Zack-RN



Richard Milhous Nixon January 9, 1913- April 22, 1994 Republican Terms in Office- (1969-1972), (1973-1974) Vice Presidents- Spiro T. Agnew (1969-1973), Gerald Ford (1973-1974)

Deception and dishonesty are things that are associated with the presidency of Richard Nixon. The shadows of the Watergate scandal and other deceptions loom largely over Nixon’s administration. These issues take away from the good that President Nixon accomplished during his terms in office. President Nixon made great strides in foreign policy by attempting to improve relations with the Soviet Union and China. He also worked to “Vietnamize” the war. Nixon also worked on improving issues in the United States. Nixon deserves a B- for his presidency. Nixon addressed his goals early on during his first term. He wanted to cut down on discrimination and to improve American society. Nixon worked very hard to achieve this goal. Nixon worked to combat discrimination and segregation in America. He also worked to improve and advance other aspects of American life by establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and by moving forward with the space program. In regards to foreign policy, Nixon made ending the Vietnam War his first priority. President Nixon set steep goals and had success in many of them. Nixon had an average relationship with Congress during his presidency. The Democrats held the majority in Congress for most of the time the Nixon was president. Some of Nixon’s projects like the EPA, the Federal Energy Administration, and the Equal Rights Amendment were supported by Congress. Nixon did however have a number of his Supreme Court nominations rejected by Congress. Nixon and Congress did not have an excellent relationship, but they were able to coexist. The decision Nixon made that had the most positive effect on the nation would be his renewal of strong, positive relations with both China and the Soviet Union. Nixon eased the tension between the United States and the U.S.S.R.. The signing of agreements like SALT-I and other weapons limitations improved the relationship that the U.S. and U.S.S.R. had. President Nixon also paid visits to China. Nixon along with other member of his administration paid landmark diplomatic visits to China. These visits helped to pave the way for improved relations with China. Nixon improved U.S. foreign relations with these two volatile nations. The decision that had the most negative impact on the nation was his handling of the Vietnam War. While he did win support for bringing troops home, this was negative in the long run. Without any type of American support, South Vietnam was eventually crushed by the powers of North Vietnam. This was a huge embarrassment for the United States. Additionally, Nixon kept it a secret that the U.S. had been bombing supposedly “neutral” Cambodia. This lost Nixon even more trust and led to the establishment of the War Powers Act which further restricted the president’s military power. The lasting impact that Nixon left on future generations of president’s was one of distrust. The Watergate scandal shamed Nixon and the presidency as well. The revelation that Cambodia had been bombed in secret further caused the public to question the president. Presidents after Nixon were now exposed to an even greater degree of scrutiny. The American public now had reason to distrust their leaders more than ever. Nixon’s presidency brought a shroud of secrecy that loomed over many presidencies to come. President Nixon deserves a B- for his presidency. He drastically improved U.S. relations with the Soviet Union and China, strengthened awareness and concern for the environment, and also improved conditions for minorities and women in America. President Nixon did a tremendous amount of good for America. However, he is unfortunately remembered for his deception of the American people during the Watergate scandal. Most of the good that Nixon accomplished during his presidency is overshadowed by Watergate which lowers his grade. Works Cited


 * Smith, Carter. //Presidents: all you need to know//. New York: Hylas Publishing, 2006.