chapter 28 and 29

nixon and 1970s

Yom Kippur War

The Yom Kippur War was a war in 1973 between Israel and Egypt and Syria. Egypt and Syria attacked Israel to try to get back land they had lost in an earlier war. The fighting started on Yom Kippur, a holy Jewish holiday, which surprised Israel. After a few weeks, a ceasefire was declared, and both sides stopped fighting. The war led to future peace talks between the countries.

détente

Détente is a term that means a period of relaxed tensions or improved relations between countries that were previously hostile, especially during the Cold War. For example, in the 1970s, the United States and the Soviet Union practiced détente by signing agreements to reduce nuclear weapons and improve diplomacy instead of fighting each other.

Henry Kissinger

U.S. leader in the 1970s who helped make peace and improve relations with other countries. He worked to end the Vietnam War, talk with China and the Soviet Union, and help Middle East peace.

SALT

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks — agreements in the 1970s between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to limit nuclear weapons and reduce the risk of war.

6-Day War

A short war between Israel and the neighboring countries Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. It lasted 6 days. Israel fought because its neighbors were threatening it and had closed waterways to Israeli ships. Israel won quickly and captured important territories: Sinai Peninsula (from Egypt), Golan Heights (from Syria), West Bank, and East Jerusalem (from Jordan).

Pentagon Papers

A secret U.S. government study that showed the government had lied about the Vietnam War—how much the U.S. was involved and whether the war could be won. The papers were leaked to the public, causing a big political scandal.

War Powers Act

A law that limits the president’s ability to send U.S. troops into combat without Congress’s approval. It was made after the Vietnam War to make sure the president couldn’t start a war on their own.

stagflation

A situation where the economy grows very slowly (or not at all), unemployment is high, and prices keep rising (inflation) at the same time. This happened in the 1970s in the U.S., which made it hard for the government to fix the economy.

silent majority

A term used by President Richard Nixon in the 1960s–70s to describe the large group of Americans who supported his policies but didn’t protest or speak out loudly. These people were mostly middle-class, traditional, and not part of the anti-war protests.

Warren E. Burger

He was the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1969 to 1986. He led the Court during important cases involving civil rights, abortion (Roe v. Wade), and criminal justice.

George McGovern

A U.S. politician who was the Democratic presidential candidate in 1972. He opposed the Vietnam War and wanted to reduce military spending, but he lost badly to Richard Nixon.

Watergate

A political scandal in the U.S. where President Nixon’s administration tried to cover up a break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters. The scandal led to Nixon resigning to avoid impeachment.

Gerald Ford

He became U.S. President in 1974 after Richard Nixon resigned. Ford is known for pardoning Nixon and trying to heal the country after Watergate.

National Energy Act of 1978

A law passed to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, encourage energy conservation, and promote alternative energy sources like solar and wind. It was a response to the 1970s energy crisis.

Panama Canal Treaty

An agreement between the U.S. and Panama that gave Panama control of the Panama Canal by the year 2000, while the U.S. could still defend it until then. It aimed to improve U.S.-Panama relations.

Camp David Accords

A peace agreement between Egypt and Israel brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Egypt recognized Israel as a country, and Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

Iran Hostage crisis

When Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. It happened after the U.S. allowed the former Shah of Iran into the country for medical treatment. The crisis ended on January 20, 1981, the day President Reagan took office.

What building were the Watergate burglars caught breaking into in 1972?

The Democratic National Committee headquarters.

What did Nixon hope to achieve by visiting China in 1972?

To open relations and use China to gain leverage over the Soviet Union.

What major Cold War agreement did the U.S. and the Soviet Union sign during Nixon’s presidency to limit nuclear weapons?

SALT I.

What was the main purpose of Nixon’s Vietnamization policy?

To shift the fighting to South Vietnamese forces so the U.S. could withdraw troops.

What Supreme Court case forced Nixon to hand over the Oval Office tapes?

United States v. Nixon.

What did Spiro Agnew resign from office for in 1973?

Tax evasion and bribery charges.

Who replaced Agnew as vice president before becoming president?

Gerald Ford.

What major economic problem hurt Americans during the mid-1970s?

Stagflation (inflation + unemployment).

What 1973 event caused gas shortages and long lines at gas stations?

The OPEC oil embargo.

What did President Ford do that made many Americans angry shortly after Nixon resigned?

He pardoned Nixon.

What committee was created in Congress to investigate the Watergate scandal?

The Senate Watergate Committee.

What illegal activity did the “Plumbers” originally form to stop?

Leaks of classified information.

What did Nixon claim when denying involvement in Watergate?

“I am not a crook.”

What year did Nixon resign from the presidency?

1974.

What major change happened in Vietnam shortly after the U.S. withdrew troops?

South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam in 1975.

What was the name of Nixon’s plan to gradually turn military responsibility over to South Vietnam, and which major announcement did he pair with it in 1969?

Vietnamization; paired with the “Silent Majority” speech where he asked Americans for support as he reduced U.S. involvement.

What was the major provision of the SALT I agreement signed in 1972, and why was it significant for the Cold War?

It limited the number of ICBMs and anti-ballistic missile systems; significant because it was the first major arms limitation treaty between the U.S. and USSR.

What was the name of the special prosecutor Nixon tried to fire during the “Saturday Night Massacre,” and why did this event turn the public against him?

Archibald Cox; the firing showed Nixon was trying to obstruct the investigation, suggesting guilt.

What triggered the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, and how did it impact the U.S. economy?

U.S. support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War; it caused fuel shortages, rationing, and worsened stagflation.