Richard Nixon
By Conner Mann
Election of Nixon
- Richard Nixon was the Republican candidate for the 1968 Presidential Election. His opponents were Hubert H. Humphrey and George C. Wallace.
- Nixon won the Election with 301 Electoral Votes and over 31 million popular votes.
- Richard Nixon was the Republican candidate for the 1972 Presidential Election. His opponent was George McGovern.
- Nixon won the election of 1972 with 520 Electoral votes
Vietnam War Under Nixon
- Vietnamization: policy of equipping and training of the South Vietnamese to fight for themselves
- Cambodia: President Nixon ordered troops to help South Vietnamese clean out the enemy in Cambodia. US protests increased and Nixon withdrew the troops.
- War Powers Act: Gave any president the power to go to war under certain circumstances, but required that he could only do so for 90 days before being required to officially bring the matter before Congress.
The Policy of "Detente"
Detente: relaxation of tensions between the United States and its two major Communist rivals, the Soviet Union and China. Trade began to occur with grains and wheat.
Watergate, Impeachment, Resignation of Nixon
- Watergate: five men arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee's executive quarters in the Watergate Hotel. Two White House aides were indicted; they quit, Senate hearing began in May, 1973, Nixon admitted to complicity in the burglary.
- Impeachment: Congress impeached Nixon in 1974 for obstruction of Justice
- Resignation: Richard Nixon resigned August 8, 1974 and was ultimately pardoned by his replacement, Vice President Gerald Ford.