Group 6 Flashcards
(36 cards)
Vietnamization #299
299
Time: Initiated in 1969
What: A military strategy that involved reducing American troops in North Vietnam and making South Vietnam fight harder against its Northern counterpart. This plan by Nixon still allowed for U.S. aid (in the forms of armor, weaponry and tanks) in South Vietnam. The process was not successful and U.S. negotiated a peace agreement and fully removed itself in 1973 (AmeriacnPageant) (2001-2009.state.gov).
President Richard M. Nixon #298
298
Time: 1969 through 1974
Party: Republican
Who: Born in California, Nixon was a high-achiever in school before practicing law full time. He was then a WWII Navy Pacific commander, a Congressman, a Senator, and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s running mate (and VP). After losing two Presidential elections, he was finally elected as the 37th President in 1968. As President, Nixon ended the draft, appointed Justices of conservative philosophy to the Supreme Court, helped calm the situation between China and the U.S.S.R., and helped limit strategic nuclear weapons. After he was reelected, his administration was blamed for the Watergate scandal and- after V.P. Spiro Agnew resigned for unrelated reasons- Nixon himself resigned due to accusations and released tape footage exposing him. Before his death, he was a statesman and wrote several books (WhiteHouse.archives.gov).
Pentagon Papers #300
300
Time: Written in 1967, Leaked in 1971
What: An official U.S. government report that was secretly written by Robert McNamara (Secretary of Defense) that contained the true plans and decisions about the Vietnam War that occurred under the Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Once the report was leaked to the New York Times, government lies, scandal, and ineptitude were exposed to the public (AmericanPageant) (Archives.gov).
Détente #301
301
Time: ~1969 through 1979
What: A period of “reduced tensions” (the literal translation of Détente) that led the U.S. out of the Cold War. It began under President Nixon when lessened armament treaties were negotiated between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and continued under Presidents Ford and Carter. This short era showed substantial change from the common accepted destruction, containment, and proportional response aspects of the Cold War era. It began with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and ended (in a sense) when the two countries could never ratify the SALT agreement (AmericanPageant) (History.State.gov).
The Silent Majority #302
302
Time: Coined in 1969
What: A term used by Nixon to describe the people in America who were in favor of both the businesses of America and the Vietnam War. The term was mainly meant to single out those that were against these “traditional” values, such as student protestors, counterculturists, those in favor of civil rights and other nonconformists. The term references conservatives who don’t speak up politically but are believed to be a present majority even still (AmericanPageant) (History.com).
Griswold v. Connecticut, #303
303
When: 1965
What: A Supreme Court Case that rivaled a Connecticut law that banned contraception for married couples. The verdict was that the law was illegal (7 to 2) as the Constitution infers that married couples have the right to privacy. The case was later used in later Supreme Court cases over the legality/rights of contraception, abortion, and LGBTQIA+. In addition to use of the Constitution, the fact that there were marital privacy rights existing prior to the Constitution was used, as well (Law.Cornell.edu).
Roe v. Wade, #304
304
Time: 1973
What: A Supreme Court Case determine that states can not make abortion illegal, based on the grounds that women have a constitutional right to privacy. It was sparked due to Norma McCorvey appealing to the court for access to an abortion after she had been barred from getting one in her home-state of Texas. Even though she had the baby, McCorvey helped to gain a win in the feminist and civil liberties movement (at least until 2022). The case also spurred pro-life supporters and those against abortion into action (AmericanPageant) (Supreme.Justia.com).
Religious Right #305
305
Time: Prominent Since the 1970s
What: A political movement that centered/s around social and political conservationism. Key aspects of the movement were having church (especially Christianity and Roman Catholicism) and state (and school) interconnected, making same-sex marriage illegal, and making abortion illegal. They used the First Amendment as a guarantee of their rights and refute liberal interpretations. Religious Right is still supported by many Americans today (FirstAmendment.MTSU.edu).
Bakke Case, #306
306
Time: 1978
What: The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke Case determined that a quota system that determined admissions based on their race alone was illegal. The case was prompted after Bakke- a white male- applied to the University of California Medical School and would seemingly have been accepted except for the fact that its 84 out of 100 slots reserved for white students were already full. The University of California argued that making sure the remaining 16 slots were reserved for racial minorities was crucial to enhanced education, but the court ruled against them saying that this violated the Equal Protection Clause and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Law.Cornell.edu).
Watergate Scandal #307
307
Time: Began in 1972
What: An explosive and intricate government plot that prompted President Nixon’s resignation in August of 1974 (as people were trying to impeach him) and a consistent association of the word “Watergate” with government or political corruption. After a night guard at a D.C. office complex noticed an exit door taped open, it was uncovered that the break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee had part to do with Nixon’s reelection, and the FBI helped to pinpoint the people responsible and to unravel the succession of scandals (AmericanPageant) (FBI.gov).
Stagflation #308
308
Time: Prominent in the 1970s
What: A term used to define a combination of little economic growth and an increase in inflation that characterized the American economy in the 1970s. It was curious, however, as high inflation normally corresponds with a decent amount of employment, not a large amount of unemployment as seen throughout stagflation. After Ford and then Carter tried and failed many attempts as decreasing unemployment, deregulation (a widely controversial policy) was the most effective (AmericanPageant) (DigitalHistory.UH.edu).
President Gerald Ford #309
309
Time: 1974 through 1977
Party: Republican
Who: A football assistant coach, Yale graduate, Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, and lawyer, President Gerald Ford was thrown into the Presidency after Vice President Spiro Agnew’s and President Nixon’s resignation. As the 38th President, Gerald R. Ford first pardoned Nixon and chose his own V.P and cabinet, and then went about trying to curb inflation while aiding America’s economic problem. After vetoing 39 of Congress’ measures in order to try and aid the economy, he also reduced taxes. He also attempted to keep peace in the Middle East by providing aid to Israel and Egypt, as well as trying to find peace with the Soviet Union through Détente. He lost his next election to the Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter (WhiteHouse.Archives.gov).
Fall of Saigon #310
310
Time: 1975
What: The fall of the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon to the Northern Vietnamese troops. The Fall of Saigon included the largest helicopter evacuation like it in history as the U.S. sent helicopter after helicopter (even though its troops had been removed two years prior, there were still some Americans remaining there and a lot of South Vietnam citizens to be evacuated) in order to remove as many people as possible before the North Vietnamese troops arrived. In all, 7,000 people were evacuated (~5,500 Vietnamese) and North Vietnam took over South Vietnam, ending the Vietnamese War (History.com).
President Jimmy Carter #311
311
Time: 1977 through 1981
Party: Democrat
Who: James “Jimmy” Carter began as a Georgia-born Naval Officer, serving for seven years before returning to Georgia to become involved in politics. He was then the Governor of Georgia, where he was a fan of advancing ecology, efficiency, and equality. As the 39th President, Carter helped nearly eight million more job positions than prior be filled (though not solving the inflation problem), established a national energy policy, deregulated the trucking and airline companies, expanded the national park system (much Alaskan land), created the Department of Education, improved the Social Security system, helped increase diversity of federal employees, helped with peace relations between Egypt and Israel, and finalized negotiations over the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty. Before leaving office (his defeat was due to sustained high inflation and the fact that Iran was holding American hostages), he finally negotiated the freedom the 52 American hostages Iran had taken (WhiteHouse.Archives.gov).
Camp David Accords #312
312
Time: September of 1978
What: After fiery negotiations between Arab and Israeli leaders (mediated by Jimmy Carter and the U.S. government), the Camp David Accords were signed by Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. These Accords set up the foundation for the peace treaty between the two countries that was signed a year later. The Accords signaled a resurgence in American involvement in foreign peace negotiations and was part of the reason that Jimmy Carter earned a Nobel Peace Prize (History.State.gov).
Iran Hostage Crisis #313
313
Time: 444 days, from November 1979 through January 1981
What: The detaining of more than 50 Americans by Iranian revolutionaries. After the Iranian Revolution had begun in early 1979, young Muslim fundamentalists overthrew the shah (who was supported by America) and were in all against America. So, they raided the American embassy and ordered that America give them the shah so they could put him on trial. After an unsuccessful rescue attempt by Carter and “botched diplomacy” on the American end (a conflict between the National Security Council and the Department of State), the hostages were eventually released on the last day of Carter’s administration (AmericanPageant) (History.State.gov).
President Ronald Reagan #314
314
Time: 1981 through 1989
Party: Republican
Who: Born in Illinois and a graduate of Eureka College, Ronald Reagan became a prominent actor (being seen in over 53 films), the President of the Screen Actor’s Guild (where he turned to Conservationism after hearing debates over Communism in the film industry), and the Governor of California. As the 40th President, he was attempted to be assassinated, cut taxes and government spending and helped improve the U.S. economy so that it was without recession or depression by the end of his term. Reagan also increased defense spending by 35%, negotiated with the Soviet Union, declared war opposing international terrorism, helped keep a consistent flow of oil during the Iran-Iraq war, and supported many Anti-Communist insurgencies (WhiteHouse.Archives.gov).
Strategic Defense Initiative #315
315
Time: Announced in 1983
What: Known as “Star Wars” by critics, the SDI plan by the Reagan administration declared the development of a missile-defense system over America to ward off a nuclear attack. It was a representation of Reagan’s emphasis on defense spending (while he was also trying to limit government for internal matters) and helped to later advance satellite surveillance and communications (AmericanPageant) (ReaganLibrary.gov).
Mikhail Gorbachev #316
316
Time: Alive 1931 through 2022)
Who: The last Soviet Leader, he valued openness and restructuring above all else. He played a crucial role in peaceful relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union as he found compromises with both Reagan and Bush (more so the latter). He strove to sustain the U.S.S.R. from complete collapse but held little power in deciding the outcome of the country. After an uprising from Communist plotters who ended up detaining Gorbachev, he was let back into his position but soon resigned his position as the General Secretary of the Communist Party. After many Soviet Republics declared their independence from the U.S.S.R., Gorbachev resigned as President of the U.S.S.R. and the country soon disbanded (MillerCenter.org).
Reaganomics #317
317
Time: Introduced in 1981
What: A system of decreased taxes and increased military spending that Ronald Reagan proposed in order to solve America’s economic depression (he also proposed limiting government programs, but this was never brought to fruition). The plan did not work on a large scale and America’s debt tripled (USHistory.org).
AGE OF INFORMATION/TERRORISM #318
318
Time: 1989 through Present
What: Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, America’s foreign policy grappled for ways to promote continuing economic growth and world peace with lessened U.S. involvement. Technological developments between 1920 and 1980 radically altered the economic, social, and moral fiber of the nation. Globalization through technology reshapes the world economically and socially. Several terrorist attacks climaxing with 9/11 set the stage for a war on terrorism (primarily targeting Islamic extremists).
President George H. W. Bush #319
319
Time: 1989 through 1993
Party: Republican
Who: Born in Massachusetts, George H. W. Bush was committed to public service and enlisted in the armed forces when he was 18. He was the youngest pilot in the Navy and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. Bush then graduated from Yale, was a Representative to Congress, Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Vice President to Ronald Reagan. As the 41st President, Bush strove to veer away from the prior U.S.S.R. nations, helped Panama overthrow General Manuel Noriega, and sought to prevent Iraqui control of Kuwait. He was not reelected due to discontent over the American economy, increased violence, and high deficit spending. He passed away in 2018 (WhiteHouse.Archives.gov).
Fall of the Berlin Wall #320
320
Time: November 9th, 1989
What: After public talks and reassurances by Gorbachev that the Soviet Union would not intervene in Eastern Europe and a settling Cold War, a crowd of Germans began taking down the Berlin Wall. It turned into a sort of “street party” with much celebration and greetings between the sides. The wall came down and East and West Germany were reunified for the first time since 1945, the reunification made official in 1990 (History.State.gov) (History.com).
Operation Desert Storm #321
321
Time: 1991
What: As part of the Iraq War of 1991, Operation Desert Storm was a multi-country military engagement headed by the U.S. in January and February that ensured Saddam Hussein and his Iraq army did not continue to occupy Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. It was a huge air campaign with only a 100 hour ground campaign before the liberation of Kuwait. The Operation served to unravel the “Vietnam Syndrome” (a feeling of hesitancy/uncertainty about engaging in warfare) in the U.S. and allowed for stronger relations with some of the countries, such as Israel, that aided in combating Iraq (AmericanPageant) (Defense.gov).
