During his years as President, Richard Nixon fundamentally reshaped the way the United States approached the world. His leading adviser on national security and international affairs, Henry Kissinger, helped him. In foreign affairs, Nixon and Kissinger shared the idea of realpolitik, a German word meaning "real politics." This idea of realpolitik was a change from the containment policy. According to this idea, a nation's international goals should be defined by what is good for the The United States and Soviet Union now implemented a new policy called détente. The policy aimed to ease Cold War tensions between the countries and was much different than prior policies, which were based on suspicion and distrust. Detente eased tensions between the two nations.

In 1972, Nixon traveled to China to meet with Premier Zhou Enlai and Chairman Mao Zedong. The visit was a historic first step toward normal relations between the two countries. Nixon's trip to China was met by an immediate reaction from the Soviet Union. Nixon was the first President to visit China and the Soviet capital, Moscow. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev invited the president to Moscow, where they signed the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. The treaty was a step to limiting the arms race. Nixon’s successes in foreign affairs helped him win re-election in the 1972 Presidential race.

Combating the economy

Nixon's presidency was plagued by a combination of recession, increase in unemployment and inflation that came to be known as stagflation. Stagflation had several causes. Unemployment increased because trade competition increased. This made it harder for Americans to sell their goods overseas. The nation also had trouble finding jobs for millions of baby boomers who reached working age.

Inflation increased for two main reasons. First, more government spending on social programs and the war in Vietnam raised prices. The second cause was the nation’s need for foreign oil from the Middle East. Many of these countries belonged to OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). During the 1960s, OPEC gradually raised oil prices. Then in 1973, a war broke out pitting Israel against Egypt and Syria. The United States send military aid to Israel.

The OPEC nations sided with Egypt and Syria and placed an embargo on oil exports to Israel’s allies. As a result, oil prices skyrocketed. This led to problems in the United States. Between the fall of 1973 and March 1974, motorists faced long lines at the gas stations. Some factories and schools closed. When OPEC started selling oil to the United States again, the price had quadrupled.

Nixon’s Foreign & Domestic Policy

Nixon’s Foreign & Domestic Policy

Social How do you think gas shortages impacted the United States?

Political How did Nixon try to ease Cold War tensions?

Economic

What caused stagflation?

How did the actions of OPEC affect the U.S. economy?

Cultural How was Nixon’s trip to China and Moscow historic?

On April 22, 1970, Americans celebrated Earth Day for the first time. Earth Day activists wanted to raise awareness of such things as toxic waste-poisonous byproducts of human activity. Close to 20 million Americans took part in the first Earth Day and it is now an annual event. Public outcry over environmental issues convinced President

Nixon to support environmental reforms. Under his leadership, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 to protect "the entire ecological chain." The EPA worked to clean up and protect the environment and sought to limit or eliminate pollutants that posed a risk to the public's health. Nixon also signed a number of environmental laws. The Clean Air Act (1970) limited the emissions from factories and automobiles in an effort to reduce air pollution. The Clean Water Act (1973) reduced water pollution by industry and agriculture. The Endangered Species Act (1973) helped to protect plants and animals threatened with extinction due to past environmental

In the late 1970s, several crises reinforced the public's environmental concern. Toxic waste in the ground was blamed for high rates of birth defects and cancer in Love Canal, New York. Later, a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania malfunctioned and the core began to melt.While these events solidified some people's support for environmental regulation, other people questioned and opposed the government's actions. Conservatives complained that regulation took away individuals' property rights. Others argued that private property owners, rather than the government, should protect the environment. Industry leaders worried that too much environmental regulation would harm business. The debate over the environment continues today. Though there is conflict, it is clear that environmental concerns have gained increasing What is the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

Environmental Activism

In 1972, Nixon sought re-election for President of the United States. A major goal for him was to expand his base of support. His southern strategy targeted southern whites, who had traditionally voted for Democrats.At the same time, Nixon authorized the establishment of a team

What is the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

Watergate

In 1972, Nixon sought re-election for President of the United States. A major goal for him was to expand his base of support. His southern strategy targeted southern whites, who had traditionally voted for Democrats.At the same time, Nixon authorized the establishment of a team

In June 1972, burglars broke into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington. They were caught in the Democratic Party's national campaign office and arrested. Nixon authorized the payment of large sums of campaign contribution money to maintain their silence and promised them clemency after the election. After the Watergate burglars’ conviction, one of them claimed that members of the president’s administration had been involved in the break-in. Nixon denied any wrongdoing in what came to be known as the Watergate scandal.

Nixon won another term as president in historic fashion. His victory was one of the largest in US History as he won every state, except Massachusetts and Washington D.C. Shortly after Nixon began his second term, his vice president, Spiro Agnew, was forced to resign for income tax evasion. Then the cover-up Nixon had authorized of the Watergate break-in began to unravel. Over the course of the next two years, Nixon and the nation experienced his gradual political destruction. A nationally televised Senate investigation piled up evidence of obstruction of justice and abuse of the powers and privileges of his office for personal and political gain. It was discovered Nixon secretly recorded conversations in the White House to use as blackmail. When the Senate asked for the tapes to aid in the investigation, Nixon claimed executive privilege, which is the principle that the president has the right to keep certain information confidential However, the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to turn over the tapes based on the Constitutional principle that no one is above the law, even the president. These tapes provided evidence of Nixon's involvement in the cover-up. Furthering damaging to Nixon was the discovery that parts of the tapes had been edited. The conversations on the tapes had taken place in his office and detailed his efforts to prevent the discovery of his involvement in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. A House committee voted to impeach President Nixon. If the full House of Representatives approved, Nixon would go to trial. If Nixon was guilty, he would be removed as President. In order to avoid impeachment and conviction, Nixon resigned August 8, 1974. Watergate produced distrust about the presidency. A poll in 1974 showed that 43% of Americans lost faith in the presidency. After Vietnam and Watergate, Americans developed a deep distrust of government officials.

Watergate

What was the “Watergate scandal”? What were the lasting effects of Watergate?

What was the “Watergate scandal”? What were the lasting effects of Watergate?

What is executive privilege? What Constitutional issue was raised by the Watergate scandal?

What happens with a guilty verdict in an impeachment trial ?

Why did Nixon resign as President?

What details do you see in the cartoon?

Who do you think the man might be?

What message do you think the artist is trying to present?

Is this cartoon supporting the individual? Explain your reasoning.