Nixon: Détente to Watergate SWBAT: Explain Nixon’s domestic and foreign policy initiatives

Do Now  Identify examples of both conflict/hostility and peaceful relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War Berlin Blockade & Airlift, Warsaw Pact, Mutually Assured Destruction, Cuban Missile Crisis, U-2, Korean War, Vietnam War Geneva Convention, United Nations, SALT Treaties, Nixon goes to China & Soviet Union

Background  The Great Society, Warren Court decisions, Counterculture movement, social changes, and a rise in sexual & drug experimentation led to a rise in conservative politics

Domestic Policy  Richard Nixon, Republican - New Federalism- reduce role of the federal gov.  give $ to states to spend

Domestic Policy  Programs Established: - Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Clean Air Act - Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) - Food stamps

Domestic Policy  Inflation: - caused by Vietnam War - prices, unemployment  90-day wage freeze  26 th Amendment- lowered voting age from (12 million new voters!) *a direct result of US involvement in Vietnam  Neil Armstrong walks on the moon (1969)

Foreign Policy  Nixon & Kissinger believed in realpolitik  Realpolitik  Realpolitik  basing politics & foreign policy on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations  Nixon & Kissinger had more interest in power & international stability than relentless conflict

Foreign Policy  Nixon realized the Soviet Union & China could not be clumped into a communist bloc  China’s interests were different from the U.S.S.R.’s  Nixon believed China was destined to become a major player on the world stage  Nixon traveled to China in February of 1972 & recognized China’s government* *F ULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WERE NOT ESTABLISHED UNTIL 1979, BUT THERE WAS A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS AFTER N IXON ’ S VISIT

“Only Nixon could go to China”

Foreign Policy  3 months after visiting China, Nixon became 1 st American president to visit the Soviet Union since WWII  Nixon believed improved relations with the Soviets might cause the Russians to influence the North Vietnamese to end the war on terms acceptable to the United States

Foreign Policy  Nixon & Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev negotiated in Moscow  Agreements  Increased trade  2 arms control treaties 1. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)  The two sides agreed to freeze their arsenals of intercontinental missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads 2. Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty  Banned the development of systems designed to intercept incoming missiles  Reagan would in essence violate the treaty with the Star Wars missile defense program  G.W. Bush withdrew the U.S. from the treaty in 2001

Détente  Nixon & Brezhnev declared a new era of “peaceful (mutual) coexistence”  Détente  an easing of hostilities & strained relations between two countries

Watergate  Nixon reelected in landslide victory over George McGovern in 1972

Watergate  Nixon had difficulty with criticism & people of differing opinions  Viewed every critic as a threat to national security  Nixon developed an “enemies list” that contained journalists, politicians & celebrities

Watergate  After the Pentagon Papers were printed in the New York Times, Nixon created an investigative unit known as the “plumbers” to gather information on Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the papers to the press  In June of 1972, 5 burglars broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Complex in D.C.  Burglars were caught by a security guard  White House denied involvement in the burglary attempt  Two members of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP), who were former CIA & FBI orchestrated the break-in  Nixon paid off the burglars & ordered the CIA to stop the FBI from investigating the case  THIS IS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Watergate  Washington Post reporters, Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward investigate and discover that CREEP was involved in the burglary  It was discovered that Nixon had tape recordings of conversations in the Oval office  The special prosecutor subpoenaed the tapes  The House Judiciary Committee recommended impeachment of Nixon  Instead of facing impeachment, Nixon resigns

Watergate  Shortly after Nixon’s resignation, Sen. Frank Church (D-ID) lead senate hearings into government abuses  The Church Committee  Discovered every administration since the start of the Cold War abused power & misled U.S. citizens  FBI spied on millions & attempted to disrupt the civil rights movement  CIA conducted covert operations to overthrow foreign governments & assassinate leaders

Legacy  Watergate, the Pentagon Papers, Vietnam, & the Church Committee undermined America’s confidence in its government  Despite being a conservative, Nixon’s actions led to the downfall of New Deal/Great Society liberalism  Liberals believed government can solve social problems & promote freedom  How can the government promote freedom when its misconduct violated civil liberties?  Americans need to be protected from government, not saved by it.

Wrap Up  “Distrust and caution are the parents of security.” ~Benjamin Franklin  To what extent do you agree with Franklin’s quote in relation to Cold War politics? Explain your response in detail.