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Nixon & Ford

Nixon & Ford. Richard Milhous Nixon. Moved up political ladder quickly Seemed done after 1960 presidential loss & then 1962 gubernatorial loss Linked with American values & backlash against radicalism Critics viewed him as sneaky & judgmental . Vietnamization.

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Nixon & Ford

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  1. Nixon & Ford

  2. Richard Milhous Nixon • Moved up political ladder quickly • Seemed done after 1960 presidential loss & then 1962 gubernatorial loss • Linked with American values & backlash against radicalism • Critics viewed him as sneaky & judgmental

  3. Vietnamization • Henry Kissinger – special assistant for nat’l security – key policy advisor • Withdrawing 540,000 American troops over an extended time • With US $, weapons & training, S.Vietnamesewould take over fighting the war • Nixon Doctrine – would honor already existing foreign policy commitments but would limit future involvements of US troops • Wasn’t enough for true doves – continued large protests • Nixon/Agnew attacked “nattering nabobs of negativism” & “bums” – relied on “silent majority”

  4. My Lai Massacre • March 1968 – makes American news Nov. 1969 • Search & destroy mission of S.Vietnamese village • Ordered to kill everyone in village • 300 older men, women & children killed (unarmed) • Lt. WmCalley only one convicted (initially life sentence hard labor – Nixon intervened & served 3 ½ yrs house arrest) • “Culture of Concealment”

  5. Vietnam • Jan. 1970 – longest conflict in Amer. history • 40,000 killed & over 250,000 wounded • Increasingly unpopular in country & at home • Disproportionate numbers of Amer’s least privileged & African Americans • Morale plummeting – drug abuse

  6. Cambodia • Cambodia had been being used to smuggle supplies, troops & weapons • Initial “secret” bombings & then troop invasion to route NVA • New pro-west gov’t in pwr • Lon Nol • Set off new round of student protests – expanding the war instead of ending it

  7. Kent State • May 1970 – 4 students killed – Nat’l Guard called in control protests • 9 others injured • Jackson State College – Mississippi- 2 students killed • Massive student strike caused closure of colleges and high schools

  8. Senate repeals Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Cut backs in draft calls • 26th Amendment passed (1971) • But flames fanned by Pentagon Papers • Daniel Ellsberg • By 1971 - 65% of Americans wanted out but didn’t want to see S.Vietnam “fall” • FBI & CIA increasing “surveillance” of radical protesters & groups • Wanting progress to help ‘72 election • Kissinger in Paris (Oct) w/Le DucTho – “peace is at hand” – but negotiations break down

  9. “Christmas Bombing” – heaviest use of B-52s on N.Vietnam – major casualties – effort to get new concessions through • Pressure put on Thieu to accept offer • Jan. 27, 1973 – “ends” the war – POW give back high on list • War Powers Act – Amer. troops sent by Pres. & not Congress only when "a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces" • notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to action & forbids forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or Congress declaring war • Nixon vetoes but is overridden

  10. American forces leave • April ‘75 last officials leave embassy • NVA takes hold of South – Ho Chi Minh City established • Cambodia comes under control of Khmer Rouge • US – 55,000 dead 300,000+ injured, $150 billion directly & more indirectly • Image home & abroad changed • Nat’l “self esteem” altered

  11. China • China & SU clashing over interpretations of doctrine • US played one against the other • Feb. 1972 trip to China- commitment to “one China” (dial back support of Taiwan)

  12. Soviet Union • May 1972 – Nixon to Moscow • SU concerned about US support of China • SU wanting American trade – foodstuff • Détente with both communist powers • Anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty w/SU • Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) • Should have signaled slowing of arms race but… both nations move to develop MIRVs (multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles – multiple nuclear warheads per rocket for saturation of an area)

  13. Still Hard-Core Anti-Communist • SalvadoreAllende –Marxist Chilean pres (1970) – Nixon unhappy w/election – trade embargo & CIA working for overthrow • Allende dies in army attack (1973) • US warm to successor Augusto Pinochet

  14. Middle East • Using relationship w/Shah of Iran to control Sov. expansion in region • Yom Kippur War (Oct ‘73) – Syrian/Egyptian invasion of Israel • Wanting land back from Six Day War losses • SU arming attackers • Kissenger (Sect. of St) to Moscow to stop further moves • Nixon puts nuclear forces on alert & $2billion in military aid Israel • Israel strikes back hard before US brokers cease-fire • US will “pay” for Israeli relationship

  15. Afdsd • In response to the support – OPEC puts oil embargo on US & several Euro nations • Interrelated economies cause recession • Long lines, lower thermostats & speed limits • “energy crisis” – Alaskan pipeline, coal/nuclear power, end of era of cheap/abundant fuel, will shape Amer politics for decades, Detroit adjustmnt

  16. Limiting Federal Gov’t & Concentrating Power • Believed federal gov’t under Grt Soc had too much responsibility • New Federalism – shifting pwr from fed to st & local gov’ts • Revenue sharing – st & local gov’ts could spend their fed $ how they saw fit • Attempted to block Congressional initiatives against own policies by refusing to spend ("impounding") the funds allocated by Congress to these programs • Not the first President to do this, but he did on an unprecedented scale: $15 billion in 1973 alone. • The courts invalidated Nixon's impoundment authority • Also pushed "executive privilege" to limits, denying the ability of Congress to compel testimony from employees of the exec branch • Concentrated fed power w/ White House- at the expense of the executive branch departments

  17. The Economy • National productivity way down • Avg family median income stagnated (working wives only reason didn’t decline) • Sense of limits found in foreign policy infiltrates economic homefront • Deficit spending of 1960s coupled with increased oil prices • COL tripled from ‘68 to ‘80

  18. Appn’t conservative to head of Fed Reserve • Contracted $ supply • Longest & steepest inflationary cycle in history (15% during first 2 ½ yrs in office) • 1971 instituted 90 day wage & price freeze • Took US off gold standard & devalued dollar • “Stagflation” – rising prices but stagnant econ • Increased fed spending (largest deficit since WW2) • Bizarre contradictions – tight $ to curb inflation & massive gov’t spending to deal w/recession

  19. Domestic Initiatives • Trying to give the “silent majority” what they want • Less federal interference • Wanted Congress to legislate against forced busing for desegregation • Prohibited Dept of Health, Ed & Welfare from cutting off fed funds from non complying school districts (Court will rule violates Brown II) • linked to Southern Strategy for ‘72 election • Undoing of New Frnt & Grt Soc -

  20. Social Policies • Increased $ for Food Stamps, Medicaid & AFDC (Aid to Families w/Dependent Children) & added SSI (Supplemental Security Income) • Automatic COLA for Social Security • Philadelphia Plan – new “look” of affirmative action – set hiring “goals” & “timetables” for increasing #s of minorities & women in same proportions found in society (AA under Johnson had been about protecting individuals from discrimination – now it was ensuring privileges on certain groups) • EPA – Earth Day • OSHA • CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

  21. The Court • Nixon openly critical of Warren Court during campaign – “permissive” (sexual freedom, civil rights, rights of criminal, practicing of religion) – clearly focused on the individual • Took advantage of several vacancies – strict interpreters of the Constit – 4 appntees & Warren Burger to chief justice • Didn’t act the way Nixon planned – not so willing to undo the “liberal” rulings (some areas went even further) • Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg (1971) • New York Times v. United States (1971) • Furman v. Georgia (1972) • Roe v. Wade (1973) • Bakke v Board of Regents of California (1978)

  22. The Election of 1972 • Mostly about foreign policy • George Wallace making another bid for Dem nomination – real concern for Nixon if forced into 3rd party again – shot & paralyzed so withdrew • Dems nominate Sen George McGovern – liberal stance on for. & dom. policies • HUGE win for Nixon • The Election results. • The Electoral College: Nixon:520 McGovern:17 • Popular Vote: Nixon: 60.7% McGovern: 37.5% • But the Democrats increased their Senate majority and retained control of the House

  23. Watergate • Climate of “imperial presidency” had been developing for several decades • “a president must not be one of the crowd…People don’t want him to be down there saying, ‘Look, I’m the same as you.” • Empowerment & paranoia involved in keeping it lead to enemies lists, need for “plumbers” to stop leaks, dirty tricks & executive privilege • Closed ranks around White House

  24. June 1972 – Watergate break-in • Offices of DNC headquarters • Lead by James McCord – • Former CIA & security coordinator for CRP • Almost a dead story w/ no real implications on election • Washington Post reporters Woodward & Bernstein keep the story alive

  25. The Cover-Up • Shredding of documents in HR Haldeman’s office (chief of staff) • Admin asks FBI/CIA to stop investigating the break in • CRP gives almost $450,000 to burglars

  26. The Trial • McCord sends Judge John Sirica letter saying he lied under oath & implicates members of administration in the break-in • April 30, 1973 Nixon fires White House counsel John Dean & encourages resignations of Haldeman & John Ehrlichman (Chief Domestic Advisor) as they are implicated in cover-up • Nixon goes on tv to reassure no cover-up & that new attny gen will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate – Archibald Cox • Senate forms committee to investigate – chaired by Sam Ervin – televised testimony of the “president’s men”

  27. “What did the president know & when did he know it?” • Dean testifies pres deeply involved in cover-up • White House still denying – who’s telling the truth? • Alexander Butterfield (pres aid) offers up fact of taping conversations – “help write his memoirs”

  28. Cox wants tapes turned over • Nixon refuses & wants attny gen to fire Cox • Saturday Night Massacre • Richardson refuses to fire Cox & resigns • Deputy attny general refuses order – fired • Solicitor General Robert Bork fires him • Replacement- Leon Jaworski continues to fight for tapes • Agnew resigns after revealed he’d taken bribes while Maryland governor & vp • House minority leader Gerald Ford become vp

  29. Under pressure, Nixon announces will release 1,254 edited transcripts • Not good enough • July 1974 SC rules tapes must be surrendered • House Judiciary Committee moving on impeachment – obstruction of justice, abuse of pwr, contempt of Congress • Tapes missing 18 ½ minutes but implicated in cover-up

  30. Still admitted no guilt • Ford sworn in as 38th president • 25 members of administration convicted • Aug 8, 1974 – Nixon resigns before full house vote on articles • Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act (1974): prohibited the impoundment of federal money. • Federal Election Campaign Act (1976): provided for partial funding of presidential campaigns. • The Freedom of Information Act was also strengthened; the improved FOIA revealed numerous abuses of power by the government, particularly by the FBI and the CIA

  31. “I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln” • “Our long national nightmare is over.” • Month later pardons Nixon – hurts image • Unemployment & inflation on rise • OPEC raises prices 400% (1973) • Voluntary cut backs – Whip Inflation Now • Assumed tight $ policy • Worst recession in 40 years • Congress has different plan • More than 50 vetoes • Actually a goodsign

  32. Ford’s Foreign Policy • Followed détente – met with Leonid Brezhnev • Arms control talks – groundwork for SALT II • Helsinki Accords – greater cooperation btwn Eastern & Western Euro • “Peace” agreement btwn Israel & Egypt • Had tried to increase aid to S. Viet but Congress refused • Mayaguez – 39 crew members – 41 soldiers

  33. Election of 1976 • Ford challenged by Ronald Reagan in primary but wins out • Dems nominate James Earl “Jimmy” Carter – “outside the beltway”

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