Vietnam & the 1970s

1. Vietnam & the 1970s American History II - Unit 7 Ms. Brown

2. Review • Identify 3 characteristics of the 1960s Counterculture. • Hippies, influenced by the 1950s Beat Movement (disapproved of materialism, technology, and war), enjoyed rock’n’roll and music festivals, alternative fashion, long hair, sexual freedom, drug use, practiced eastern religions, joined communes • Identify 2 reasons why Conservatives criticized 1960s Counterculture. • Threat to law and order, promoted anarchy, promoted moral decay, disrespected established social norms • What does the phrase “the personal is political” mean? • The belief that women’s personal problems are not entirely their own fault, but are the result of systematic oppression and therefore must be addressed politically • Identify 1 success and 1 failure of Women’s Lib. • Successes – Title VII to Civil Rights Act, Title IX of Education Amendments. Roe v. Wade, changes in attitudes towards family and careers, more women in politics • Failures – New Right backlash, ERA did not pass

3. 7.6 – Nixon’s Administration & Watergate

4. Nixon as POTUS • 1968, reelected in 1972 – Conservative Republican • More power to states, less reach of the federal gov’t • Supported traditional American values, opposed Women’s Lib and 1960s Counterculture • As the conflict in Vietnam winded down, Nixon wanted to: • Reduce the power of the federal gov’t • Reform some of LBJ’s liberal policies • Strengthen the Republican Party • Address the struggling economy • Instill a sense of law and order in society • Restore America’s global prestige and influence

5. Reducing the Power of the Fed. Gov’t • Nixon’s New Federalism – Nixon’s plan to redistribute federal power to the states • Believed LBJ’s Great Society programs created too much responsibility for the federal gov’t and infringed on states’ rights • 1972 – State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act – instituted revenue sharing • Usually the federal gov’t told state/local gov;ts how to spend federal money • Revenue sharing – state/local gov’ts could spend federal money however they saw fit with few restrictions

6. Reforming LBJ’s Great Society • Nixon believed welfare (social programs to help the needy) had grown inefficient and too expensive • 1969 – proposed the Family Assistance Plan (FAP) – Nixon’s attempt to overhaul welfare • $1,600/year to each family of 4 with no income • Provisions to each up to $4,000/year in supplemental aid (job training, accept reasonable work, etc) • Nixon presented the plan in conservative terms • Would reduce the supervisory role of the federal gov’t • Would make welfare recipients responsible for their own lives • FAP never approved by the Senate  not a law • Liberals – not enough help the needy • Conservatives – guaranteed income payments are gov’t handouts

7. Reforming LBJ’s Great Society • Nixon’s New Federalism wore “2 faces” • Had to compromise with a Democrat-controlled Congress • Increased some welfare programs – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and accessibility of food stamps • Worked to dismantle some social programs • Abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity, tried to eliminate the Job Corps (unsuccessful) • Vetoed a bill that would have provided additional funding for Housing and Urban Development • Impounded (withheld funding) for some programs until they expired  federal courts ruled his actions unconstitutional (only Congress can decide how federal funds are spent), but 100 programs were still affected

8. Strengthening the Republican Party • Nixon’s reelection in 1972 required a strong, unified Republican party  Nixon’s Southern Strategy – plan to attract conservative Southern Democrats to the Republican party • 4 SCOTUS Justices left during Nixon’s administration, all filled by slightly Conservative appointees • Tried to slow school desegregation (quickly shut down by SCOTUS, despite conservative attitude) • Tried to oppose the extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Congress extended it anyway)

9. Addressing Struggling Economy • Late 1960s – period of stagflation – high inflation (rising prices) and high unemployment (little money) • Unemployment increased due to global trade competition (harder to sell goods overseas) • Baby boomers reached working age – not enough jobs! • Rising prices due to increasing dependence on foreign oil • Many oil producing nations belonged to a cartel (group that controls the production/price of an item) called the Organization for Petroleum Producing Countries (OPEC)

10. Addressing Struggling Economy • 1960s – OPEC gradually raised oil prices • 1973 – War erupted between Israel and Egypt +Syria • US supported long-time ally Israel  Egypt, Syria, and other Arab countries cut off oil supply to US • Oil prices skyrocketed • Long lines for gas, no gas at all in some places • Some factories stopped production • 1975 – OPEC resumed selling oil to US, but at 4x original price

11. “Restoring” Law and Order • Nixon campaigned on the promise to end the war in Vietnam AND restore order at home  restoring order meant watching and investigating “disorderly” individuals • Nixon’s administration instituted illegal surveillance tactics • Ordered wiretaps on many left-wing individuals and the Democratic Party offices in the Watergate office building AND leaders in Civil Rights, Black Panthers, and Women’s Lib • Ordered CIA to investigate and compile files on American “dissidents” – people who don’t agree with the gov’t’s policies • Directed the IRA to audit the tax returns of people on his “enemies list”

12. Restoring America’s Prestige • Nixon relied heavily on Kissinger (National Security Advisor, then Sec. of State) for advise on foreign policy • Kissinger promoted realpolitik – “realistic politics,”basing foreign policy on practical and realistic factors, rather than ideological notions or moral principles • Practical to ignore weak countries, important to deal with strong nations • Opposite of containment • The US had to interact with all strong nations, even the USSR and China  policy of détente – a flexible approach towards Communist nations, designed to ease Cold War tensions

13. Restoring America’s Prestige • Early 1972 – Nixon visited Communist China • China and the USSR no longer working together  Nixon wanted China’s support when the US eventually would negotiate with the USSR (leave no allies for USSR) • Realpolitik – China’s Communist gov’t clashed with democratic US, but normalizing relations with China could help the US gain international power • Big success • Opened up diplomatic and economic relations (new markets = more money) • US and China agreed to work peacefully to settle disputes

14. Restoring America’s Prestige • Mid 1972 – Nixon visited USSR (1st POTUS to do so) • Used China’s support as pressure to force the USSR to agree to decreased tensions • Engaged in Strategic Arms Limitations Talks • SALT I Treaty – 1972, 5 year agreement, limited the number of nuclear weapons held by each country

15. Nixon’s Decline • Americans generally approved of Nixon’s foreign and domestic policies, with the Democratic-controlled Congress keeping him in check… however the breaking Watergate Scandal in early 1970s would eventually be Nixon’s downfall. • Watergate Scandal - Nixon administration's attempt to cover up a burglary of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in DC in 1972

16. Setting the Stage for Watergate • By the time Nixon became president, the executive branch was very powerful and Nixon wanted to maintain this power… • Ex: wiretapping • Confided in a small group of advisors – Kissinger, H.R Haldeman (chief of staff), John Erlichman (chief domestic advisor), and John Mitchell (attorney general) • Nixon’s advisors and campaign aids were determined to get him reelected in 1972 • Created the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP) – Nixon’s campaign committee • CRP head – John Mitchell

17. Watergate Break-in • June 1972 - CRP hired 5 men to break into DNC headquarters in the Watergate building (unknown to Nixon)  caught photographing files and wiretapping phones • Group’s leader was James McCord, a former CIA agent and member of the CRP

18. The Cover Up • Nixon and his staff attempted to hide the link to the White House • Shredded evidence • Hid documents and tapes • Pressured the CIA to urge the FBI to stop investigating the burglary • Paid burglars $450,000 to maintain silence in investigation • In Nov 1972, the Watergate burglary was not a campaign issue, and Nixon was overwhelmingly reelected

19. The Cover Up Unravels • During 1972, the media wasn’t very interested in the Watergate burglary, EXCEPT for especially Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein at the Washington Post • Published a series of articles suggesting that Nixon’s administration was involved with the burglary • Received information from an anonymous source nicknamed “Deep Throat” • Woodward and Bernstein revealed only that he was a source in the Executive Branch who had access to information at CRP and the White House • Revealed in 2005 to be Mark Felt, the No. 2 man at the FBI during the Watergate investigation • The White House denied all accusations made by Woodward and Bernstein

20. The Cover Up Unravels • Jan 1973 – Watergate burglars went to trial • All burglars except McCord changed plea from innocent to guilty • McCord found guilty by a jury • The presiding judge, John Sirica, believed the burglars did not act alone… suspicions confirmed in March when McCord admitted to perjury and implicated the White House in the cover-up • Throughout 1973, the media became obsessed with the Watergate Scandal…

21. The Cover Up Unravels • April 1973 • Several top aids to Nixon resigned • Nixon went on TV to deny any wrong-doing • Nixon appointed a new Attorney General, Elliot Richardson, who was to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Watergate (Archibald Cox) • May 1973 • Senate began investigation of Watergate with televised Senate hearings of “all the president’s men” • Nixon implicated in knowing about the cover-up • Revelation that tapes of White House meetings and Nixon’s personal telephone line existed • Senate committee demanded “Nixon tapes”, Nixon refused

22. The Cover Up Unravels • October 1973 • Cox (Richardson’s special prosecutor) took Nixon to court over the tapes • Saturday Night Massacre • Nixon ordered Richardson to fire Cox, Richardson refused and resigned • The Deputy Attorney General also refused to fire Cox and was fired • Solicitor General fired Cox, but Cox’s replacement was equally determined to get the tapes • Nixon’s VP Spiro Agnew resigned after admitting to accepting bribes and evading taxes  Nixon appointed Gerald Ford (House Minority Leader) as VP, Congress approved • End of 1973 – House of Representatives considered impeachment charges • Impeachment is only formally charging an official with a crime/wrong-doing, it is NOT removal from office.

23. Nixon’s Downfall • March 1974 – 7 of Nixon’s aids charged with obstruction of justice and perjury • July 1974 • SCOTUS ordered Nixon to release “Nixon tapes” to investigators  proved Nixon knew about the Watergate cover up • HoR committee voted to impeach Nixon, set date for full HoR vote • August 7, 1974 – Nixon resigned before impeachment could occur • Gerald Ford = 38th POTUS

24. Legacy of Watergate • 25 members of Nixon administration charged/convicted of crimes related to Watergate • Produced even more distrust and cynicism towards the Presidency and federal gov’t