passed Title IX that outlawed sexual discrimination in education programs.

10. Other Movements – Counter Culture “Flower Power” • Hippy Movement - rejected their parents’ expectations & looked to find personal fulfillment. • View living in “normal” society was unacceptable. • Most educated generation (75% graduated high school & 40% graduated college). • Perception of the Movement: Sex, Drugs, Rockn’ Roll. • Drugs were acceptable (marijuana & “mind-expanding” hallucinogens like LSD). • Music best represented by the Woodstock concert in 1969. • Created self-sustaining communes where property was shared. • Most mainstream The Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco was the epicenter of counter culture.

12. Nixon as a Ideological President • 1968 election – won due to a three party election and the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. • By 1970 - new military bases + corporate headquarters + relocation of retirees + frustration by whites over civil rights = south is move conservative! • 1972 election - Nixon attracts Southerners to the Republican Party - opposing new civil rights policies & cutting government spending (Southern Strategy). • Believed in a limited role for the national gov’t - reduce or eliminate many Great Society programs. • Gave states more control over how money for welfare programs was spent.

13. Nixon – Domestic Events • Promoted New Federalism – transfer some federal powers back to the states (ex: de-segregation/busing dealt with at the state level) – most everything passed was vetoed by Nixon! • Expansion of affirmative action – Griggs vs. Duke Power Co (hire more minority workers to avoid charges of discrimination). • Congress created the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) – a result of new awareness about chemicals and pollution. • Muckraker Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (exposes the effects of farm pesticides). • Endangered Species and Clean Air Act vetoed but 2/3 voted into law! • Created the Occupational Health and Safety Administration – creates regulations and inspections of work places to ensure safety! • OPEC announces an embargo of oil to the US – triples prices and leads to mass energy crisis! • Expanded Food Stamps, Medicaid but to only certain groups…

14. The First Moon Landing • During Nixon’s presidency, the United States achieved its goal of a successful moon landing. • On July 20, 1969, Neil A. Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. He was joined by Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., a fellow crewman on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. • Television viewers around the world watched the moon landing, and Apollo 11’s crew were treated as heroes when they returned.

15. Détente Although Nixon had built a reputation as a strong anti-Communist, he and Kissinger reversed the direction of postwar American foreign policy by holding talks with China and the Soviet Union. Nixon and Kissinger’s greatest accomplishment was in bringing about détente, or a relaxation in tensions, between the United States and these Communist nations. Complex Foreign Affairs The Soviet Union and China, once allies, had become bitter enemies. This development had the potential to reshape global politics. Foreign Events-Relaxing Tensions

16. A New Approach to China Easing Relations Between the United States and China • Historical Background — After its Communist takeover in 1949, the United States refused to recognize the People’s Republic of China, viewing the government of Taiwan as the legitimate Chinese rulers. • Steps to Ease Relations — During the early 1970s, relations eased between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Nixon referred to the nation by name, travel and trade restrictions were lifted. • Kissinger encouraged Nixon to work with China. His efforts in ending the Vietnam War and easing Cold War tensions made him a celebrity.

17. A New Approach to China Easing Relations Between the United States and China • Nixon’s Visit to China — In February 1972, Nixon became the first American President to visit China. Touring Chinese sites in front of television cameras, Nixon established the basis for future diplomatic ties during his visit.

18. A New Approach to China Easing Relations Between the United States and China • Recognizing the Chinese Government — The United States decided to join other nations in recognizing the Chinese government.

19. Limiting Nuclear Arms • Nixon uses new relations with China to get USSR to talk about limiting the nuclear arms race. • In 1972, the United States and the Soviet Union signed the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, known as SALT I. • SALT I froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels, and provided for the addition of new submarine-launched ballistic missile launchers. • SALT I demonstrated that arms control agreements between the superpowers were possible. • However, it did not reduce the number of weapons that either nation possessed, nor did it halt the development of conventional weapon technologies.

20. Nixon’s Foreign Policy in Vietnam • Vietnamization • Nixon had hoped to slowly remove US from the war while helping South Vietnam to defend itself.   • He tried to force North Vietnam into accepting a peace plan by increasing bombing on North Vietnam and by attacking North Vietnamese strongholds in Cambodia.

21. Spiro Agnew • Nixon’s belligerent Vice-President who took on opponents much like Nixon did for Ike • Pleaded ‘no contest’ to bribe charges, resigns from office in late 1973 • Gerald Ford replaces

22. Battling Political Enemies • Nixon’s suspicious and secretive nature caused the White House to operate as if it were surrounded by political enemies. • One result of this mind-set was the creation of an “enemies list,” a list of prominent people seen as unsympathetic to the administration. • When someone in the National Security Council appeared to have leaked secret government information to the New York Times, Nixon ordered that wiretaps, or listening devices, be installed on the telephones of some news reporters and members of his staff.

23. PENTAGON PAPERS • In June 1971, Daniel Ellsburg leaked the Pentagon Papersto the NY Times • These are a detailed study of US policy in Vietnam commissioned in 1967 • Because they showed that US leaders had planned all along to expand the war even while promising not to, Nixon and Kissinger felt threatened

24. PENTAGON PAPERS • The Pentagon Papers showed US leaders had lied to the American people about not wanting to expand the Vietnam War but did. • President Nixon felt National Security was threatened. • Nixon was successful in obtaining a court order to stop publication but New York Times filed a lawsuit citing free press issues and violating no prior restraint. • Nixon ordered Ellsburg’s psychiatrist’s office burglarized looking for evidence to discredit him.

25. PENTAGON PAPERS • Ellsberg was charged with 12 felony counts under the Espionage Act. • Carried a maximum sentence of 115 years. • The charges were against Ellsberg and Anthony Russo (who helped him photocopy the papers) • Charges were dismissed in the fifth month of the trial on grounds of governmental misconduct due to illegal wiretapping and evidence tampering.

26. WATERGATE BREAK IN • There was break-in at the Democratic Headquarters located in the Watergate Hotel in Washington • 5 burglars caught June 17, 1972, carrying cameras, wiretapping equipment and large amounts of cash • Nixon administration denied any knowledge • Burglars were convicted in January 1973 and, despite offers of $400K in hush money from White House Counsel John Dean, one of the burglars started to talk

27. The Watergate Coverup • Although Nixon had not been involved in the break-in, he became involved in its cover-up. • He illegally authorized the CIA to try to persuade the FBI to stop its investigation of the break-in, on the grounds that the matter involved “national security.” • Nixon advisors launched a scheme to bribe the Watergate defendants into silence, as well as coaching them on how to lie in court. • During the months following the break-in, the incident was barely noticed by the public. Nixon won the 1972 election by a landslide.

28. The Watergate Trial At the trial of the Watergate burglars in early 1973, all the defendants either pleaded guilty or were found guilty. The judge presiding over the trial was not convinced that the full story had been told. He sentenced the burglars to long prison terms, suggesting that their terms could be reduced if they cooperated with upcoming Senate hearings on Watergate. Woodward and Bernstein Two young Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, were influential in tracking down information to uncover the Watergate story. Woodward and Bernstein believed that the White House would prove to be involved in the Watergate scandal. The Scandal Unfolds

29. The Senate Investigates Aided by Woodward and Bernstein and by the testimony of one of the Watergate burglars, a Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities began to investigate the Watergate affair in 1973. Millions of Americans watched the Senate hearings unfold on national television. Nixon attempted to protect himself by forcing two top aides to resign and by proclaiming that he would take final responsibility for the mistakes of others. A Secret Taping System During the Senate hearings, Alexander Butterfield, a former presidential assistant, revealed the existence of a secret taping system in the President’s office. The taping system had been set up to provide a historical record of Nixon’s presidency. Now it could be used to show whether or not Nixon had been involved in the Watergate cover-up. The Scandal Unfolds

30. Impeachment Hearings and Nixon’s Resignation • In the summer of 1974, the House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon on numerous charges. Conviction, and removal from office, seemed likely. • On August 5, 1974, Nixon released the White House tapes, with an 18 1/2 minute gap. Even with this gap, the tapes revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. • On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigned, the first President ever to do so. Gerald Ford was sworn in as the new President. • This DEFINES the 70’s politically: Watergate + Pentagon Papers + Bad economy + decrease in US global status = MISTRUST and DISALLIONMENT!

32. Ford as President • Ford was seen as an “honest man” - hoped to move America past the Watergate scandal. • Grants full pardon to Nixon – enrages Dem’s and hurts his reputation as an honest politician. • Faced a TROUBLED economy - Restricted credit which led to recession and inflation (called Stagflation). • Tried to curb inflation with “tight” money (plan called “WIN” – Whip Inflation Now). • Remember Org. of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)…economic situation worsens. • In retaliation for American support of Israel, OPEC cut off oil to the U.S. in 1973 • Leads to Oil Crisis - Gas prices soared & shortages led to long lines at the pump. • 1975 – attends the Helsinki Accords (furthered efforts of détente in Europe). • Also Saigon falls – Vietnam unified under Communist rule.

33. Carter – Domestic Events • Election of 1976 - Stagflation and gas crisis continues… • Carter ran as an “outsider” (No involvement in Vietnam, Watergate, or the recession) – it was a close election! • Carter tried to attack the energy crisis, stagflation, & the recession - None of his efforts worked! • Inflation hit 14%, interest rates neared 20% - a new oil embargo in 1979 increased gas prices. • Affirmative Action challenged – Bakke v. Regents (claimed reverse discrimination in college admissions). • Upheld affirmative action, but its image decreases and looks like an “unfair advantage” to minorities. • Three mile island nuclear plant explodes – leads to questioning new energy ideas. • Green movement continues! - protecting the earth, clean energy, solar and wind power, etc.

34. Carter – Foreign Events • Carter stresses “human rights” as basis of U.S. foreign policy - stopped supporting foreign governments that violated human rights. • Brought Egyptian leader Anwar el-Sadat & Israeli leader Menachem Begin to the U.S. for the Camp David Accords in 1977 – started to move towards “peace in the Middle East.” • Then...fundamentalist Islamic cleric Ayatollah Khomeini led the Iranian Revolution. • Over threw the pro US leader the “Shah” and instated a theocratic radical regime – hated the US! • Iranian protests stormed US embassy – held 52 American hostages for 444 days – known as the Iran Hostage Crisis. • Carter tried diplomacy, negotiations, rescues – nothing worked (he looks very weak!) • At the same time…Russia invades Afghanistan – signals détente is ending and the Cold War is “heating up” again!

35. Conclusions on the 60’s and 70’s: • By 1980, the USA seemed to be losing its place as the top nation in the world: • The 1970s presented failures in the Cold War & new problems in the Middle East. • The social protests & counter culture seemed to divide liberals & conservatives. • Stagflation & the economic recession were growing worse, not better . • The failures of Johnson, Nixon, Ford, & Carter left citizens in search of optimism, strong leadership, & conservative policies.