UNIT 10 NIXON TO PRESENT DAY

Nixon and China Nixon Doctrine, 1969 US will no longer provide direct military aid to any country in Asia China Nixon met with communist leader Mao Zedong Agree to more open diplomacy and reducing tension with China

Policy Toward USSR SALT: Strategic Arms Limitations Talks Places a limit on the number of nuclear weapons each country will keep. Détente = Foreign policy implemented to ease the hostilities between the US and USSR; purpose was to prevent open conflict

Watergate Affair Nixon’s participation in the Watergate break-in was investigated by Senate (checks and balances) With impeachment pending, Nixon resigned as President American faith and trust in the government is destroyed Proves that laws apply equally to all citizens of the US Principal of ‘executive privilege’ weakened Gerald Ford succeeded Nixon to presidency Only president to not be elected at all He pardoned Nixon from prosecution

Carter’s Domestic Policies Stagflation Slow-down of consumer buying plus high taxes and oil embargoes Too much money going towards social welfare; government can’t keep up Trade deficit: buying more from other countries than we sell Energy Crisis US was importing over 40% of its oil OPEC policies kept fuel prices high; US placed trade embargo on OPEC oil Carter’s plan to conserve energy caused an oil shortage Carter promotes researching alternate fuel sources Vietnam: Carter pardons all draft dodgers

Carter’s Foreign Policy Camp David Accords: Successful negotiation of peace treaty in Middle East (Israel, Egypt) Secures US access to oil because there was less conflict in the Middle East USSR invaded Afghanistan, ending the US policy of détente US boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games held in Moscow Iranian Hostage Crisis: When Islamic extremists took over Iran, they protested America’s favorable treatment of the former leader by taking over the American embassy and holding 50 Americans hostage

Ronald Reagan Supply-Side Economics Tax cuts for big businesses to encourage increased hiring The theory that the government can best stimulate the economy by cutting taxes to encourage investment in businesses. National Budget Major cuts to social welfare to balance lower taxes Defense Increased spending on missiles and space satellites Trade Imbalance US still importing more than it exports (particularly from Japan) Increases national deficit

Reagan’s Domestic Policies Aid to Farmers Government paid farmers not to plant certain crops to address farm recession (due to overproduction) Similar to FDR’s Agricultural Adjustment Act Immigration Reform and Control Act Attempt to control illegal immigration Illegal to hire undocumented immigrants Distribution of Wealth Due to social welfare cuts, gap between wealthy and poor widens

Reagan’s 1 st Term Foreign Policy USSR Evil Institution that should not be negotiated with (No détente) Central America US aids guerillas in Latin America fighting against communism Middle East Turmoil is religious-based US fails at keeping peace in Lebanon

Reagan’s 2 nd Term Foreign Policy Iran-Contra Scandal President’s aids sold weapons to Iranian rebels to overthrow extreme Islamic government Profits funneled to Nicaragua to fund guerillas Reagan was uninvolved in scandal Builds American distrust in government Détente Gorbachev calls for renewed détente in 1985 End of the Cold War USSR allows some satellite nations to begin implementing democratic governments

The Cold War Ends Timeline of War’s End 1989: Berlin Wall torn down 1990: communist governments of eastern Europe fall 1991: USSR dissolved US opens economic relationship with Russia Effects on US Major cuts to defense spending causes economic downturn in US Major companies downsize to continue making a reasonable profit

Self- Interest in Foreign Issues Panama War on drugs US troops invade Panama to capture Manuel Noriega (drug cartel) Purpose: stop the flow of drugs into the US & eliminate government that was unfriendly to US Persian Gulf War 1990: Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait (US oil supplier) UN approved use of its troops for Operation Desert Storm to invade Kuwait and remove Hussein Purpose: US protecting its supply of oil

Bill Clinton DOMESTIC Healthcare Reform – First attempt to nationalize healthcare – Attempts thwarted by Republican congress Economic Reform – Tax increases for middle and upper class – 1 st time national budget was balanced since 1830s Impeachment – Clinton charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in 1998 – Acquitted by Senate

Bill Clinton (continued) FOREIGN The Middle East – Camp David Summit to try to work out peace between Israel and Palestine Former Yugoslavia – Tensions over self-determination of Balkans led to war and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia – US sends troops to protect the rights of people living there (humanitarian) Latin America – US troops sent to Haiti to maintain peace and protect people living there Interdependent Global Economy – North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Break trade barriers in North America

The War on Terror Acts of Terror: 1993: Car bomb attack on WTC leaves 6 dead 9/11/01: 2 Hijacked planes flew into WTC buildings causing buildings to collapse; 1 plane flew into the Pentagon; 1 plane was supposed to hit the White House War on Terror (Iraq, Afghanistan) Iraq: Remove Saddam Hussein from power and establish democracy Afghanistan: Overthrow extreme Taliban government; search for al- Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (found and killed in May 2011) Struggle to establish peace and democracies and the Middle East continues

Other Foreign Issues Effects of 9/11 at Home President George W. Bush sets up Department of Homeland Security Patriot Act: limits constitutional liberties in an effort to protect national security Tightened security at airports, bridges, tunnels, nuclear power plants North Korea - Today, democracies have issues with North Korea and nuclear weapons Iran - Concern over nuclear weapons

Current Domestic Issues Moved from production-based to serve-based since the 1970s Has shown signs of recession since 2007 Recession of 2008 was the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression Government response to recession increased power of federal government Outsourcing: Many companies have moved their lower paying jobs to countries like India (less jobs for Americans)

Domestic Issues (continued) Immigration Became an even more serious issue after 9/11 attacks Push for stricter immigration policies Computers Storage of personal information could compromise privacy Multi-National Corporations Businesses with headquarters in many parts of the world (e.g. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s) Effects: Reduced competition AT&T, Microsoft, Standard Oil: all prosecuted for violation of anti- trust legislation