Richard Nixon
- Elected 37th President in 1968
- Promised to end the Vietnam War
- Pulled troops but increased bombing compaign, implemented Vietnamization
- Began a policy of Detente
- Resigned after the Watergate Scandal
Watergate Scandal
- As Nixon was about to run for the 1972 election the Republicans were accused of a crime
- 5 men were caught trying to break into the Watergate hotel (headquarters for the Democrats) to place bubgs
- The investigation led to much more corruptness and also implicated Nixon in the cover up
- Nixon resigned before he could be impeached
Detente (A relaxation of Tension)
- Reasons why U.S sought detente:
- Nuclear and Strategic Parity- The Russians had caught the U.S in most military areas (caused them to want to think of other options)
- Early Success:
- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (limit the spread of Nuclear Weapons) signed by Johnson in 1968 (France and China do not sign it)
- Many, like Henry Kissinger, felt detente was just a new form of containment
Ostpolitik
- German for 'east politics'
- Western German leader, Willy Brandt wished to unite the Germany's
- Wanted improved relations between the two
- 1972 a Basic Treaty was signed with East Germany
- Accused of selling out to the communist East Germany, others see it as another detente move
The Helsinki Accords, 1975
- USA, USSR, France, UK, and 31 other countries met in 1975 in Finland
- Agreed to:
- Accept European Frontiers (diplomatic victory for USSR and relieved tensions in Eastern Europe)
- To Respect human rights (in particular the USSR)
- To make easier the movement of people across borders
Summary
Richard Nixon, the 37th American President, began Vietnamization and the policy of detente (strategy to lessen Cold War tensions). The Watergate Scandal caused him to resign, but detente continued. Examples of it was the Nuclear Strategic Parity, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and Ostpolitik.