UNIT 10 NIXON TO PRESENT DAY

Nixon and China

Nixon Doctrine, 1969US will no longer provide direct military aid to any country

in AsiaChina

Nixon met with communist leader Mao ZedongAgree to more open diplomacy and reducing tension with

China

Policy Toward USSR

SALT: Strategic Arms Limitations TalksPlaces 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 EconomicsTax cuts for big businesses to encourage increased hiringThe 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 FarmersGovernment 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 ActAttempt to control illegal immigrationIllegal to hire undocumented immigrants

Distribution of WealthDue to social welfare cuts, gap between wealthy and

poor widens

Reagan’s 1st Term Foreign Policy

USSREvil Institution that should not be negotiated with (No

détente)Central America

US aids guerillas in Latin America fighting against communism

Middle EastTurmoil is religious-basedUS fails at keeping peace in Lebanon

Reagan’s 2nd Term Foreign Policy

Iran-Contra ScandalPresident’s aids sold weapons to Iranian rebels to overthrow extreme

Islamic governmentProfits funneled to Nicaragua to fund guerillasReagan was uninvolved in scandalBuilds American distrust in government

DétenteGorbachev calls for renewed détente in 1985

End of the Cold WarUSSR 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

PanamaWar on drugsUS 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– 1st 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 dead9/11/01: 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

democracyAfghanistan: 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 2007Recession of 2008 was the worst economic downturn

since the Great DepressionGovernment response to recession increased power of

federal governmentOutsourcing: Many companies have moved their lower

paying jobs to countries like India (less jobs for Americans)

Domestic Issues (continued)

ImmigrationBecame an even more serious issue after 9/11 attacksPush for stricter immigration policies

ComputersStorage of personal information could compromise privacy

Multi-National CorporationsBusinesses 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