Unit 6 Lesson 6: The Nixion years Flashcards
During his presidential campaign, Richard M. Nixon said that he wanted to help what?
the silent majority
Who were the Silent majority?
These Americans were disturbed by the unrest of the 1960s but did not protest publicly.
True to his campaign promise, Nixon began a..
“law-and-order” program.
What was the law and order program?
Federal funds were used to help local police departments. Nixon also named four conservative justices to the Supreme Court. They tended to favor dealing harshly with lawbreakers.
Nixon inherited the space program from Kennedy and Johnson. Its greatest triumph came in 1969 just as Nixon took office. What happened in 1969?
In 1969, two astronauts landed a small craft on the moon’s surface. With millions of television viewers around the world watching, Neil A. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the moon
During the Nixon years how was the econmoy? What is stagflation?
The economy suffered from stagflation, a combination of rising prices, high unemployment, and slow economic growth.
What did Nixon do to halt inflation?
To halt inflation, Nixon froze wages and prices. To stimulate economic growth, he increased federal spending.
Still, economic problems would not go away. What did increasing frderal spending do?
Increased federal spending caused federal budget deficits; that is, the government spent more than it received in revenues.
How did an oil embargo affect to econmoy?
Early in Nixon’s second term, an oil embargo put added pressure on the economy. Higher energy prices caused the price of goods to rise even more
How did Cambodia get dragged into the Vietamese war?
In 1969, Nixon ordered the bombing of communist bases in Cambodia. Then, American and South Vietnamese forces invaded by land. These moves helped plunge Cambodia into its own civil war between communist and noncommunist forces.
How did the US show support to South Vietnam?
The United States continued to send large amounts of aid to South Vietnam. Even so, the South Vietnamese were unable to stop a North Vietnamese advance.
How did the war come to an end?
Under pressure at home, President Nixon began to turn the war over to South Vietnam and withdraw American troops. Meanwhile, peace talks were held in Paris. In January 1973, the two sides reached a cease-fire agreement.
The next year, the last American combat troops left Vietnam.
What happned to Vietnam in April 1975?
In April 1975, communist forces captured Saigon. They renamed it Ho Chi Minh City. Soon after, Vietnam was united under a communist government.
Who was Khmer Rouge, what did he have to do with Cambodia?
That year, the communist Khmer Rouge (kuh MER ROOZH) won the civil war in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge imposed a brutal reign of terror on their own people. More than one million Cambodians starved to death or were killed.
How many died due to the Vietnam war?
The Vietnam War was a costly conflict. More than 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives. Over 150,000 American soldiers were wounded, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers suffered lingering effects from the psychological stress of the war. More than one million Vietnamese soldiers and perhaps half a million civilians died. The war shattered the Vietnamese economy.
Who were boat people?
After 1975, hundreds of thousands of people fled Vietnam and Cambodia. Refugees from Vietnam escaped in small boats. Many of these boat people drowned or died of hunger and thirst. Others made it to safety. Eventually, many were allowed to settle in the United States.
How did the Vietnam war make people feel?
Besides its huge cost, the war produced no victory and divided the nation. Some returning soldiers faced protests, and many others came home without a welcome, a much different experience than soldiers who had returned from previous wars to the admiration of the American people. Vietnam left Americans wondering about how far the nation should go to fight communism.
How did President Nixon move to ease world tensions.
His first move was to seek improved relations with the People’s Republic of China.
How did Americans feeel about Mao Zedongs communsit governemnt in China?
Since 1949, the United States had refused to recognize Mao Zedong’s communist government in China. Instead, it recognized the Chinese Nationalists, now confined to the island of Taiwan. The United States gave arms and aid to the Nationalists and supported their claim to being the legitimate government of all China.
How did Richard Nixion contrast Americans when it comes to China?
Richard Nixon had long been one of the most outspoken opponents of recognizing the communist government in China. As President, though, Nixon allowed secret talks with Chinese officials that led to new openings for the two countries.
How did Nixon ease tensions with China?
Nixon then visited the People’s Republic of China in 1972. Television cameras captured the President walking along the Great Wall of China and attending state dinners with Chinese leaders. The visit was a triumph for Nixon and the start of a new era in relations with China. As tensions eased, the United States and China established formal diplomatic relations in 1979.
As tensions with China eased Nixion formed…
As tensions eased, the United States and China established formal diplomatic relations in 1979.
Why was Nixions trip to the Soveit Union so significant. (May 1972)? What did his trip do?
In May 1972, he became the first American President to visit the Soviet Union since the beginning of the Cold War. The trip was part of Nixon’s effort to reduce tensions between the superpowers. This policy was known as détente.
