Nixon and Ford Chapter 24 Notes Foreign Policy

Nixon and Ford: Chapter 24 Notes

Foreign Policy: ► Secretive – Paranoid ► Took Total Control of Foreign Policy § Henry Kissinger – National Security Advisor ► 1973 ► Détente – Secretary of State – Relaxation of tensions between US and Communist nations

Détente: ► S. A. L. T. – Helsinki, Finland § Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty ►Ban Biological Warfare ►Limit Growth of Nuclear Weapons ►Increase trade and exchange scientific information ►Prevent Pollution

China: ► Lifting Trade and Travel Restrictions ► Withdrawal the 7 th Fleet from defending Taiwan ► Presidential Visit of Beijing

Vietnam: ► Plan to end the war ► Pentagon Papers § Secret Dept. of Defense Study § 4 Presidents had escalated the war in Indochina § Growing power of the Executive Branch § Presidents deceived Congress and the Public about Vietnam

Vietnam: ► Nixon ordered bombings and invasion into Cambodia § Increased opposition to the war ► Vietnamization – 2 Steps § Phased withdrawal of troops § Replaced with conscripts from Vietnam

Vietnam: ► Cease-Fire – Jan 23, 1973 ► End of War – 1974 (Pres. Ford) § N. Vietnamese Offensive § Captures Saigon § Emergency Evacuation of all remaining Americans § S. Vietnamese Surrender April 30, 1975

Fall of Saigon:

Middle East: ► Yom Kippur War: § Egypt and Syria troops invade Israel § Israel pushes troops back into Egypt § Israel appeals to US for help ► 2 Billion dollar Air Lift ► USSR continues to support Egypt and Syria § UN Peace Keeping Troops sent to police

Shuttle Diplomacy – Kissinger ► Flying back and forth between capitals of Egypt and Israel ► Brought some peace of Region

Economic Policy: ► Stagflation: Slow down in Business activities, reduced Federal revenues, and Price Controls § Stop inflation by cutting back the amount of money in circulation § Did not work well – § drove interest rates higher

Economic Policy: ► 90 Day Freeze on wages, prices, and rents § Followed by system of wage and price controls § Inflation rises sharply ► Proposed Tax Cuts ► Deficit Spending ► Did not Solve the Problem

Economic Policy: ► Balance of Payments: US paid more money to countries that it received from them ► New Federalism – Reduce the Federal Government’s role in the economy § Grant Federal funds to local agencies

Energy Crisis: ► Arab Oil Embargo – 1973 § Support Israel § Oil Shortages in the US

Energy Crisis: ► Nixon’s § § Energy Plan Stop dependency of Foreign Oil sources by 1980 Higher taxes on imported oil Lower Speed Limit to 55 Alaska Oil Pipeline ► Oil Embargo Lifted in 1974 § American Loose interest in cutting energy consumption ► OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Watergate Scandal: ► 1972 Election: § Democrat – George Mc. Govern (S. Dakota) § Poor Campaign § Very Liberal § Nixon 61% of vote and all electoral votes except Mass. And Wash D. C.

Watergate Scandal: ► CREEP: Committee to Re. Elect the President ► Watergate Break in § Democratic Campaign Offices § Steal Campaign Secrets

Watergate Scandal: ► Nixon paid burglars 1 million dollars in hush money to plead guilty and say nothing and promised Presidential Pardons ► Investigations – Special Senate Committee § Televised § 25 people connected with Nixon charges and convicted (prison terms) ►Attorney General John Mitchell ►H. R. Haldeman, John D. Erlichman - Aids

Watergate Scandals: ► Nixon’s Response: § Claimed Executive Privilege – Does not have to give information to the other branches § Nixon Fires: Special Prosecutor Cox § V. P. Agnew resigns ► Bribes taken as Governor of Maryland ► Nominates Gerald Ford – New Vice President

Watergate Scandals: ► Nixon’s Response: § Supreme Court Orders Nixon’s Phone Tapes turned over to the Senate Investigation Committee § Impeachment imminent § President Nixon Resigns – Aug 8, 1974

President Ford: ► Nelson Rockefeller – Vice President ► Presidential Pardon – Nixon § Very Unpopular § Avoid division and publicity of a trial

Congress Under Pres. Ford: ► Congress takes power back from the executive branch ► Congress attacks Executive Privilege § Wars Power Act: ►President must report to Congress within 48 hrs after sending combat troops abroad ►Congress would have to approve troops in or withdrawal within 60 days

Economy: ► Cut Spending on social welfare programs ► Energy Program: § Deregulation – Remove price controls

Foreign Policy: ► Helsinki Accords – 1975 § Recognized boarders of E. European Countries § Respect and protect Human Rights