2. Richard Nixon
“Publicly, we say one thing….Actually, we do another.” -Richard Nixon

3. Richard Nixon President of the U.S. from 1969-1974.
Vice President under Eisenhower from
Served in the Congress from
Only President to resign from office (after Watergate Scandal).
Strict Republican and Anti-Communist.
"Richard M. Nixon." The White House. The White House. 1 June 2007 <
"President Richard M. Nixon." The Welcome Home Day Foundation. 17 Feb The Welcome Home Day Foundation. <

4. Nixon’s Accomplishments
Increased government aid to the poor and elderly
Decreased defense spending
Expedited the school desegregation process
US astronauts landed on the moon He approved the development of NASA’s Space Shuttle program
Abortion was legalized during Nixon’s presidency (Roe v Wade, 1973)

5. Nixon’s Accomplishments/Failures
Increased government aid to the poor and elderly
Decreased defense spending
US astronauts landed on the moon He approved the development of NASA’s Space Shuttle program
Abortion was legalized during Nixon’s presidency (Roe v Wade, 1973)
He tried slowing the country’s desegregation efforts.
He opposed the extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
He attempted to stop the integration of schools through busing.
He tried to replace 4 justices that were geared more conservative

6. Henry Kissinger
National Security Advisor from , and Secretary of State from
Key contributor to the foreign policy decisions of the Nixon Administration.
Created the concept of “Shuttle Diplomacy.” This involved travel between conflicting nations to settle disputes. It was best applied in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
"Henry Kissinger." Nobel Prize. Noble Prize. 1 June 2007 <
"Answers.Com." Shuttle Diplomacy June 2007 <

7. The Election of 1968

8. The Election of 1968

9. New Federalism
Nixon’s domestic policies became known as “New Federalism”
It called for eliminating some of JFK & LBJ social programs and giving more control to state and local governments
Nixon planned to return more power and more tax money to the states.
Nixon sent a plan for block grants to Congress. Under this plan; Federal Gov. would give the state or local gov money for projects & they can spend it however they want.

10. Nixon and Foreign Affairs
President Nixon was hailed for his foreign affairs savvy
One key reason for this was his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger

11. Vietnam War
The biggest foreign policy issues Nixon had to deal with during his presidency was dealing with the Vietnam War

12. Ending the Vietnam War
Nixon’s main policy in Vietnam was the process of “Vietnamization.”
It began right after he took office in 1969.
The process sought to save American lives and expenses through gradual withdrawal of forces and support from the Vietnam war.
It was the first troop withdrawal since President Johnson escalated troop presence. Withdrew 70,000 in 1972.
It also attempted to transfer military assumption to South Vietnam.
Vietnam advisors insisted that South Vietnam could successfully defend against the North Vietnamese.
"Vietnamization: Lasting Effects of South Vietnam." Studyworld June 2007 <

13. Détente with Russia, China
One of Nixon’s foreign affairs goals was friendlier relations with China and the Soviet Union
Nixon and Kissinger developed a foreign affairs policy known as détente, which means cooperation or easing of tensions
President Nixon tours the Great Wall of China

14. Nixon Goes to China 1972
Nixon opened U.S. relations with China and became the first U.S. president to visit China

15. Nixon hoped that both Soviet and Chinese leaders would put pressure on N. Vietnam to end the war.
It opened the way for U.S.-China Trade
Entry of China into the United Nations
Normal relations between China and the rest of the world
It is believed the reopening of relations with China was Nixon’s greatest accomplishment as President.
During his visit, they began the process of normalizing diplomatic relations with China.

16. Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty or SALT I
Nixon also strengthened relations with the Soviet Union, including holding a historic meeting and signing an agreement -- SALT
Summit meeting between U.S. and Soviet Union when the two countries agreed to limit nuclear arms

17. Détente with Russia
From 1972 to 1974, tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union eased

18. The Pentagon Papers
In 1971, a former Defense Department worker leaked what were known as the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times
The documents showed how our leaders had deceived Congress, the media, and the public about how the war was going
The government had not been honest with the American people

19. The release of the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times angered Nixon
Roots of Watergate
The release of the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times angered Nixon
He thought others were out to sabotage his presidency and undermine him, leading to…

20. The Downfall of a President
The Watergate Scandal
The Downfall of a President

21. What was Watergate?
Watergate was one of the largest political scandals in the history of the United States

22. What was Watergate?
The Watergate scandal occurred when the Republicans were caught spying on the Democrats at the Democratic Headquarters

23. Obstruction of Justice
What was Watergate?
Obstruction of Justice
Watergate became a major scandal when President Nixon lied about his role in the break-in and tried to cover it up

24. The Watergate Break-in
When initial polls showed Nixon only slightly ahead in the Election of 1972, the Plumbers turned their activities to political espionage.

25. The White House Plumbers
After the release of the Pentagon Papers, the White House created a unit to ensure internal security.
Howard Hunt
James McCord
G. Gordon Liddy
Chuck Colson
This unit was called the “Plumbers” because they were put in charge of stopping information “leaks”.

26. The Five Burgulars
June 17, men were arrested after breaking into the DNC headquarters in Washington DC. (2 were Cuban exiles & 3 former CIA Agent)
They were eventually linked to CRP – The Committee to Re-elect the President.
What were they doing there?
Placing listening devices (bugs) and gathering information on the Democrat National Committee’s election strategy

27. 1972 – Presidential Election

28. The Washington Post
Watergate came to public attention largely through the work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, investigative reporters from the Washington Post.

29. Did Nixon Know? January 1973: Watergate burglars on trial
All found guilty
One claimed White House involved
Nixon reacts:
Denied allegation

30. Congressional Hearings
In June 1973, former White House legal counsel John Dean, was the first Nixon administration official to accuse Nixon of direct involvement and the resulting cover-up

31. The Oval Office Tapes
In an effort to discredit Dean’s testimony, the White House announced that Nixon had secretly been tape-recording conversations. These tapes would become the focus of the investigation.

32. The Nixon Tapes
Nixon initially refused to release the tapes, claiming they were vital to national security.
A year long battle for the “Nixon tapes” followed and Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor, successfully took the president to court to get the tapes.

33. Saturday Night Massacre
The deal broke down when Cox refused to accept the transcripts in place of the tapes.
President Nixon wanted to dismiss/fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox from his office the next night—a Saturday.
He contacted Attorney General Richardson and ordered him to fire the special prosecutor.
Richardson refused, and instead resigned in protest. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus to fire Cox; he also refused and resigned in protest.
Solicitor General Robert Bork eventually fired Cox, insisting that he believed the decision unwise but also that somebody had to obey the president's orders.
Abuse of Power

35. Vice-President Resigns
In the midst of Watergate, Vice-President Spiro Agnew was forced to resign because of improprieties as governor of Maryland.
Gerald Ford became Vice-President.

36. Congressional Hearings
Congress began hearings to investigate the scandal and found that Nixon’s Attorney General, John Mitchell, controlled a fund to pay for espionage operations

37. The Smoking Gun Tapes Contempt of Congress
When the Supreme Court forced Nixon to surrender the tapes, he refused invoking “executive privilege”

38. The Oval Office Tapes
On October 23, 1973 Nixon agreed to turn over White House tape recordings requested by the Watergate special prosecutor to Judge Sirica.

39. The Smoking Gun Tapes
Many of the conversations on the tapes indicate Nixon’s knowledge of the Watergate break in and the following cover-up. One tape had an 18½ -minute gap that people questioned.

40. “The Rosemary Stretch”
President Nixon’s Secretary Rose Mary Woods claimed she accidentally recorded over 5 minutes of one of the tapes by stepping on the ‘record pedal’ of the machine.
She does not know what happened to the other 13 minutes.

41. House Judiciary Committee
The House Judiciary Committee (July 27, 1974) approved 3 articles of impeachment for Nixon:
obstruction of justice
2. abuse of power
3. contempt of Congress

42. On August 5, 1974, when the “smoking gun tape” became public, Nixon was told that he would not survive the vote in the Senate

43. Nixon Resigns
On August 9, 1974, Richard Nixon became the first American president to resign

44. Official letter of resignation from President Nixon to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

45. Aftermath of Watergate
Gerald Ford became the nation’s 37th president.
More than 30 government officials went to prison for their role in Watergate.
Nixon was not one of them.
There was a public distrust of the government that continues to this day.

46. Controversial Pardon
On September 8, 1974, President Ford issued Proclamation 4311, which gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he may have committed against the United States while President.

47. THE END