Richard M Nixon Rep Jan 20 1969

Richard M. Nixon • (Rep) Jan. 20, 1969 -Aug. 9, 1974

Cold War • Nixon Reduced Our Involvement in the War but expanded the War into Cambodia and Laos, S. V. N troops took over as US Troops left (called Vietnamization). We dropped from (1969) 543, 000 to 35, 000 soldiers by 1972. • 1970 The Senate repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

• Senate failed to pass the Mc. Govern-Hatfield Bill, Which would have forced the withdrawal of all US Troops. • IN March ’ 72 the N. V. mese invaded the South and the US resumed massive bombings of North and mining the Haiphong Harbor. • Nixon said he was willing to talk peace but wanted “Peace with Honor”

• Finally negotiations between H. Kissinger and Le. Duc Tho led to a Peace Treaty (Paris ’ 73) • In which we agreed to: – Withdrawal of all US forces and release of N. V. N. prisoners. – Cease-fire in place – US---$$ to help rebuild bombed-out north (We never did this)

• The Communist North conquered the South shortly after we left • The V. N. War cost us – 58, 000 dead – 304, 000 wounded – $110 billion

New China Policy • Nixon, who had long hated the Chinese Comm. Gov of Mao Ze. Dong—put aside his feelings and began using his influence to get Comm. China a seat in the U. N. in 1971 • In Feb. 1972 Nixon went on a “Journey For Peace” to China—was warmly received by Chairman Mao and Premier Chou En Lai, they agreed to broaden contact in cultural, scientific, and trade

Sea. Bed Treaty 1970 • US and USSR and others agreed to ban Nukes from the ocean floor in international waters

Chemical Weapons Treaty 1971 • US and USSR agree to destroy Chemical, Biological, Radioactive (CBR’s) weapons

S. A. L. T. • US and USSR agree to limit Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABM’s) • Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

Other Major Events • Wage-Price Controls— 1971 -1973 • Anti-inflation move froze wages (1971) and then prices • Complex wage-price controls that lasted till 1973 • Very unusual move for a Republican Pres.

• Revenue Sharing-1972 --$Billions sent back to States and local Govs. • Law and Order— • Organized Crime Control Act, Drug Abuse Control Act—”No Knock” searches • DC Criminal Justice Act

Cuyahoga River 1969 • EPA created 1970 – Agency monitors pollution • Water Pollution Act 1972 • Passed over Nixon’s VETO • Curtailed industrial discharge sharply

Consumer Product Safety Act 1972 • Set-up a commission to ban unsafe products • Toys

1969 Man on the Moon • Neil Armstrong • “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. ”

26 th Amendment • 1971 • 18 yr. olds can vote • Reaction to?

Court Decision • Roe vs. Wade (1973) • Abortion on demand (1 st Trimester) • US vs. R. M. Nixon (1974) Nixon must surrender tapes • Hiding behind executive privlidge (checks and balances)

Watergate 1972 • Nixon wants to win reelection by the LARGEST amount ever • Previous Pres. Was FDR

Watergate • Break-in by CREEP on • Pentagon papers—top Dem. Headquarters secret study of origins of the V. N. War • (Committee to Re-elect the President) • “Whitehouse Plumbers” bugged Dan Ellsburg’s office (shrink)-he had given the Pentagon Papers out

Enemies List • Approximately 91 names on a list • Used The IRS, CIA, FBI, and Secret Service to spy-on and make life difficult for names on the list (how can I use IRS to hurt you? Investigate you) • Cosby, J. Fonda, Paul Newman

Dirty Tricks Squad • To show dissension among Dem. Candidates • Had Rep. loyalists pose as Dems. At a grassroots level. • Infiltrated local elections and spied-on Dems. • Help to sabotage Dem. candidates

“Hush Money” • Nixon and others paid out “hush money” to cover up Watergate • As a result of Nixon’s involvement in covering up crimes, the House of Reps. Started impeachment proceedings against him (July 1974)

Charges • Obstruction of Justice – Lying to Investigators – Withholding evidence—stonewalling it – Paying hush money Abuse of Power --Misusing IRS, CIA, FBI, and Secret Service

• Failure to comply with Congressional Subpoenas • Order to surrender tapes • Realizing he couldn’t escape impeachment, Nixon became the 1 st and only Pres. Of US to resign

• “If I fought it I would be found innocent, but the problems of this country are more important matters the which the Congress and the President should turn their attention to. ”

Gerald R. Ford Rep. Aug. 9, 1974 -Jan. 20, 1977

Cold War • Commies took over all of Vietnam in ’ 75 -’ 76 • Pathet Lao ( Comm. Guerilla Group) took over in Laos • Khmer Rouge overthrew Lon Nol in Cambodia

Mayaguez Incident • 1975 • Cambodian Gunboats seized the Mayaguez (US merchant ship) near Cambodia • US Forces rescued the ship and entire crew (39) • 41 American Military killed

Helsinki Agreement 1975 • 35 Nations including the US and USSR reached agreements that would reduce tensions between the Free and Communist Worlds • West (Free World) pledged to – Respect East European boundaries set up after WWII – Stay out of internal affairs of European Communist countries

• The Communist agreed to – Relax travel restrictions – Improve East-West Communications

Other Major Events • Nixon Pardon-1974 -DEAL? “You make me Pres. And I’ll keep you out of jail”—This drew a firestorm of protest and Ford’s Press Secretary resigned in protest • Ford said having to resign as Pres. Was more punishment for Nixon than going to jail

Clemency for Draft Evaders & Deserters • All they had to do was swear allegiance to the US and perform 2 yrs. In the Military service branch they deserted. • Veterans groups (VFW and Amer. Legion) said this was too easy • The exiles thought that accepting clemency was an admission of wrongdoing.

Consumerism • • • Fair Credit Billing Act Equal Credit Opportunity Act Warranty Act Real estate Settlement Procedure Act All sought equity in the marketplace

NYC Bailout • 1975 • $2. 3 bill. To avoid default

Campaign Reform Law • 1974 • Sought (as a reaction to Watergate) • Public Funding of Pres. Election campaigns ($3. 00 check off on income tax return) • Strict limits on individual contributions and campaign spending

Two Separate Assassinations Attempts Both in Sept. of 1975 Lynette “Squeeky” Fromme • Shot but gun did not fire • Released from prison Aug 4, 2009 Sara Jane Moore • Shot and Missed • Released from prison Jan. 1, 2008

Jimmy Carter (39 th Pres. ) Dem. 1977 -81

Cold War • US opened diplomatic relations with China (Ping Pong Diplomacy) (Detent) • We then signed scientific, cultural and trade treaties

Soviets invade Afghanistan • 1979—SALT II Treaty Fell through when Soviets invade Afghanistan (Dec. 1979) • Many Americans felt the treaty gave a dangerous weapons advantage to the Soviets

Carter’s Reaction • 1980– Carter Doctrine— With unrest in Iran (Iran and Iraq War), Afghanistan, the Soviets chasing their dream of a warm water port, Carter issued a statement that the “US will use military force to stop any country trying to take control of the Persian Gulf. ”

Other Major Events • • Pardon of Draft Evaders 1977 (10, 000 Pardoned) Condemned by VFW No conditions Energy Crisis Gas/Energy prices skyrocket Gas lines (gas 37 cents to $1. 10) Carter tells people to cut back!

3 -Mile Island • 1979 Meltdown of nuclear power plant in PA. • Dangerous aspect of Nuclear Power • Happened 12 days after the hit movie “China Syndrome” was released

Human Rights • Cornerstone of Carter’s Foreign policy • He condemned racism in S. Africa, White rule in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) Repressive Govt of Castro (Cuba) and Idi Amin (Uganda) • He cut off aid to Argentina, Uruguay and Ethiopia (Human Rts. Violations • Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

The Humphrey-Hawkins Act • Called for 4% unemployment by 1983 • American made (autos, TV, etc…) • Does this happen?

Panama Canal Treaty • Returned Canal and zone to Panama in 1999 • Received tremendous criticism for this act

Camp David Accords, 1978 • Carter, Sadat, and Begin work out a treaty that ended a 31 yr. war between Egypt and Israel • Sadat and Begin won the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts • Both were assassinated because of this treaty

American Hostages in Iran 1979 -1981 • 444 days of captivity • 52 hostages • Carter tried everything including a military effort to free them from the grips of the Ayatollah Khomeini • All failed • Hostages were released the day Reagan became President. (Dirty Deal? )

Ronald Reagan (Rep. 40 th Pres) 1981 -1989

Cold War • Called the USSR “The focus of Evil in the Modern World” • Hardliner—no detent • In 1983 he put missiles in Europe to answer the USSR medium range missiles aimed at western Europe

Mikhail Gorbachev

1985 Soft-liner Preaches Glasnost (Openness) The Soviet economy was in ruins Met with Reagan twice (Geneva 1985 and Iceland, 1986) to try to move closer to the West. • The USSR feared the US was going to go ahead with “Star Wars” and now want to reduce missile numbers • •

Star Wars • A space-based missiles defense system

Finally • Gorbachev agreed to on-site inspections of weapons, factories (never done before)and this led to a very important • INF Treaty (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) in 1987 which made both countries destroy whole classes of Nukes

Then in Dec. 1988 • The USSR surprisingly announced it would withdraw large numbers of troops and tanks from Eastern Europe and Afghanistan (1989) • These unilateral moves signaled the death knell of Communism in Europe but it would take 2 more years.

Other Important Issues • • • Reaganomics Supply-side Economics Trickle-Down Economics Voodoo Economics Cut taxes on the rich and provide jobs for the average blue collar worker and we will all be happy! (1981 -1989)

The Economy • Employment reached all time high of 118 million (but many of these were part-time jobs like Mc. Donalds’—minimum wage) • The US debt (1981) went over $1 trillion for the 1 st time and the deficit exceeded $200 bill. In 3 of the next 4 years (Debt Tripled) • The US went from being the world’s #1 creditor nation to being the #1 debtor nation because of poor trade

Assassination Attempt Mar. 1981 Assassination attempt John Hinckley

To Impress Jody Foster Shot Pres. To impress Foster • Hinckley shot Reagan in Wash DC nearly killing him. • Hinckley was found not guilty by Reason of Insanity. • He went to a mental institutions • Many Critics of the verdict demanded that the insanity plea rules needed tightening

US-Canadian Trade Pact 1988 • Free trade by 1999 • Many Canadians objected!

Social Security-1983 • Designed to keep the system stable until 2050

Terrorism Chief Terrorist-M. Khadaffi • Reagan charged that 5 nations (Iran, Libya, N. Korea, Cuba, and Nicaragua) routinely committed terrorist acts around the world

Some Incidents • Apr. 1983—US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon— Bombed— 16 Amer. Killed • Oct. 1983— 241 US Marines in Beirut, Lebanon killed (truck bomb) • June 1985—Shiites take TWA Jetliner – 104 Amer. Hostages • Oct. 1985—Achille Lauro—Cruise ship—PLO • Dec. 1986—Pan-Am Jet exploded over Lockerbie Scot. — 259 killed

April 15, 1986 • Reagan had the US Air Force bomb Khadaffi • This seem to reduce terrorism to some extent • Killed Khadaffi’s adopted daughter

Iran-Contra Affair • In 1985, Reagan secretly agreed to sell arms to Iran (at war with Iraq) if Iran would release some Amer. Hostages. • The money from this deal went to the Contras (anti-communists) to fight the Sandinista (Communists) Rebels in Nicaragua.

Illegal!!! • Boland Amendment (1984)—Illegal to sell guns to countries engaged in a war where the USA has no argument (prevent another Vietnam) • Reagan could have been impeached but “wiggled off the hook!”

Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North Took the Blame

Invaded Grenada-1983 • Caribbean Island • Fearing that Cuban Communists were setting up a Com. Gov there sent in troops to protect US citizens there—Medical School Students

South Africa--Sanctions • Reagan opposed Apartheid but wouldn’t place sanctions (No Trade) on the White Minority Gov. • Finally Congress overrode Reagan’s veto to do so

Berlin Wall Comes Down • • 1989 “Tear down those walls Mr. Gorbachev” USSR begins to pull out of satellite nations 1992 Eastern European nations are no longer communist