Nixon: Détente to WatergateAPUSH

Détente

Nixon and Kissinger believed in realpolitik Realpolitik basing politics and foreign policy on practical

rather than moral or ideological considerationsNixon and Kissinger had more interested in power and

international stability than relentless conflict

Détente Nixon realized that the

Soviet Union and China could not be clumped into a communist bloc China had its own interests

that were different form the U.S.S.R.’s interests

Nixon believed that China was destined to become a major player on the world stage

Nixon travels to China in February of 1972 and recognized China’s government*

*FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WERE NOT ESTABLISHED UNTIL 1979, BUT THERE WAS A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS AFTER NIXON’S VISIT

“Only Nixon could go to China.”

Détente Three months after visiting China, Nixon became the first American

president to visit the Soviet Union 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

Détente Nixon and Soviet General Secretary

Leonid Brezhnev negotiated in Moscow Agreements

Increased trade Two arms control treaties

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) The two sides agreed to freeze their

arsenals of intercontinental missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads

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 and Brezhnev declared a new era of “peaceful coexistence”

Détente an easing of hostilities and strained relations between two countries

Watergate Nixon was reelected in a landslide victory over George McGovern in 1972

Watergate Nixon had difficulty with criticism and people of differing opinions

Viewed every critic as a threat to national security Nixon developed an “enemies list” that contained journalists, politicians

and 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 had leaked the papers to the press.

In June of 1972, five burglars break into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Complex in D.C. Burglars are caught by a security guard White House denies involvement in the burglary

attempt Two members of the Committee to Re-Elect the

President (CREEP), who were former CIA and FBI orchestrated the break-in. Nixon paid off the burglars and ordered the CIA to

stop the FBI from investigating the case THIS IS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Watergate Washington Post reporters, Carl

Bernstein and 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

recommends the impeachment of Nixon

Instead of facing impeachment, Nixon resigns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTX2FIRg63o

Watergate

Shortly after Nixon’s resignation, Sen. Frank Church (D-ID) leads senate hearings into government abuses

The Church Committee Discovered that every administration

since the beginning of the Cold War had abused power and misled the citizens of the U.S. FBI spied on millions FBI attempted to disrupt the civil

rights movement CIA had conducted covert operations

to overthrow foreign governments and assassinate leaders

Legacy

Watergate, the Pentagon Papers, Vietnam, and the Church Committee undermined America’s confidence in its government

Despite being a conservative, Nixon’s action led to the downfall of New Deal/Great Society liberalism

Liberals believed government can solve social problems and 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.