Nixon

What controversial military action did Nixon take in Cambodia during the Vietnam War?

Nixon ordered carpet bombing in Cambodia to destroy enemy forces, which destabilized the Cambodian government and led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge.

How did Nixon try to reduce U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War?

Nixon implemented Vietnamization, gradually decreasing U.S. troop levels and giving South Vietnam more control over the war while continuing airstrikes.

What was Nixon's approach to the military draft?

Nixon reformed the draft system by implementing a lottery to make it more fair and less biased

What happened after the U.S. withdrew from South Vietnam?

The communist forces quickly took over South Vietnam, and many South Vietnamese who assisted the U.S. fled to America.

What environmental and workplace policies did Nixon implement?

Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to improve environmental protection and workplace safety

What major economic decision did Nixon make regarding the U.S. currency?

Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard, ending the direct convertibility of the dollar to gold.

How did Nixon improve relations with China?

Nixon visited Communist China in 1972, opening up diplomatic relations and establishing a historic relationship with the Chinese government.

What was the result of the 1972 presidential election?

Nixon was re-elected in a landslide, with many Americans supporting his policies, particularly in foreign affairs.

What scandal led to Nixon's eventual resignation?

The Watergate Scandal, where Nixon’s campaign was involved in illegal activities, including the break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices and attempts to cover it up.

How did Nixon attempt to cover up the Watergate break-in?

Nixon tried to manipulate the Department of Justice and prevent the investigation from uncovering his involvement in the cover-up.

What role did the tapes play in the Watergate scandal?

Nixon had secretly taped Oval Office conversations, and the tapes eventually revealed his role in the cover-up. The Supreme Court ordered him to turn over the tapes.

What was the outcome of the Watergate investigation for Nixon?

Nixon resigned in 1974 before he could be impeached. His successor, Gerald Ford, controversially pardoned him for any crimes related to Watergate.

What was the controversy surrounding the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)?

The ERA aimed to outlaw discrimination based on sex. Despite support from figures like Gloria Steinem and initial success in state ratifications, it failed to pass due to opposition from figures like Phyllis Schlafly.

What was Phyllis Schlafly’s argument against the Equal Rights Amendment?

Schlafly argued that the ERA would harm women’s privileges in society and could lead to women being drafted into the military

What was the result of the fight over the Equal Rights Amendment?

The ERA was ratified by 35 states, but fell three states short of the necessary 38 to pass.

What significant Supreme Court case in the 1970s addressed abortion rights?

Roe v. Wade (1973), which ruled that a Texas law banning abortion violated a woman's right to medical privacy, allowing abortion under certain circumstances.

What did Roe v. Wade establish regarding abortion?

It established that states could not ban abortion entirely but could regulate abortions during the later stages of pregnancy.

What was the eventual Supreme Court decision that overruled Roe v. Wade?

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022), which allowed states to ban abortions under any circumstances, overturning Roe v. Wade.