Chapter 38 Jocz Productions

Election of 1968: Nixon Returns

⚫1968 was a political mess: 1) Tet offensive 2) LBJ is out 3) MLK killed 4) il RFK killed 5) riots spread

Democratic convention in Chicago (1968) were plagued by riots

  • VP Hubert Humphrey gets the nomination
    • George Wallace runs as the American independent party
    candidate
  • Opposed to federal desegregation, antiwar protests, and Great Society. Conservative candidate Republicans nominated Richard Nixon

⚫ Nixon wins the Presidency in 1968 as many Americans turned away from New Deal liberalism in favor of conservative candidates

Nixon & Vietnam

  • Nixon & Henry Kissinger had promised to end the war in Vietnam:
  • "Peace with Honor" - Appeals to the "Silent Majority" (claim majority of Americans supported the war)
  • Since the Tet Offensive in 1968 the debate over the Vietnam War intensified News of the My Lai Massacre (1968) surfaces in 1970.
    • U.S. troops killed women and children
  • Nixon Doctrine: U.S. would continue to honor its commitments, but countries in Asia would not be able to always rely on U.S. ground troops

Vietnam War: Ending & Escalating

Nixon's policy of "Vietnamization" calls the U.S. to gradually withdraw U.S. troop from Vietnam (Nixon Doctrine)

  • The South Vietnamese would slowly take over the fighting & the challenge of defending South Vietnam \
  • Nixon also began secret bombing of neu Cambodia and in April 1970
  • U.S. troops invaded in an effort to destroy Vietnamese communist bases in Cambodia
    • In response to the bombing of Cambodia, protests erupted across the country on college campuses
  • 4 students killed at Kent State in Ohio
  • 2 students killed at Jackson State in Miss. Henry
  • Kissinger held secret negotiations with North Vietnam 1972
  • Nixon orders massive bombing of North Vietnam when negotiations stalled

Distrust in the Government Grows

  • Tet Offensive, My Lai Massacre, bombing of Cambodia, etc. led to further distrust of the government
  • Pentagon Papers revealed that the U.S.government from JFK onward deliberately deceived the American people about the Vietnam War
    • Daniel Ellsberg "leaked" the information
  • War Powers Act passed by Congress that sought to reduce war powers of the president
    • President must tell Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into conflict
    • Congress would have to approve any military mission that lasted longer than 60 days

Nixon & Détente: relaxing of tensions during the Cold War

  • Nixon & Kissinger sought to take advantage of the distrust & rivalry between China and the Soviet Union (Sino-Soviet split)
  • Nixon with a reputation as a anti- communist figure could negotiate without being accused of being "soft on communism”
  • Nixon visits China February 1972 to met with Mao
    • Formal diplomatic relations 1979 Relationship with China put pressure on the Soviets
    • Treaty signed between the U.S. & Soviets limiting antiballistic missiles (ABMs)
    • Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) limited nuclear weapons
    • Nixon was able to reduce the arms race and Cold War tensions (détente)

The War in Vietnam Ends

Nixon's strategy of 1) Vietnamization 2) Widening the war 3) Secret negotiations between Kissinger/Le Duc Tho
Paris Accords: cease fire signed Jan. 1973

  • U.S. troops withdrawn
  • Free elections were suppose to take place
  • Cease fire did not permanently end the fighting between North and South Vietnam
  • April 1975: the U.S. supported government of South Vietnam fell to Communist rule- Vietnam, became a united communist country

The Downfall of Nixon

Nixon administration had a group called Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP)
June 1972 group of men working for Nixon's reelection were caught breaking into Democratic HQ in Watergate
Even before this, Nixon's people had:

  • ordered wiretaps on govt employees & reporters to stop "leaks"
  • "plumbers" were created to stop leaks and discredit opponents Government agencies such as the IRS were used to investigate opponents of Nixon &/or the Vietnam War

No absolute proof that Nixon ordered these illegal activities

Watergate Investigation: Impeachment

  • Investigation revealed that Nixon did participate in a cover-up of these illegal activities

  • It was discovered that Nixon had secretly recorded conversations in the Oval Office

  • Investigators wanted access to the tapes to prove that Nixon was involved in a cover-up

  • Nixon claimed "executive privilege", but eventually the Supreme Court ruled he must turn over tapes in 1974

  • Prior to this in Oct. 1973 Nixon fired the special prosecutor in charge of investigating the case against Nixon

  • Attorney General and deputy AG resign

    • Known as "Saturday Night Massacre"
    • Impeachment charges
    • obstruction of justice
    • abuse of power
    • contempt of Congress

  • Nixon resigns on August 1974 & Gerald Ford becomes 1st unelected President in U.S. History

  • Watergate demonstrated once again the increasing loss of faith in the federal government

Politics of the 1970s

  • Nixon wanted to limit the size of the federal government 1970s saw a combination of economic slowdown (stagnation) and high inflation = stagflation

  • Gerald Ford pardons Nixon in 1974

  • Election of 1976 Democrat Jimmy Carter is elected President

  • Foreign Policy:

    • Carter sought to pursue a humanitarian foreign policy
    • Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 (hurt improving U.S.-Soviet relations)

  • U.S. boycotted the Olympic games that were held in Moscow

Middle East Drama

  • During Yom Kippur War Syria and Egypt suddenly attacked Israel (1973)

    • The U.S. provides their ally Israel with economic and military aid.
    • Israel successfully defended itself

  • Oil Embargo is imposed upon the United States by the oil rich Arab nations in OPEC

  • In 1978 President Carter helps negotiate the Camp David Accords

    • Israel and Egypt sign a peace agreement with one another

  • U.S. supported Shah of Iran was overthrown by Islamic fundamentalist in Iranian Revolution of 1979

    • Another oil shortage and price increases
    • Situation gets worse when in 1979 more than 50 people are taken hostage at the American embassy in Tehran

WARREN COURT: 1953-1969

Liberal ideals such as expanding democracy and individual freedoms were realized in the decisions of the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren

  • Yates v. U.S. (1957): 1st amendment protects radical / revolutionary speech
  • Mapp v. Ohio (1961): Illegally seized evidence cant be used in court
  • Engel v. Vitale (1962): cant require prayer in public schools (violated 1st amendment)
  • Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): citizen has right to privacy, thus birth control cannot be prohibited
  • Miranda v. Arizona (1966): right to remain silent & speak with attorney

Critics: Many conservatives did not like these decisions and favored a "strict" interpretation of the Constitution

What's up with Civil Rights?

In 1972 Congress passed Title IX which sought to end sex discrimination in schools

  • For example- schools must provide girls with equal athletic opportunities
  • Roe v. Wade (1973) struck down laws prohibiting abortion on the grounds that they were a violation of a women's right to privacy. (legalized abortion)
  • Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress, but fell short of ratification by 3 states
    • Phyllis Schlafly led the opposition to the ERA
  • American Indian Movement formed in 1968 sought to address past injustices and demand social and economic equality.
  • University of California v. Bakke (1978) upheld affirmative action.
    • Race could be one of several factors in admission quotas