NIXON AND THE END OF THE WAR

The Election of 1968 LBJ announces he will not seek

reelection for president Democratic candidates

1.Hubert Humphrey2.Eugene McCarthy3.Robert Kennedy

Election of 1968 What happened to

Robert Kennedy?Shot & killed by

Sirhan Sirhan

Who wins the nomination?Hubert Humphrey

Election of 1968 Republican

Candidate: Richard Nixon

Independent Candidate: George C. Wallace; The “great governor from the state of Alabama”

Election of 1968 Who wins the election?

Richard NixonWon easily in electoral votePopular vote was very close

Silent Majority “Middle America” who disapproved

of the anti-war protestors and supported the Vietnam War

This group would become what was known as the “New Right” who would be largely responsible for the conservative movement in the 1980s

“Peace with Honor” Pledged to increase troops initially;

pull troops out little by little over the next few years1969: 540,000 troops1972: 24,000 troops

Vietnamization: Turning over more of the fighting in Vietnam to the South Vietnamese while gradually bringing troops home

Laos and Cambodia Nixon secretly ordered bombing

campaigns and sent troops into both of these countries in 1969 and 1970

“I want the North Vietnamese to believe that I’ve reached the point where I might do anything to stop the war”

Kent State Shootings – May 4, 1970

4 killed, 9 injured

Credibility Gap Widens America learns of My Lai

Massacre in 1969 1971 the Pentagon Papers were

leaked to the New York TimesSecret government documents about the war which proved government was misleading Americans about the war

1972 Election Despite anti-war protestors,

Nixon able to beat… George McGovern

Received almost 18 million more popular votes than McGovern—the widest margin of any U.S. presidential election

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/ElectoralCollege1972.svg

Watergate Scandal Jun 17, 1972 Five men broke into

offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel Office Complex in D.C.

Installing or repairing advanced eavesdropping equipment and had cameras taking photographs of contents of filing cabinets

Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP)Pulled off many “Dirty Tricks” for Nixon while in office

Wire-Tap Devices in the Oval Office recorded every conversation

Ever since the Pentagon Papers were leaked, Nixon put into place the Plumbers to plug these leaks

The Washington Post Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein

were the investigative reporters in charge of investigating Watergate

Deep Throat (Mark Felt)Secret informant who provided the journalists with info. that Nixon was directly involved

Why was Nixon involved???

Nixon’s last daysThree articles of impeachment

(what is it?) 1. Obstructing the Watergate

investigation 2. Misuse of power and violating

his oath of office3. Failure to comply with House

subpoenas

Impeachment Process House impeaches (charges

with a formal accusation) Senate decides guilt or

innocence

“Always give your best, never get discouraged, never get petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.”

-Richard Nixon August 8, 1974

The War Ends 1973: Paris Peace Accords Removal of all U.S. troops and

military advisers but allowed North to remain in place

Both sides agreed to return P.O.W.s including over 600 Americans

North and South would remain split and this meant that U.S. could withdraw keeping its promise of not allowing Communism to spread – aka the Domino Theory

The Legacy of Vietnam1. 1975 North Vietnam

launched New offensive in the South; last workers at embassy are pulled out in 1975 (South falls in just 5 months)

Vietnam by the Numbers2. 58,000 Americans dead,

300,000 wounded, and 2,500 missing

3. Over 1,000,000 NVA and Vietcong were dead

4. 8 million tons of bombs in the region – contaminated food & water supplies

Effects on Veterans Large number paralyzed & disabled

returned home because of advanced medical conditionsLieutenant Dan from Forest Gump

Veterans were targets of anger or shame, verbal abuse, and even of people spitting on them

Also, they suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Political Impact Cost More than $150 Billion 26th Amendment – 18 yr. olds vote Wars Powers Act 1973: Sets a 60-

day limit on the presidential commitment of U.S. troops to foreign conflicts without specific Congressional authorization or declaration of war

Distrust of Government

Other Foreign Policies Realpolitik

Base foreign policies on national interest

Detente Ease tensions

with Cold War enemies

SALT I: agreement to slow the building of offensive weapons

“Just easin’ the tensions baby.Just easin’ the tensions”

Ping Pong Diplomacy

Nixon visits Chinese leader Mao Zedong