Lecture 14 The Triumph of Conservatism Part 1
Chapter 1: 1968 Presidential Election
1.1 Candidates
Richard Nixon, former vice president, ran for president. He previously lost to John F. Kennedy.
Hubert Humphrey, President Johnson's vice president, became the Democratic candidate after Robert Kennedy's death but did not inspire the same level of enthusiasm.
George Wallace, a pro-segregation independent candidate, also ran.
1.2 Election Results and Sentiment
Nixon won by a landslide, indicating widespread disappointment with the 1960s and a desire for change.
The prevailing sentiment was that idealism and liberalism had failed, and it was time for practical solutions.
Nixon promised to focus on foreign policy and the economy, emphasizing real results.
Chapter 2: Nixon's Foreign Policy: Vietnamization and Détente
2.1 Vietnamization
Nixon aimed to end the Vietnam War to focus on domestic economic policy.
His plans involved Vietnamization and détente.
Vietnamization meant de-Americanizing the war, making it Vietnam's responsibility.
The war was unpopular and expensive, and Nixon believed it was unwinnable.
Nixon's doctrine stated that the U.S. would provide moral support but not deploy troops if a country was unable to defend itself.
He pursued negotiations with Vietnam while continuing the U.S. bombing campaign.
The Paris Accords were negotiated in January 1973, settling the terms of U.S. withdrawal.
The last U.S. troops withdrew in March 1973.
The war resulted in 58,000 U.S. lives lost and over 3,000 wounded, with immense costs for the Vietnamese people.
The 1970s were marked by sadness and regret over the war's outcome.
Nixon fulfilled his promise to bring the troops home.
Chapter 3: Détente: Easing Cold War Tensions
3.1 Easing Tensions
Détente aimed to ease tensions between the U.S. and its Cold War enemies to mitigate the threat of nuclear war.
In 1971, the U.S. formally recognized the People's Republic of China, and Nixon visited in 1972, opening negotiations.
Official diplomatic relations were established in 1979.
China credits Nixon with making this possible and views him favorably.
3.2 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT)
Nixon also visited Moscow in 1972 and negotiated a treaty with the Soviet Union to ease nuclear tensions.
The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) set limits on anti-ballistic missiles, with an agreed number of 200 for each country.
A quota for submarine missiles was also negotiated.
SALT was symbolic but represented a step toward reducing tensions.
People began to feel more secure with a practical leader focused on real results.
Chapter 4: Nixon's Domestic Policy and Economic Crisis
4.1 Economic Issues
Nixon focused on domestic policy, addressing the economic crisis of stagflation.
Stagflation meant paychecks were not increasing while the cost of living was rising.
Nixon attributed this to the cost of the Vietnam War and social upheaval, leading to recession and inflation.
He advocated government intervention, including a price and wage freeze, and increased federal spending to provide solutions for people's problems.
Chapter 5: Downfall: Pentagon Papers and Watergate
5.1 Pentagon Papers
The leaking of the Pentagon Papers contributed to Nixon's downfall.
The Pentagon Papers were published in 1971 by the Washington Post and the New York Times.
The papers revealed the truth about the Vietnam War, including:
Vietnam's status as a U.S. ally during World War II.
Vietnamese expectations of U.S. support for independence.
Ho Chi Minh's perceived betrayal by the U.S. government.
The U.S. government's knowledge that the war was unwinnable.
The toxicity of Agent Orange to both U.S. troops and the Vietnamese people.
The papers indicated that the U.S. sided with France due to pressure from Great Britain, despite knowing they should have supported Vietnamese independence.
Nixon fought to hide this information and sent his "plumbers" to shut down the leaks.
Daniel Ellsberg leaked the papers, which were considered explosive.
These actions made Nixon seem untrustworthy.
Despite this, Nixon won reelection in 1972.
Chapter 6: Watergate Scandal
6.1 The Break-in and Cover-Up
The Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) sought information on the Democrats.
In June 1972, Nixon's people broke into the Watergate Hotel to gather information on his enemies.
The cover-up of the break-in led to Nixon's downfall.
Evidence was left behind, leading to press investigations.
Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward of the Washington Post covered the break-in.
They obtained information from a source called "Deep Throat," implicating people close to the president.
People around the president began to resign or were fired.
In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee began an investigation.
Summary
The 1968 U.S. presidential election saw Richard Nixon defeat Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace, signaling a desire for change after the tumult of the 1960s. Nixon focused on ending the Vietnam War through "Vietnamization" and pursued détente to ease Cold War tensions, notably with China and the Soviet Union. Domestically, he tackled economic issues like stagflation with government intervention. However, his presidency was marred by scandals, starting with the Pentagon Papers, which exposed misleading information about the Vietnam War, and culminating in the Watergate scandal. The latter led to a break-in at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters and a cover-up, which ultimately resulted in Nixon's resignation in 1974.