Nixons Legacy Thinking Skill Explicitly assess the Nixon

Nixon’s Legacy Thinking Skill: Explicitly assess the Nixon presidency and draw conclusions as to his legacy Essential Skill: C-3: Gather and organize information and data

Nixon (1968 -1974) n Background: Eisenhower’s VP in 1952 n Lost 1960 election to JFK n Lost 1962 California governor’s race n n n I’m back! “You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore…” 1968 Nixon comeback narrowly defeated Humphrey (D) for presidency n “Silent Majority, ” southern strategy, return Republicans to power n

Domestic Policy n “New Federalism” n n Paradoxical expansion of federal government n n More state/local gov. control OSHA, DEA, EPA, affirmative action & welfare programs “Stagflation” n n Unusual rise in unemployment and inflation Vietnam War, foreign competition, 1973 OPEC oil embargo

Vietnam… n n “Vietnamization” 26 th Amendment (1971) n n Pentagon Papers (1971) n n Misled the public Paris Peace Accords (1973) n n Voting age 18 1975 N invades S to unite War Powers Resolution (1973) n Limited ability of President to deploy troops w/o war declaration Vacating US Embassy in Saigon (1975)

China… n Realpolitik worldview n n n Ping Pong Diplomacy (1971) Nixon’s visit (1972) n n National Security Advisor/Sec. of State Henry Kissinger End Vietnam War, expand trade, frighten the USSR Full diplomatic relations (1979) Nixon and Mao (1972)

USSR… n Détente easing Cold War tensions n US/USSR cooperation n Pollution, space missions Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) Froze # of ICBMs n Limited ABMs n Symbolic impact on arms race n Nixon and Brezhnev (1972)

1972 Electoral Map

Watergate n n n Burglary at Watergate Hotel, June 1972 Senate investigation and tapes Impeachment charges imminent n n Hindering investigation, abusing power of the presidency, ignoring for tapes Nixon resigned August 9, 1974 impeachment subpoena before

Watergate Legacy n n Nixon’s farewell (1974) The President was not above the law System of checks & balances worked Increasing distrust of government officials and “D. C insiders” Disillusionment (Was justice served? )

Questions to Ponder n n Was ‘Deep Throat’ a hero or traitor? Should journalists utilize anonymous sources? How did Watergate affect Americans’ perceptions of the Presidency? Did President Ford do the right thing in pardoning Nixon? Mark Felt #2 FBI agent revealed in 2005 as source “Deep Throat” Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein