Ch. 34: Camelot to Watergate 1960 - 1975

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Ch. 34 Camelot to Watergate 1960 - 1975

• American History (CHA3U1)

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Introduction

• The 1960s began with such promise with the
  election of the youthful and charismatic JFK and
  ended in turmoil and disgrace with Nixon and
  Watergate

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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier

• The Election of 1960 Dem. Kennedy vs. Rep.
  Nixon
• The Impact of Television Kennedy better looking
  on TV
• The Issue Of Religion Kennedy became first and
  only Catholic to ever become President, but
  narrowly

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Dem. Kennedy vs. Rep. Nixon
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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier

• The New Frontier torch passed to a new
  generation born in the 20th C
• ask not what your country can do for you Ask
  what you can do for your country
• Kennedy popular all over the world

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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier

• Kennedys Economic Program tax cuts and
  increased business efficiency
• Promoting Economic Growth business / unions hold
  down prices / wages
• Conflicts With Steel Companies lower wages but
  higher prices forced Kennedy to threaten buying
  foreign steel and investigating price-fixing

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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier

• Legislative Victories NASA (National
  Aeronautics Space Administration), federal aid
  to public schools, urban renewal
• Conflict With Congress Southern Democrats
  opposed Kennedys plans to help the poor and
  elderly (e.g. medicare)

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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier
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Sec. 1 Kennedys New Frontier

• Tragedy in Dallas Kennedy shot Nov. 22 63
  while trying to win over S. Dem.
• The Warren Commission Lee Harvey Oswald found
  to be the lone assassin
• Johnson Takes Over - VP is able to get much of
  Kennedys New Frontier programs passed out of
  memory for Kennedy

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Kennedy Assassination
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Sec. 2 The Great Society

• The Election of 1964 Dem. LBJ vs. Rep.
  Goldwater easily won by LBJ
• LBJ offered the Great Society where Kennedys
  program of helping the poor was expanded upon to
  include discrimination, pollution social ills
• Goldwater would allow military to use nuclear
  weapons

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Dem. Johnson vs. Rep. Goldwater
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Sec. 2 The Great Society

• War On Poverty
• The Other America 25 of Americans were poor
  (Michael Harrington) ? slums of inner cities,
  rural Deep South, elderly
• Johnson Declares War war on poverty ? Office of
  Economic Opportunity (OEO) ? billion budget ?
  disease, illiteracy, unemployment
• Medicare hospital care age gt 65

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Sec. 2 The Great Society

• Immigration Reform 157,000 immigrants per yr ?
  83,000 Great Britain / Ireland vs. 100 India
  based on quotas
• - Immigration Act 1965 favoured those with
  special skills ? Asia Latin American immigrants
  increased sharply

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Sec. 2 The Great Society

• Rising Costs End Great Society - 54 billion in
  1964 to 98 billion by 1968
• Guns and Butter Vietnam War costing 20 billion
  /yr rising social costs led to 28 billion
  federal govt deficit
• End of an Era Congress would not raise taxes
  unless social costs reduced
• Growing Concern for the Environment R. Carsons
  Silent Spring ? new laws

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Sec. 3 An Imperial Presidency

• Nixons Political Career
• first President to be elected (1968) after losing
  first time (1960)
• Changed image from being ruthless to being
  broad-minded and calm

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Sec. 3 An Imperial Presidency

• The War Against Crime
• Nixon disagreed with permissive rights given to
  those accused of crimes
• Warren Burger and 3 other judges were added to
  the Supreme Court who supported police power

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Sec. 3 An Imperial Presidency

• Nixons Economic Policies
• Stagflation rising unemployment inflation
  unsuccessfully dealt with
• A Balance of Payments Deficit USA automobiles
  worldwide 76 (1950) 31 (1970) ? 22 billion
  trade deficit
• The New Federalism less spending by federal
  govt ? more by state local govt

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Sec. 3 An Imperial Presidency

• The Energy Crisis
• Fall of 1973 Arab nations (OPEC) placed embargo
  on oil shipments to USA because of support for
  Israel
• Price of gas, heating oil etc. increased 400 and
  often shortages
• USA had 6 of world pop. ? used 33 of worlds
  energy ? conservation began

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Energy Crisis
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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• A Crisis in the Presidency Nixon wins a massive
  landslide in 1972 by withdrawing from Vietnam,
  visiting China Russia and supporting law and
  order
• CREEP Committee to Reelect the President raises
  illegal money that is used to pay for dirty
  tricks in election
• The Watergate Break-in ? bugged offices of the
  Democrats in Watergate B.

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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• The Investigation Senate held televised
  hearings into the break-in showing connection
  with CREEP
• The Trial 25 people connected to Nixon were
  convicted imprisoned

Charles Colson
G. Gordon Liddy
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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• The President Answers refuses to hand over
  White House audio tapes
• The Saturday Night Massacre Nixon dismisses
  special prosecutor (Cox) demanding the tapes
• Agnew Resigns Vice President took bribes ?
  Gerald Ford new VP

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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• Nixon Proclaims Innocence appoints new special
  prosecutor ? releases written transcripts
• Tapes Reveal Cover-up August 1974 Supreme Court
  forces Nixon to turn over the tapes ? resigns
  August 8th

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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• Ford Becomes President good, honest man, but
  pardons Nixon to avoid trial
• Congress Reasserts Its Authority Democratic
  Congress at odds with Ford
• Congress Attacks Executive Privilege War Powers
  Act requires President to report to Congress 48
  hrs after sending troops into action and
  potentially withdraw troops within 60 days

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President Gerald Ford
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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• Quarrels Over the Economy Ford wanted to
  decrease govt social programs deregulate
  businesses while Congress wanted job creation
• Fords Foreign Policy Helsinki Accords
  recognized the borders of Eastern Europe and
  human rights
• - Ford not allowed to aid S. Vietnam Camodia ?
  Communist take over 1975

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Fall of Saigon April 1975
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Sec. 4 The Watergate Scandal

• The Bicentennial USA turned 200 years old on
  July 4, 1976 with big celebrations
• - despite problems still a great nation that put
  a man on the moon and stopped imperial presidency

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Conclusion

• The dream that became a nightmare for America
  would not really end until the 1980s when
  President Ronald Reagan would instill an optimism
  in America not seen for 20 years
• The wounds caused by the deaths of President
  Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy and
  thousands of soldiers would finally start to heal