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THE FORD ADMINISTRATION

THE FORD ADMINISTRATION. 1974-1976. CONTEXT: 1974-1980. POLITICAL Watergate Nixon’s resignation Fall of Saigon Election of 1976 Iran, Afghanistan – “FREEZE” in Cold War OPEC Helsinki Accords ECONOMIC Energy Crisis Double-digit inflation Recession SOCIAL Olympic Boycotts

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THE FORD ADMINISTRATION

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  1. THE FORD ADMINISTRATION 1974-1976

  2. CONTEXT: 1974-1980 POLITICAL • Watergate • Nixon’s resignation • Fall of Saigon • Election of 1976 • Iran, Afghanistan – “FREEZE” in Cold War • OPEC • Helsinki Accords ECONOMIC • Energy Crisis • Double-digit inflation • Recession SOCIAL • Olympic Boycotts • Iran Hostage Crisis • Bi-centennial Year

  3. THE UNELECTED PRESIDENT • Ford replaces Agnew, then Nixon • Chosen by Congress according to 25th amendment • Ford grants complete pardon to Nixon • Pardon is very unpopular • Ford suffers from bad press • Image of a “bumbler”

  4. FORD STUMBLES http://www.cah.utexas.edu/photojournalism/detail.php?nickname=ford&picid=10

  5. FORD’s FOREIGN POLICY • Helsinki Accords – July 1975 • US/NATO recognize USSR’s satellites/empire • USSR pledges to respect human rights • Fall of Saigon – April 1975 • 500,000 refugees IMPACT: Ford and Americans lose trust in USSR and Détente b/c USSR fails to respect dissident movement and continue to foment revolution abroad. America “loses face.”

  6. Fall of Saigon – April 29, 1975 http://www.npr.org/news/images/2005/apr/29/corbis/saigon_helicopter200.jpg

  7. Helsinki Accords: Success? Failure?

  8. ELECTION OF 1976 America’s Bicentennial CANDIDATES: Ford for Republicans Carter for Democrats ISSUES: Trust in government RESULT: Narrow victory (51% / 297 to 240) for Carter Carter sweeps the South; 97% of Af.-American vote http://www.debates.org/media/his76.jpg

  9. http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/elections/maps/1976ec.gifhttp://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/elections/maps/1976ec.gif

  10. CARTER: 1976-1980 • Carter seen as Washington “Outsider” - Advantage at first, then liability • Focus on human rights and diplomacy in foreign policy • Idealistic • May have been seen as “weak” by Soviets • SALT II fails • Fails to work with/win over Congress What president does he remind you of most?

  11. CARTER’S HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY • Response to Helsinki Accords • Carter pushes Human Rights • Causes rift in State Department over support for less than democratic “allies” • W/draws support for Somoza in Nicaragua • Negotiates return of Panama Canal

  12. Camp David Accords (1978-1979) • Brokered by Carter at Camp David • Menachem Begin (Israel) and Anwar Sedat (Egypt) • First peace settlement between Israel and an Arab State http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1632849.stm

  13. IRAN FIASCO • Shah deposed by fundamentalist revolution • Iran in turmoil • Students storm embassy and hold 53 US Diplomats hostage • Carter seems stymied • Delta Force rescue operation fails • 8 servicemen die

  14. Current Pres. of Iran Ahmadinejad was one of the student leaders of the hostage takeover. http://www.fightingterror.org/images/iran_pres1979.jpg

  15. AFGHANISTAN • Soviets invade to gain access to Middle-East/oil • Carter cries foul – boycotts Olympics • Creation of “Rapid Deployment Force” • US supports muhajediin fighters • Becomes Soviet’s “Vietnam”

  16. http://remember.gov/terrorism/images/iran_hostage/helicopter_crash_lrg.jpghttp://remember.gov/terrorism/images/iran_hostage/helicopter_crash_lrg.jpg

  17. CARTER’s DOMESTIC WOES • OPEC continues to control production • Iran crisis further hurts oil production • US in double-digit inflation • Carter creates Dept. of Energy • Carter urges conservation and blames consumerism/over-consumption • US begins posting trade deficits • Real income falling • Fuel shortages becoming commonplace • Fires four cabinet members

  18. http://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/images/speeches/spc050303jm_fig3.gifhttp://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/images/speeches/spc050303jm_fig3.gif

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