Watergate & Forgettable YearsUnit 5Lesson 9(Section 32.3- 32.5)

Objectives•Review Nixon’s domestic & foreign policy

goals.•Identify key elements of the Watergate

scandal that led to his resignation.

Warm Up•How did Nixon’s

personality influence his administration?

• Withdrawn, Secretive & Insecure = Small group advisors

• Believed in power of govt, law & order, respect

• Hated to lose = Enemies list, Vietnam, Watergate…

Review• What were Nixon’s

major domestic goals?

▫ Reduce inflation▫ New Federalism –

decrease size & role fed govt

▫ Strengthen law & order▫ Southern Strategy –

slow civil rights, appt conservative justices

• What is realpolitik and how did it influence Nixon’s foreign policy?

▫ Kissinger - evaluate nation’s power, not poly leaning, in determining threats

▫ Withdrew Vietnam▫ Eased tensions with

China & USSR (Détente)

Nixon’s Downfall

•Suspicion and Deceit▫Not enough credit

for accomplishments

▫Fear of losing▫“Enemies List”▫“Plumbers” stop

leaks w/wiretaps of staff and reporters, mail

CREEP

•Committee to Reelect the President▫John Mitchell

Fund-raising▫G. Gordon Liddy

Dirty Tricks Fake letters, gossip Hecklers Spies

Watergate

•DNC headquarters

•June 17, 1972 “Burglary”▫Tap phones▫Photograph

strategies▫CAUGHT…with

CREEP $!!!!!!

Activity: The Cover Up•Use the reading handout to complete the

timeline of major Watergate events.

•Video:▫http://youtu.be/nFID6Qkwh88

Effects of Watergate• Nixon resigns in

light of impeachment▫69 charged, 48

guilty▫25 ppl in admin

serve prison terms

• American public is disillusioned w/govt▫ Balance of powers

• Media is cynical about public officials

Who was Deep Throat?•5-31-2005•FBI Deputy Dir Mark Felt

▫Widely suspected from start▫Didn’t like Nixon or his men▫Nixon didn’t out him b/c Feltknew too much about too manyppl & events

The Unlikely President•Aug 8, 1974

•VP Gerald Ford becomes 1st non-elected President

•Nation distrusts govt

•Angry Congress

•Unstable economy

Ford’s Foibles•Watergate Scandal

▫Pardon costs support•Economic Troubles

▫Recession, “WIN”•Combative Congress

▫Veto (66x’s)•Cold War Tensions

▫Détente, Helsinki Accords•SE Asia

▫Vietnam Falls, Khmer Rouge in Cambodia (War Powers Act)

Mr. Carter, Peanut Farmer

•DC outsider•Religious man•Plain spoken, but

intelligent•Informal, low-key

image

Carter’s Conundrums• Domestic Issues

▫ DC Outsider Inexperience, lack support

▫ Economy Inflation: Deficits, then social

cuts Deregulation “Misery Index”

▫ Civil Rights Bakke & Affirm Action

▫ Environment 3 Mile Island

▫ Energy Crisis DOE, NEA, conservation OPEC shortages, lines, prices

• Foreign Policy▫ Human Rights ▫ Middle East

Camp David Accords▫ Soviet Union

SALT II, Afghan Invasion = 1980 Olympic Boycott, end detente

▫ IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS

52 taken @ US embassy Held 444 days Failed rescue attempt = 8

dead Released day Reagan took

office

Closure

•How did Watergate define Nixon’s presidency? What was its significance?