Religion:Society of Friends (Quaker)

Education:Whittier College (1934)Duke University Law School (1937)

Political Party:Republican

Other Government Positions: U.S. House of Representatives, 1947-51 United States Senator, 1951-53 Vice President, 1953-61 (under Eisenhower)

January 9, 1913 - April 22, 1994

36th President: 1969-1974

Zealot or Patriot?Zealot or Patriot?

Nixon used the public's fear and distrust of communism during the Cold War years for his own political advantage.

He accused several of his political enemies of being soft on communism.

His work on the House Un-American Activities Committee led his critics to charge him with excessive prosecutorial zeal, while his defenders rallied around him.

Nixon as VPAlthough President Eisenhower never

liked Nixon they became running mates in 1952 because Nixon had thrown

nominating delegates to Eisenhower, appealed to hard line Republicans, and

could deliver California.

The First Scandal Endeared Him to Us...Nixon campaigned hard for the ticket, but six weeks before the 1952 election, a bombshell dropped—an illegal secret political fund of Nixon's was discovered and publicized.

Counseled to withdraw from the ticket, instead, Nixon went on television, where he delivered a speech about receiving not bribes or money, but a little dog that his six-year-old daughter named Checkers!

Nixon hammed it up for the cameras and toldthe American people that no matter what happened, he promised his daughter Tricia that they could keep Checkers.

Ike and Nixon won the 1952 election in a massive landslide.

Image Makingand Watergate Scandal

Nixon completely transformed his image and won the election of 1968 against Democrat Hubert Humphrey. This time, the "New Nixon" avoided the smear-tactics he had been known for earlier, although he did blame the Democrats for the lingering Vietnam War and the social unrest surrounding it. Nixon appealed to the "Silent Majority," as he called them—those who feared the excesses of the youth culture, the changes that civil rights might bring, and the lawlessness of Vietnam protesters.

In 1972, fearful of another humiliating loss like 1960, Nixon authorized all kinds of illegal activities in an attempt to keep one step ahead of the Democrats.

He and his advisors raised illicit money from corporations, forged letters on stolen Democratic Party stationery smearing McGovern, and broke into the Democratic National headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex where they stole files and planted microphones.

When the Watergate burglars were arrested during the break-in, the Nixon White House staff initiated illegal efforts to cover-up their role in the break-in. When the cover-up was exposed, Nixon resigned from office, insisting all along that he was "not a crook."

Realpolitik:focus on advancement of national interests

• Nixon Doctrine: U.S. as helpful partner in the 3rd world, not military protector

•Henry Kissinger: national security advisor, Secretary of State

•Peace with Honor in Vietnam: 3 prong approach

Sino-Soviet split paved way for Nixon and Mao to seek

better relations

• People’s Republic of China, no longer Red China

• 1971 Kissinger’s secret trip to China

• 1972 Nixon’s trip to China “to seek normalization of relations”

1972 Nixon visit to Moscow“There must be room in this world for two great nations with different systems to live together and work together.”

• trade and technological cooperation

• 2 arms control pacts

• slowed arms race

• reduced Cold War tensions

Moscow backed Syria and Egypt in Yom Kippur attack on Israel

Massive U.S. weapons shipments to Israel

Israel repelled the assault and countered

OPEC embargoed

oil shipments to U.S.

All in1973