Sources of Stagnation No year during the 70s had a growth rate matched by the 50s and 60s Why? More women and teens entered the workforceless skilled, made less $ than males Shift from manufacturing to service industry Upward spiral of inflation Vietnam War and Great Society- depleted U.S. Treasury Japanese and German industries began to dominate- steel, automobiles, consumer electronics Nixon and the Vietnam War Vietnamization- 540,000 Am. Troops would be pulled out and war returned to the Vietnamese Nixon Doctrine- U.S. would only supply arms and money, not Am. Troops Silent Majority- Nixon tried to appeal to this group- Americans who supported the war, but did not make noise My Lai Massacre (1968)- Am. Troops brutally killed women/children led to more opposition of the war 1
Cambodianizing the Vietnam War Nixon- to try to end war quickly, ordered an attack on Cambodia (1970) neighbor of N. Vietnam and ally Kent State University- riots broke out- National Guard shoots and kills 4 people 2 months later- Nixon withdraws troops from Cambodia 2
Effects of Cambodia Wider split between hawks and doves Gulf of Tonkin Resolution repealed 26 th Amendment- voting age to 18 Pentagon Papers were published (Daniel Ellsberg) exposed deceit by Kennedy/ Johnson Admins and the credibility gap Nixon s Détente with China and Moscow China and USSR clashing over interpretations of Marxism Nixon sends Henry Kissinger to China to encourage better relations (détente) Nixon visits Moscow- Russia needs food ($750 million in wheat, corn, cereals) SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) Nixon s détente works- relaxes U.S.- Soviet tensions Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren- controversial but important decisions Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) struck down a state law that banned the use of contraceptives, even by married couples, but created right to privacy Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) all criminal def. were entitled to legal counsel, even if they could not afford it 3
Escobedo (1964) and Miranda (1966) were two cases in which the Supreme Court ruled that the accused could remain silent Engel v. Vitale (1962) and School District of Abington Township v. Schempp (1963) public schools could not require prayer or Bible reading Effects of the Warren Court Nixon chose Warren Burger to replace Earl Warren in 1969 trying to end liberalism in the S.C. By 1971- S.C. had 4 new justices appointed by Nixon Strange- conservative court will make the controversial Roe v. Wade decision Nixon on the Home Front Nixon expanded Great Society programs (Medicare and Medicaid) Philadelphia Plan (1969) required construction-trade unions to establish goals and timetables for black employees Will change Affirmative Action- preferable treatment on groups (minorities), not individuals 4
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Admin) created to protect nature Clean Air Act (1970) and Endangered Species Act (1973) protect and preserve environment/animals Election of 1972 Foreign policy dominated presidential campaign George McGovern promised to end the war w/in 90 days Problem- Running mate (Thomas Eagleton) had undergone psychiatric care Nixon- bomb Vietnam to the peace table Kissinger promised peace is near 5
Vietnam and Cambodia Nixon s bombing raids drove N. Vietnam to agree to a cease-fire (Jan 23, 1973) Barely-disguised American retreat US withdraws 27,000 troops gets 560 POWs Bombing of Cambodia Public discovered that raids against Cambodia since March 1969 (respecting Cambodia s neutrality?) Credibility gap again?? Cambodia and War Powers Act Nixon ended bombing in June 1973 Pol Pot took over Cambodia- tries to commit genocide- 2 million people killed War Powers Act (Nov 1973) 1. Required the president to report all commitments of US troops to Congress w/in 48 hours 2. 60 day limit on those activities New Nationalism Arab Oil Embargo Arab nations imposed oil embargo on US- mad from US backing Israel against Syria and Egypt Energy crisis- 55 MPH speed limit, Alaskan pipeline, other energy sources OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Lifted embargo in 1974, then quadrupled the price of oil by 1979 6
Watergate June 17, 1972-5 members of CREEP were caught breaking into the Watergate Hotel Huge scandal- several administrators resign Illegal use of FBI and CIA Senator Sam Irving and John Dean testify Nixon denied participation- refuses to hand over White House tapes Watergate VP Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 (tax evasion) 25 th Amendment- Nixon submits Gerald Ford to Congress for approval Saturday Night Massacre (Oct. 20, 1973)- Archibald Cox was fired and attorney general and deputy gen. resign 7
Watergate S.C. ruled that Nixon must give ALL tapes to Congress Tapes reveal Nixon used poor behavior July 1974- House approved 1 st article of impeachment (obstruction of justice) August 5, 1974- Smoking Gun tape released- Nixon was involved in a coverup August 8, 1974- Nixon resigns Watergate Effects Gerald Ford- 1 st unelected president Ford losing popularity- Issued full pardon to Nixon- buddy deal? Granted amnesty to draft dodgers Helsinki Accords- recognizes Soviet boundaries- critics say détente making US lose grain and technology, no gains from Russia 8
Defeat in Vietnam South Vietnam falls to communist N. Vietnam in 1975 America seemed to have lost the war and lost lots of respect Feminist Victories and Defeats Title IX prohibited sex discrimination (girls sports) Roe v Wade- legalized abortion- ending a pregnancy was protected under a right to privacy ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) wanted to guarantee gender equality and legalize homosexual marriage 38 states adopted the amendment (needed 41) 9
The Seventies in Black and White Milliken v Bradley (1974) S.C. ruled that desegregation plans could not require students to move across school district lines Reinforced white flight to the suburbsviolence erupted between poor whites and blacks Bakke case (1978) S.C. ruled 5 to 4 in a reverse discrimination case Admission preference based on any race was not allowed Race could be factored into the admission policy 10
Presidential Election of 1976 Jimmy Carter (D) vs Gerald Ford (R) Carter- dark horse, I ll never lie to you. Democratic majority in both houses of Congress 1978- $18 billion tax cut for Americans, but economy soon began sinking- lost popularity Carter s Humanitarian Diplomacy Carter was a champion for human rights South Africa Black rights and privileges Egypt and Israel peace accords (Carter s greatest foreign policy success) Israel agreed to withdraw from territory gained from 1967 war, Egypt will respect Israel s territories Return Panama Canal by 2000 and full relations with China in 1979 Economic and Energy Woes Inflation was rising- 13% by 1979 Problem- dependence on foreign oil Carter called for energy conservation Iran s shah Mohammed Pahlevi was overthrown by Ayatollah Khomeini OPEC hiked up oil prices Carter s malaise speech chastised American people for their obsession with material goods 4 days later, Carter fired 4 cabinet members 11
Foreign Affairs and the Iranian Imbroglio SALT II- Carter and Soviet Premier Brezhnev- US Senate refused to ratify Nov 4, 1979- Anti-American Muslim militants stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took hostages Militants wanted shah returned from exile (US) Dec 27, 1979- Russia invaded Afghanistan Carter places embargo on Russia and boycotts Olympics in Moscow Iranian Hostage Crisis American hostages were cruelly treated (aired in TV), Iranian mobs burning US flags Carter s response 1. Tried economic sanctions- doesn t work 2. Commando rescue mission- 2 military aircraft collide, 8 rescuers killed Iranian Hostage crisis became huge failure for U.S. and Carter 12
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