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Richard Milhous Nixon. 37 th President Republican 1969-1974. Silent Majority. Southern Strategy
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Richard Milhous Nixon 37th President Republican 1969-1974
Silent Majority • Southern Strategy • In American politics, the Southern strategy refers to the Republican Party strategy of gaining political support or winning elections in the Southern section of the country by appealing to racism against African Americans.[1][2][3][4][5] • Though the "Solid South" had been a longtime Democratic Party stronghold due to the Democratic Party's defense of slavery prior to the American Civil War and segregation for a century thereafter, many white Southern Democrats stopped supporting the party following the civil rights plank of the Democratic campaign in 1948 (triggering the Dixiecrats), the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, and desegregation.
George Wallace Segregation Now Segregation Tomorrow Segregation Forever!
Detente • A policy of the Nixon administration to develop more cordial relations with the Soviet Union. Rapprochement (to bring together) • Aimed in part in enlisting Soviet support to assist US in getting North Vietnam back to peace table & serious negotiations • So that US could get out of Vietnam “with honor.” • Détente’ lasted until 1979 • Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979 (Carter) brought US-Soviet Détente’to an abrupt end.
The Enemy of the enemy is my friend • President Nixon • Henry Kissinger • China • Soviet Union
East Meets West Chairman Mao and President Nixon Zhou Enlai and President Nixon
Détente & Sino Soviet Split • In 1971 Nixon visited China – the world’s most populous nation. • This was deliberately intended to provoke a response from the USSR. Why? • In the early 1960s the world’s two greatest communist countries quarrelled with each other. • The Chinese resented the refusal of the Russians to help them develop their nuclear weapons technology. • The Russians believed that the Chinese might provoke war with the US and so couldn’t be trusted. • Nixon decided to exploit this tension between the two by playing one off against the other to put pressure on the USSR to sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Talk - SALT. • His visit to China worried the Soviet Union that China and the US might ‘gang up’ against them.
SALT I = Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, signed in 1972. Why was reduction of arms sought? Nixon had promised to get the USA out of Vietnam. He thought that by agreeing to arms control, he could persuade the Soviets to stop supporting North Vietnam. In 1971 Brezhnev announced a ‘Programme for Peace’ to improve relations between the superpowers. Nixon tried to improve US–Chinese relations. In 1972, the US government finally agreed to let China join the UN. This worried the Soviets, who thought the two countries might gang up on the USSR, so Brezhnev invited Nixon to Moscow to sign SALT I.
After the Cuban Missile Crisis, arms limitation talks were occurring. What does this graph tell you about their effectiveness?
Proliferation and deterrence • In the 1960s there were two major worries. The first was that nuclear weapons would proliferate– more countries would acquire nuclear capability. The second was maintaining the deterrent balance between the two superpowers. • On the proliferation front, the Chinese and French were a source of anxiety due to their nuclear testing. The USSR reinforced its armies along the Sino–Soviet (Chinese–Russian) frontier, and in the Pacific, a New Zealand warship patrolled in an effort to deter the French from exploding nuclear weapons. • In 1964, the Soviets announced the development of an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) which they claimed would destroy US missiles in mid-air. In response, Poseidon MIRV missiles were installed in US nuclear submarines.
What was SALT I? • SALT I was the first real step to restricting weapons. It ‘froze’ the numbers of large rockets (ICBMs), both on land and in submarines, for five years. Bombers were not covered. • However, throughout the talks Nixon would not discuss MIRV as he was determined to stay ahead in the Arms Race. • “The SALT I agreement froze ICBM deployment but not MIRV, which was about as meaningful as freezing the [European] cavalry … in 1938 but not the tanks. • “Throughout the Nixon administration the Pentagon added three new warheads a day … a strange way to control the arms race.” Stephen Ambrose, 1985. • How effective would you say SALT was and why?
Additional benefits of this period of détente • The USSR and USA also signed the ABM Treaty. In this they promised not to set up more than one site each for anti-ballistic missile defence. • The two sides also signed a trade agreement allowing the USA to export grain to the USSR. Space cooperation was agreed upon, as well as an encouragement of artistic and sporting links. • The Soviets finally recognised West Germany as a country and allowed West Berliners to visit relatives in East Berlin. • In 1975, 35 countries signed the Helsinki Agreement. It recognised Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe. All countries agreed to notify the others of military exercises and allow them to send observers. They also agreed to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Weapons increases after SALT I What does this graph tell you about the success of SALT I? Explain your answer.
Nixon knew that détente was a vote-winner The USSR could not afford its huge military expenditure (20% of GNP) Why were both superpowers ready for détente? SALT started 1969 Detente 1969-75 Nixon visited China 1971 Nixon invited to Moscow 1972 Brezhnev visited USA 1973 Helsinki Agreement 1975 SALT I Treaty 1972 US withdrew from South Vietnam 1973
Why did this period of détentegive way to the ‘new’ Cold War? The USSR soon made it obvious that they had no intention of allowing any human rights by arresting dissidents (opponents of communism in USSR) In 1976 the Cubans (with Soviet backing) sent 40,000 troops to help communists in Angola’s civil war. The biggest setback was caused by the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
Nixon knew that détente was a vote-winner The USSR could not afford its huge military expenditure (20% of GNP) Why were both superpowers ready for détente? Soviet arrests of leading dissidents Why did this period of détente come to an end? Cuban troops sent to Angola 1976 SALT started 1969 Detente 1969-75 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 1979 Nixon visited China 1971 Nixon invited to Moscow 1972 Brezhnev visited USA 1973 Helsinki Agreement 1975 SALT I Treaty 1972 US withdrew from South Vietnam 1973
Nixon’s Domestic Policy • New Federalism – revenue sharing, more power to state and local government. • Clean Air Act 1971 • Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] established. 1970 • Occupational Health and Safety Administration [OSHA] established. 1970 • War on Drugs • Title IX • Apollo 11
