P. Period 8 1945 - 1980 Guide

Period 8: 1945 - 1980 Chapter 29: Limits of A Superpower 1969-1980 [625 - 640] - Vietnam War - The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - Gives LBJ authority to do whatever he wants to end conflict in Vietnam - The War Powers Act of 1973 - Must tell Congress within 48 hours or gain approval from Congress within 60 days - Public opinion shaped policies → major shift left during sixties and seventies - Eighties led to a more conservative mindset - Technological triumphs of the space program 1970’s overshadowed by Watergate crime, stagnant economy, and the fall of South Vietnam to communism Increased foreign economic competition, oil shortages, rising unemployment, and high inflation - Richard Nixon’s Foreign Policy - Policy promised in Jan 1969 inaugural address not fulfilled “Imperial presidency” set first interest w/ international relations instead of domestic policy Reduced tensions of the Cold War Vietnam - ½ million troops in Vietnam by time took office - Goal to reduce US involvement in war while avoiding appearance of conceding defeat - “Peace with honor” - “Vietnamization” - Gradually withdraw US troops from Vietnam and gove South Vietnamese money, weapons, and training to take hold of war - Troops 1969 540,000 to 1972 under 30,000 - Nixon Doctrine : declared that in the future Asian allies would receive US support but w/out extensive use of US ground forces - Opposition to Nixon’s War Policies - Gradual withdrawal of forces reduced the number of antiwar protests - April 1970: Nixon expanded war and used US forces to invade Cambodia in effort to destroy Vietnamese Communist bases in that country - Nationwide protest on college campuses led to killing of 4 youths by National Guard troops at Kent State in Ohio and 2 students at Jackson State in MS - 1970: US public shocked to learn about a 1968 masacre of women and children by US troops in Vietnamese village of My Lai - New York Times publication of Pentagon Papers - Documented mistakes and deceptions of gov policy-makers with Vietnam - “Leaked” to press by Daniel Ellsberg - Peace Talks, Bombing Attacks, and Armistice - Kissinger (national US security advisor) secret meetings w/ North Vietnam’s foreign minister Le Duc Tho - Fall of 1973: premature announcement that “peace is at hand” - When couldn’t reach deal, Nixon bombed massive bombing of N Vietnam to force a settlement after weeks of B-52 bombing, IN Vietnamese agreed to armistice - US would withdraw troops and get back over 500 POWs - Paris Accords Jan. 1973 promised cease fire and free elections - Armistice didn’t completely end the war but allowed US to get out of war - Had killed >58,000 US soldiers - - $118 billion war spenditure racked US economy with inflationary cycle Détente with China and the Soviet Union - Deliberate reduction of Cold War tensions by taking advantage of rivalry between China and SU - Nixon’s conduct of foreign affairs enhanced world peace - Visit to China - Nixon secret meetings with Chinese leaders to improve conditions w/ “Red” China - Feb. 1972: traveled to Beijing to meet with Mao - Visit initiated diplomatic exchanges that led to US recognition of Communist gov in 1979 - Arms Control with the U.S.S.R. - Chinese relationship put pressure of Soviets to agree to limiting anti ballistic missiles (ABMs) - First Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I) : US diplomats got Soviet consent to freeze number of ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads - Didn’t end arms race but step towards reducing Cold War tensions and for détente Nixon’s Domestic Policy - - - moderation and compromise w/ the Democratic congress The New Federalism - Proposed the Family Assistance plan to slow down growth of LBJ’s Great Society programs - Would have replaced welfare by providing guaranteed annual income for working Ams - Defeated by Dems in Congress - Nixon shifted some of responsibility for social programs from federal to state and local levels - New Federalism (revenue sharing): Congress approved giving local govs $30 billion in block grants over five years to address local needs - Hope to check growth of federal gov and return responsibility to states (ie pre-New Deal) - Nixon attempted to bypass Congress by not spending funds appropriated for social programs - Abuse of executive powers deemed by Congress and courts Nixon’s Economic Policies - 1970s: economy faced economic slowdown and high inflation (stagflation) - Nixon tried cutting federal spending to slow inflation - When led to recession and unemployment, adopted Keynesian economics and deficit spending (to not alienate middle-class and blue-collar Americans) - Aug 1971: imposed 90-day wage and price freeze - Took dollar off gold standard (helped to devalue it relative to foreign currencies) - Gold thing plus 10% surtax on all imports improved US balance of trade w/ foreign competitors - By 1972 election year the recession was over - Congress also approved automatic increases for Social Security benefits based on annual rise in cost of living - Protects seniors, poor, and disabled from inflation, but contributed to budget problems - 1972: passed Title IX : ended sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funding - Schools provide girls with equal athletic opportunities Southern Strategy - b/c was minority president (43% popular vote in 1968) appealed to “silent majority” - Democrats, southern whites, northern catholic blue-collar workers, and recent suburbanites who disagreed w/ liberal drift of party - Won South by asking federal courts to delay integration plans and busing orders - Nominates southern conservatives (Clement Haynsworth and G. Harrold Carswell) to Supreme Court - Strategy wasn’t implemented but won southern white votes - Nixon authorized vice pres Agnew to make verbal assaults on war protesters and attack - - press as liberal The Burger Court - Replaced retired Supreme Court liberal justices w/ more conservative members - 1969: appointed Warren E. Burger in place of Earl Warren (resignation) - Burger Court more conservative than Warren Court but several major decisions angered conservatives (against Nixon’s ideas too) - 1971: ordered busing to achieve racial balance in schools - 1972: issued strict guidelines making death penalty more difficult - Roe v. Wade (1973): struck down many state laws prohibiting abortions as a violation of a women’s right to privacy (gave women more rights to abortion in 1st trimester) - US vs. Nixon (1974): SC denied claims to executive privilege and ordered Nixon to hand over Watergate tapes The Election of 1972 - Repub ticket won majorities in every southern state - Nixon reelection practically assured by foreign policy successes in China and USSR, removal of George Wallace from race bc assassination attempt that led to paralyzation, and nomination by Dems of liberal, anti war, anti establishment candidate (George McGovern) - Won 61% of popular vote - Dem still controlled congress - Dropped vice pres running mate Senator Thomas Eagleton when discovered electroshock treatment for depression Watergate - - Humiliation of Nixon and conviction and jailing of 26 White House officials and aides Paralyzing effect on political system in mid-1970’s White House Abuses - June 1972: group of men hired by Nixon’s reelection committee caught breaking into offices at Dem. national headquarters in Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. - Break-in and attempted bugging part of illegal activities and “dirty tricks” by CREEP (committee to re-elect the pres) - Nixon had ordered wiretaps on gov employees and reporters to stop news leads such as one exposing secret bombing of Cambodia - “Plumber” group stopped laks and discredited opponents - Before Watergate the “plumbers” had burglarized office of Daniel Ellsberg in order to obtain info to discredit Ellsberg (who had leaked pentagon papers) - Credited an “enemies list” of prominent Ams who opposed, Nixon and/or Vietnam War - People investigated by IRS - Illegal break in at Watergate reflects Nixon’s attitude that gov could use any means to promote national security (or Nixon’s office from critics) Watergate Investigation - No solid proof that Nixon had ordered any of these illegal activities - Nixon did engage in an illegal cover-up to avoid scandal - Tough sentencing of Watergate burglars by fed judge John Sirica led to info about use of money and promise of pardons by White House staff to keep burglars quiet - Senate investigating committee headed by Dem. Sam Ervin brought abuses to public w/ televised hearings - John Dean linked pres to cover-up - Nixon’s top aides Haldeman and Ehrlichman resigned to protect him; later indicted for obstructing justice - Discovery of taping system in Oval Office led to year-long struggle between Nixon (claimed - - executive privilege for the tapes) and investigators (wanted talpes to prove cover-up charges) - Fall 1973: Vice pres Agnew had to reign b/c had taken bribes when gov of MD - Replaced by Michigan Representative Gerald Ford Other Developments in 1973 - War Powers Act - Nixon further discredited e/ news that he had authorized 3,500 secret bombing raids in neural country of Cambodia - Used uproar to limit pres power over military - Nov 1973: Congress passed War Powers Act over Nixon’s veto - Required Nixon and any future pres to report to Congress w/in 48 hrs after taking military action - Further provided congressional approval over military action over 60 days - October War and Oil Embargo - 1973: outbreak of another Middle Eastern war - Oct. 6 (Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur): Syrians And Egyptians surprise attack on Israel to recover lands lost in Six-Day War of 1967 - Nixon ordered US nuclear forces on alert and airlifted $2 billion in arms to Israel to stem retreat --- tide shift to Israelis and they soon won - OPEC placed embargo on oil sold to Israel’s supporters (huge price to pay for US involv) - Caused worldwide oil shortage and long gas station lines in US - US economy suffered from runaway inflation, loss of manufacturing jobs, and lower standard of living for blue-collar workers - US automobile workers cost >225,000 jobs when consumers switched from big US-made cars to smaller, more fuel-efficient Japanese cars - Congress enacted 55 mph speed limit to save gas and approved construction of controversial oil pipeline to tap US oil reserves in Alaska - No gov program helped economy or stemmed high inflation rates Resignation of a President - 1974- Nixon visited Moscow and Cairo, rep at home sliding - Oct 1973, pres appeared to be interfering with Watergate investigation when fired Archibald Cox- special prosecutor on case - US attorney gen resigned in protest - House of Reps began impeachment hearings, caused Nixon to reveal transcripts of some Watergate tapes in April 1974 - Took SC decision in July to force him to turn over tapes to courts and Congress - On one tape after watergate burglary, there was an 18 ½ min gap erased - House Judiciary Committee voted on three articles of impeachment - Obstruction of justice - Abuse of power - Contempt of Congress - A transcript implicated Nixon in cover-up days after Watergate break-in - Nixon resigned on Aug 9, 1974 - VP Gerald Ford took office as first unelected pres in history - Significance - Nixon leaving proved that the US constit system of checks and balances worked as intended - Scandal underlined dangerous shift of power to pres that began with FDR and had been expanded during Cold War - Watergate contributed to growing loss of faith in fed gov Gerald Ford in the White House - Before Ford replaced VP Agnew on 1973, he was in Congress as rep for Michigan and repub minority leader of House - Likeable and unpretentious - - - - - Pardoning of Nixon - First month of office, lost goodwill of many bc gave Nixon full and unconditional pardon for any crime he might have committed - Pardon extended before any formal charges or indictments by courts - Ford accused of making corrupt bargain with Nixon, Ford said purpose of pardon was to end national nightmare instead of prolonging it for months - Critics angered that full truth of what Nixon did was never revealed Investigating the CIA - Ford Pres (1974-1977), dem congress cont to search for abuses in exec branch, esp CIA - CIA accused of engineering assassination of foreign leaders, Marxist pres of Chile- Salvador Allende - Ford appointed George H W Bush to reform agency Failure of U.S. Policy in Southeast Asia - Ford unable to get additional funds from Congress for S Vietnamese who in 1974 were facing strong attack from Commies - Fall of Saigon - April 1975, US gov supported Saigon fell, Vietnam became one country under rule of Communist gov in Hanoi - Before collapse, US evac 150,000 Vietnamese who had supported US and would have faced persecution - Fall of S Viet marked low point in Am prestige overseas and confidence at home - Genocide in Cambodia - 1975, US supported gov in Cambodia fell to Khmer Rouge (radical communist faction that killed million in brutal relocation program) - Wars created 10 million refugees- many went to US - Future of Southeast Asia - Fall of Cambodia seemed to prove domino theory but rest of SE Asia never fell - Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia emerged as little tigers of the Asian econ - Some say US support of S VIet was not a waste, bc bought time for other nations to develop and better resist communism The Economy and Domestic Policy - On domestic matters, Ford was less accommodating and more conservative than Nixon - Chief concern was to bring inflation under control - Urged voluntary measures on part of business and consumers including wearing WIN (whip inflation now) pins - Inflation cont, econ sank into deeper depression, unemployment rate +9% - Ford agreed to dem package to stimulate econ bit vetoed 39 other Dem bills - Bicentennial Celebration - 1976, US celebrated 200th birthday - Am pride in history helped put Watergate and VIet behind them - Pres of Ford restored candor and humility to WH The Election of 1976 - Watergate still cast doom on Repubs in 1976 election - Ford challenged by Regan, Ford won party nom - Emergence of Jimmy Carter - # of dems competed for party men including former gov of GA- James Carter Carter had success running as outsider against corruption Wash Victory in open primaries reduced influence of more experienced Dems Carter won in close election, carried most of South, and est 97% of Af Am vote Dems also von strong maj in Congress Jimmy Carter’s Presidency - Informal style of Carter signaled effort to end imperial pres - On inaugural day he walked instead of riding in Pres limo - He impressed the public but Congress viewed him as an outsider who depended too much on politically inexperienced advisers from GA - His intelligence and dedication to duty may have been liability in causing him to pay attention to close details of gov ops - Foreign Policy Hallmark of foreign policy was human rights - Human Rights Diplomacy - Appointed Andrew Young- Af Am- to serve as US ambassador to the uN - They championed cause of human rights around world esp by opposing oppression of black maj in S Africa and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) by all white govs - In Latin Am, human rights violations by military gov of Argentina and Chile caused Carter to cut off US aid to them - Panama Canal - Attempted to correct in= of original Panama Canal Treaty of 1903 by making new treaty - 1978, senate ratified treaty that gradually transferred operation and control of canal from US to Panama, complete by 2000 - Opponents use this in 1980 election - Camp David Accords (1978) - Carter's greatest achievement was arranging peace settlement with Egypt and Israel - 1977, Egypt pres Anwar Sadat took step to peace by visiting Israel prime minister Menachem Begin in Jerusalem - Carter invited both to meet at pres retreat in Camp David, MD - They negotiated Camp David Accords (Sept 1978) - framework for peace settlement - Peace treaty concluded in 1979, Egypt became first Middle East country to recog nation of Israel - Israel withdrew troops from Sinai territory they took from Egypt in Six-Day War of 1967 - Treaty opposed by Palestine Liberation Organ and most of arab world - Iran and the Hostage Crisis - Middle East was Carter’s greatest frustration - Iran had anti-Am sentiment since US helped overthrow country’s dem elected leader in 1953, and installed dictator - 1979, islamic fundamentalists in Iran- Ayatollah Khomeini, overthrew shah of Iran govshah had kept oil flowing for West in 70s but autocratic rule and policy of westernization had alienated large part of Iran pop - With ayatollah and funds in power, Iranian oil production ground to a halt, caused second worldwide oil shortage of decade and another round of price increases - US impotence in dealing with crisis became more evident in Nov 1979 when Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Tehran and half more than 50 members of the Am staff as prisoners and hostages - Hostage crisis dragged out through remainder of Carter’s Pres - April 1980, Carter approved rescue mission but breakdown of helicopters over - Iranian desert forced US to abort mission Carter’s unsuccessful attempts to free the hostages became symbol of failed pres - - - Cold War - Carter attempted to count the Nixon-Ford policy of detente with China and Soviet Union - 1979, US ended its official recog of Nationalist Chinese gov of Taiwan, completed the first exchange of ambassadors with People’s Republic of China - At first, detente also moved ahead with the Soviet Union with the signing in 1979 of SALT II treaty, limited size of each superpower’s nuclear delivery system - The Senate never ratified the treaty as result of renewal of Cold War tensions over Afghanistan - Dec 1979, Soviet troops invaded Afghan- aggressive action ended decade of improving US-Soviet relations - US feared that the invasion might lead to Soviet move to control the oil rich Persian Gulf - Carter reacted by placing an embargo on grain exports and the sale of high tech to the Soviet Union, boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow - Had campaigned for arms reduction, now had to arms buildup Domestic Policy: Dealing with Inflation - Growing inflation rate, Carter tried to check inflation with measures aimed at conserving oil energy and reviving coal industry - However, compromises came oil of congress failed to reduce the consumption of oil or check inflation - 1979-1980, inflation seemed completely out of control and reached rate of 13% - Troubled Economy - Inflation slowed econ growth as consumers and businesses could no longer afford the high interest rates that came with high prices - Chairman of Fed Reserve Board, Paul Volcker, hoped to break the back of inflation by pushing interest rate even higher to 20% in 1980 - Rates hurt auto and building industry which laid off thousands of workers - Inflation pushed middle class taxpayers into higher tax brackets, led to taxpayers revolt - Gov social programs indexed to inflation rate helped push the fed deficit to ~$60 billion in 1980 - Standard of living on the decline Loss of Popularity - Iranian hostage crisis and bad econ crisis hurt Carter in polls - 1979, Carters “national malaise” speech- blamed probs of US on moral and spiritual crisis of Am - Many Ams blamed the probs of the US on weak pres and indecisive leadership - 23% approval rating in 1980 American Society in Transition - ½ of all Ams lived in S and W, aging population- fastest growing age group was over 65 - By 1990, minorities made up 25% of population, predicted that by 2050, ½ of pop would be minorities - Cultural pluralism- model for US society, diverse groups strive to end discrimination, improve lives, and celebrate unique trads - Growth of Immigration - Before 1960s, most immigrants were from Euro and Canada - 1980s, 47% of immigrants came from Latin Am, 37% from Asia, <13% from Euro - Arrival of refugees from Cuba and Vietnam - Immigration Act of 1965- ended ethnic quota acts of 1920s that favored Euros, opened US to world immigrants Undocumented Immigrants - By mid-1970s ~12 million foreigners in US illegally - Rise in immigration from Latin Am and Asia led to Immigration Reform and Contol Act of 1986, penalized employers for hiring immigrants who had entered country illegally or had overstayed their visas, and granting anmesty to to immigrants arriving by 1982 - Many thought that the US had lost control of their borders Demands for Minority Rights - One protest movement of 1960s continued into later decades was movement by variety of minorities to gain both relief from discrimination and recog for contribution to US society - Hispanic Americans - Pre WWII- most hispanic Ams lived in SW society, new arrivals from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and South and Central Am increasingly settled in the East and Midwest - Mexican workers, after suffering deportation during Great Depression, returnedin 50s and 60s to get ag jobs - Boycotts led by Cesar Chavez and United Farm Workers Organization finally gained collective bargaining rights for farm workers in 1975 - Activists won fed mandate for bilingual edu requiring schools to teach Hispanic students in both Eng and Span - 80s growing # elected to pub office- mayor of Miami, San Antonio, others - In 2000- Hispanics, largest minority group - American Indian Movement - 50s- Eisenhower admin tried to encourage Am Indians to leave reservations and assimilate into urban Am - Resisted loss of cultural identitu - Am Indian Movement (AIM) 1968- want self-determination and revival of tribal trads, took over abandoned prison on Alcatraz Island in 1969, occupied Wounded Knee, SD in 1973- where massacre in 1890 happened - Had successes in Congress and courts - Self-Determination Act of 1975- reservations and tribal lands greater control over internal programs, edu, and law enforcement - Used fed courts to regain prop or compensation for treaty violations - Attack unemployment and poverty with Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, built indus and gambling casinos - Cultural heritage overcoming old prejudices - 2010- 3 mil identify as Am Indian or AL Native, 2 mil were combo - Asian Americans - Fastest growing ethnic minority by 80s - Largest was Chinese, FIlipinos, Indians, Koreans, Vietnamese - Strong dedication to edu- well rep in best colleges and universities - Discrimination, envy, Japan-bashing, earn below nat average - Gay Liberation Movement - 1969- Stonewall in NYC- police raid- riot and gay rights movement - Want to be open about identity, end discrimination and violent abuse - Mid-70s homosexuality no longer a mental illness, fed Civil Service drop ban on gays - 1993- Clinton attempted to end discrimination in military- but comp woth “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” The Environmental Movement - Progressive era conservation movement small and led by TR- modern environmental movement - - - has widespread pop support 20 million Ams participate in first Earth Day in 1970- growing concern over air and water pollution, destruction of nat environ- wildlife - Media converage of industrial disasters- public questions benefits of industry and new tech“post-modern” culture - Massive oil spills off coast of Santa Barbara CAin 1969, Exxon Valdez oil tanker accident in ALfears about deadly combo of human error and modern tech - Public opinion against nuclear power plants after accident at Three Mile Island in PA 1979, Chernobyl in Soviet Union - Protective Legislation - Environ movement used tactics from other movements to get legis to stop pollution and destruction of nature - 1970- Clean Air Act and Envron Protection Agency, followed legis in 1972 with Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act of 1973 - 1980- Superfund to clean up toxic dumps - Love Canal in Niagara Falls - Regulate toxic substances, public drinking water systems, dumping waste, protect natural environ and wildlife- Bald Eagle - 1980s backlash from business and industry try to reverse impact of legis Conservative Shift - Protest movements by diverse groups in Am society produced more social stress and fragmentation, slowing econ and declining standard of living- Ams angry and bitter - Conservative reaction to liberals of New Deal and Great Society was gaining strength in 70s would prove powerful in politics of next decade - - Historical Perspectives: End of the Imperial Presidency? Which of the following best explains why nixon's foreign policy was a departure from the previous administrations He exploited that communism was not a unified world movement Nixons bold move to open up relations with communist China was helped most by His long history of being a hard line opponent of communism Which of the following was Nixon able to negotiate as a result of his new relationship with china Freeze on the number of US and USSR ballistic missiles Richard Nixon claimed that "I am not a crook" but which of the following best explains his crime Covering up illegal activities of his reelection campaign Which best explains the role of the tapes in nixon's fall? The tapes provided evidence that he was involved in the cover up Which of the following would most strongly support charters contention in his phrase we were taught that our armies were always invincible The defeat of south Vietnam by north Vietnam in 1975 Why might carter and historians consider 1973 a turning point in Americans confidence in the economy The OPEC oil embargo caused runaway inflation and loss of jobs Which of the following best identifies the effect of the speech from which the above excerpt is taken Americans blamed carter for weak and ineffective leadership