Richard Nixon President of the U.S. from 1969-1974. Highlights: Environmentalism (CS 31) Détente (CS 27) Oil Embargo (CS 31) Watergate Environmentalism Greater concern about pollution and the environment Rachel Carson s Silent Spring discussed the danger of pesticides Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created in 1970 Sets and enforces pollution standards Conducts environmental research The first Earth Day in 1970 In 1970s, Congress passed 35 environmental laws Clean Air Act (1970) Endangered Species Act (1970) China Until Nixon, U.S. feared everything communist U.S. had not had diplomatic relations with China since 1949 Largest communist country in Asia 1
NIXON GOES TO CHINA (1972) 1971: China invited U.S. ping pong team for exhibition match First Americans to step foot in China since 1949 Diplomatic success! Opened up door for Nixon to go NIXON GOES TO CHINA Goals: Heal Cold War tensions with China Make China a potential trade partner Form an alliance with them against USSR Help end Vietnam War Detente Détente: Ease the tension between U.S. and communist countries Détente focused on peaceful negotiations and weapon limitations. Negotiate, compromise, try to co-exist 2
NIXON GOES TO THE U.S.S.R. In 1972, Nixon made a trip to Moscow to meet with Leonid Brezhnev. Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) signed in 1972 First treaty limiting production of nuclear weapons between U.S. and USSR Lowered tension between the countries for first time since WWII In 1973, Brezhnev visited the White House. Election of 1972 Nixon beats George McGovern 520-8. Détente, Peace at Hand (Vietnam) propelled Nixon to victory Oil Crisis (1973) War: Israel v. Egypt and Syria United States backed Israel Arab nations declared they would not sell oil to the U.S. Within a few months, the price of a barrel of oil quadrupled! Devastated U.S. economy 3
American Response to Oil Embargo 55 miles per hour speed limit Creation of the Alaskan pipeline Heavy use of coal power Nuclear power seemed a more viable option for cheaper energy Oil now a weapon Increased U.S. involvement in Middle East Watergate 1972: Burglars broke into the Democratic headquarters Nixon did not order it, but helped cover it up Nixon forced to resign in 1974 Gerald Ford now President Gave Nixon a full pardon Ford hurt by his pardon of Nixon and poor economy Jimmy Carter nominated by the Democrats Washington outsider Came across as folksy and honest Election of 1976 4
Arab-Israeli Peace Carter brings Egypt and Israel to U.S. for peace negotiations Camp David Peace Accords signed in 1978 Historic treaty gives Israel first recognition by Arab nation Greatest feat of Carter s presidency Carter s Foreign Policy Détente effectively came to an end when Carter was President USSR angered by Carter s criticism of USSR s human rights violations US began negotiation with USSR to further limit making of nuclear weapons (SALT II) Talks stalled when USSR attacked Afghanistan in 1979. U.S. aided Afghanistan Energy Issues U.S. continued to study alternative energy plans under Carter The National Energy Act (1978): Placed tax on gasguzzling cars and encouraged the use of alternative energy He also created the Department of Energy. Alternative Energy Sources and Three Mile Island U.S. increasingly using nuclear power. A partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island eroded people s confidence in nuclear power. 5
Election of 1980 Escalation of Cold War Reagan called USSR focus of evil in the modern world Defeat USSR by increasing defense spending and expanding arms race Hoping USSR would spend their way into bankruptcy (it worked) and give in to US demands Star Wars 1983: Reagan announces U.S. investing into Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars Never worked But, did cause USSR to increase its own defense spending hurting its economy 6
Mikhail Gorbachev Becomes leader of USSR in 1985 Glastnost: openness Tried to rid USSR of repressive tactics Perestroika: restructuring Revive struggling Soviet economy by introducing free-market practices Reagan and Gorbachev worked hard to end Cold War Election of 1988 George Bush (R) v. Michael Dukakis (D) Read My Lips, No New Taxes China, 1989 World events showing that the communism is waning and people are moving toward democracy June: China crushed a pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square Television cameras showed this 7
Eastern Europe 1989 Poland s Solidarity Movement successful and puppet government toppled Communist regimes in Hungary, Czech., Romania fall Berlin Wall Falls December, 1989: Berlin Wall falls and the process of uniting East and West Germany begins USSR disbands n December, 1991 Cold War Impact on U.S. Economy Late 1980s-Early 1990s economy began to recover from 1987 recession End of Cold War meant: Decrease in defense spending and missile construction Closing of a number of naval bases Pentagon cancelled over $52 billion in defense contracts Increase unemployment (especially California) 8