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The Ford and Carter Years
AP US History
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Gerald Ford Became vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned
Last surviving member of the Warren Commission
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Ford Pardons Nixon Ford, an unelected president, gives Richard Nixon a Presidential Pardon Wants to begin the “healing”
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CIA is investigated Dem. Congress searched for executive abuses
Accused of engineering foreign assassinations (Allende of Chile) George HW Bush of Texas appt to clean up agency
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“Whip Inflation Now” (WIN)
Ford tries to combat rising inflation (related to rising gas prices) by encouraging people to save energy (oil, gas, etc)
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“Tight Money” Gov’t spending gets cut
Encourages Fed. Reserve to raise interest rates, restricting credit
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1973 Oil Crisis Yom Kippur War – Oct 6, 1973
Syrians and Egyptians attempt to recover lands lost to Israel in 1967 Six Day War US gave $2 billion in arms to Israel
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1973 Oil Crisis (continued)
OPEC placed an embargo on oil sold to Israel’s supporters Worldwide oil shortage, long lines at US gas stations
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Domino Theory in Effect
1975 – Saigon finally falls to Communists Cambodia also falls
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Foreign Policy Ford continues Nixon’s policy of negotiating w/ Soviet Union and China (detente, realpolitik)
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Ford’s Greatest Accomplishment
Helsinki Accords Series of agreements that promised greater cooperation between the nations of Eastern and Western Europe
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Election of 1976 Ford won Republican nomination after close battle with Ronald Reagan (later hurt him in the polls) Democrats nominated little known former Ga. Governor Jimmy Carter – Washington outsider
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Carter’s Background Grew up on a farm US Naval Academy Submariner
Moved back to Ga following death of his father Supported Civil Rights May have cost him customers Entered Ga politics Contested first election loss in Georgia Equality in education was an early goal
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Election of 1976
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Jimmy Carter Democrat wins election of 1976 by a narrow margin
Peanut farmer from Georgia
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National Energy Act Tax placed on gas-guzzling cars, removed price controls on oil and natural gas produced in the United States, extended tax credits for development of alternative energy
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Economic Crisis 1979 – another fuel shortage OPEC raises prices again
By 1980, inflation up to 14 percent
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Foreign Competition Changes U.S. Economy
Service sector expands rapidly Overseas growth led to a complex job market
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Carter and Civil Rights
Carter includes many African-Americans and women in his administration
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Carter and African-Americans
Carter’s strong identification with African- Americans was interesting considering his background Son of “Mr. Earl” – unyielding segregationist
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Andrew Young Appointed US ambassador to UN
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Andrew Young (continued)
Frequently embarrassed Carter administration Cuba – said Castro had troops in Africa to “oppose racism” Defended Soviet trials of Jews Said that Great Britain “invented racism” In Playboy interview – called Nixon, Ford, and Lincoln racists
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Andrew Young Resigned after meeting with a member of the PLO
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Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Supreme Court decides that affirmative action policies are unconstitutional in university admissions
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Carter’s Foreign Policy
Carter rejects philosophy of realpolitik Favors a foreign policy based on human rights Carter is inconsistent with his emphasis on Human Rights Brazil, Argentina – NO South Korea, Philippines – YES Some thought this policy undercut containment (Nicaragua)
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Panama Canal Many Panamanians resent US involvement in their country
1978 – US Senate agrees to turn over control of the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999
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Panama Canal Treaty 1973 – Panama complained to UN – US used veto
General Omar Torrijos J. Helms – drug dealer? Bribes? Faced much Senate opposition
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Carter and Brezhnev Signed SALT II – provided for limits on the number of strategic weapons and nuclear-missile launchers that each side could produce
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SALT II Breaks Down Dec – Soviets invade Afghanistan – Carter refuses to push for SALT II agreement
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Camp David Accords Israel and Egypt hated each other
1977 – Anwar el-Sadat (Egypt) and Menachem Begin (Israel) Carter invited them to talk at Camp David (Maryland)
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Camp David Accords (continued)
Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula Egypt formally recognized Israel’s right to exist
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Revolution in Iran 1979 – Ayatollah Khomeini leads rebels in overthrowing the shah of Iran (supported by US)
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Hostage Crisis Nov – students seized the US embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage Led to 444 day crisis
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