Richard M. Nixon: The Legacy Of Richard Nixon

1088 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Watergate scandal impact

The legacy of our 36th president, Richard M. Nixon, whom was in office during 1969 to 1974 left a legacy that was mixed for the good and bad. Known as one of America’s most corrupt presidents and only remembered for one his greatest scandal, the Watergate Scandal. Nixon had numerous accomplishments, particularly in foreign affairs. His tactful solid vicious campaign made many believed Nixon to be an intelligent individual, which he was. “During his nearly six years in office, Nixon made improvements overtures to both China and the Soviet Union” (Roberts 51) Despite the accomplishments, Nixon was stained indelibly stained by his scandals. While covering up his scandals, Nixon was under the threat of impeachment, instead of facing the embarrassment he decided to resign. Born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba, Linda, California was Richard Milhous Nixon. He lived on a lemon ranch owned by his parents Francis Anthony Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon. Richard has four other siblings; he was the second of the five brothers. The Nixon family experienced financial hardships and death of his two beloved brothers. The family moved to Whittier, California, there they had a grocery store and a gas station, which all the Nixon family worked in to make ends meet. Nixon spent his three years at Duke’s University law school, he graduated in 1937. He met Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan in 1938, Nixon was smitten by her and pursued her, soon enough they married on June 21, 1940. In 1942, the Nixon family moved to Washington, D.C., where Nixon got the opportunity to join the Office of Price Administration. He quickly left to join the Navy in 1942. After his discharge, his political ambition rekindled when Republicans in California where in search for a con... ... middle of paper ... ...ded. He wanted educational reforms to teach about him and how he was helping our nation and the rest of the world. He quickly lost respect and support from the people, the civilians quickly wanted to remove him from office as power got to his head. Another president whom fell into the depths of corruption. Our political system has always been incorporated with corruption; it is functional to the system. The system’s flawed manner is to reproduce itself. Corruption has plagued society. It is the torment of the people, the land weeping, and the disorder of society. These three political leaders started off with accomplishments that were great and benefited our nation. But all three were overshadowed by their mistakes and scandals. This in fact has led to my conclusion that history does not repeat itself but instead counterpart each other that each led to suffering.

Show More
Related

  • Watergate Plus 30 Analysis

    1356 Words  | 3 Pages

    The documentary entitled, Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History, documents the political decisions and environment within the Nixon Administration from 1969-1974. The documentary specifically details and describes the environment and culture in which the Watergate scandal could occur and the events and abuses of power that lead to its occurrence. Setting the tone and the political climate of the Nixon Administration was the Vietnam War; making him a wartime President, a war that he inherited from his predecessor. The Vietnam War faced a lot of opposition from the general public, with massive protests and political demonstrations by the younger generations and overall general public. Nixon’s presidency was surrounded by this climate amidst the

    Read More

  • President Clinton vs. President Nixon

    491 Words  | 1 Pages

    President Clinton and President Nixon both associated themselves with criminal actions. Both the presidents misled the American public, causing personal as well as professional problems. For instance, President Clinton released a false statement about his affair with Monika Lewinsky, causing a lengthy and costly trial, and greatly affecting his presidential career. Also, President Nixon caused a scandal associated with Watergate, which ended up with his leaving the office. Even though they caused trouble for themselves and others around them, Clinton and Nixon did influence the American economy to a great degree. Clinton practically saved the economy and lowered the US inflation rate, through gradual and advocated plans of reform. Moreover, Nixon was the first to go into China territory for negotiations. Ultimately, they have attracted the media with their antics, making themselves? targets of controversy and embarrassment. In fact, President Clinton and Nixon have become the subjects of public mockery and have been an embarrassment to the American people in the office of the President. Moreover, both men have been involved in humiliating situations.

    Read More

  • Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

    2185 Words  | 5 Pages

    Richard Nixon was in one of the most controversial issues that the United States has ever seen. The Watergate Scandal is now well known throughout history today. This issue led to Nixon resigning only 2 years in his 2nd term. Did President Nixon make the right decisions? Can anyone really trust the government after a situation like this? Some Historians believe that this changed the course of history, and that we can never truly trust the government again. While others believe that Nixon didn’t make the right decisions; however, this should not change the way the people look at our government. The government and the people need to keep a strong trust.

    Read More

  • Confidence In The Watergate Scandal

    1567 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is clear that while political scandal, primarily the 1974 Watergate scandal, played a large role in the rapidly declining confidence in government between 1968 and 1980, it is not the sole or even the dominant factor. The Watergate scandal only impacted on the Nixon era, and subsequently lead to measures that should have prevented further distrust in the government. Instead, the role played by the four presidents who held office in those years was the main reason behind the decline in confidence. The role of the presidents and their White House administrations encompassed political scandals, and also clearly influenced other factors such as the role

    Read More

  • The Supreme Court Case: United States V. Nixon

    1504 Words  | 4 Pages

    By searching the internet, I was interested in the Supreme Court case United States v. Nixon. I chose this case because it raised the controversy of balancing the presidential privilege and the judicial review. Also, it made other branches of government reconsider the power of the president. Because of this case, Nixon, the 37th US president, had to resign from his office. Therefore, he became the only president who resigns during his term in the US history (Van Alstyne, 1974).

    Read More

  • President Nixon and the Vietnam War

    2530 Words  | 6 Pages

    The politics of the ultratight resonated deeply with Richard Nixon. Nixon had cut his political teeth as a young Red-hunting member of the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s. His home district in Orange Country, California, was widely known as a Birch Society stronghold. The Los Angeles-area Birch Society claimed the membership of several political and economic elites, including members of the Chandler family, which owned and published the Los Angeles Times. According to the writer David Halberstam (1979, 118) the Times, which was once described as “the most rabid Labor-bating, Red-hating paper in the United States,” virtually created Richard Nixon.

    Read More

  • Richard Nixon and the Election of 1969

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    Richard Nixon, was born on January 9th, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California. Fifty-six years after he was born he became the 37th president of the United States. In the election Nixon only defeated the democratic candidate, Hubert Humphrey, by about 500,000 in the popular vote. Nixon is considered one of the most controversial politicians of the twentieth century. He used his political experience, his background, the communist scare of the late forties and early fifties, and some other factors to become the President of the United States.

    Read More

  • The Presidential Election of 1960

    1984 Words  | 4 Pages

    Richard Milhouse Nixon was born of a Quaker family on January 9,1913 in Yorba Linda, California. He graduated second in his class from local Whittier College in 1934 and later graduated third in his class from Duke University Law School. From there Nixon joined a law firm, and then briefly worked for the tire-rationing section of the Office of Price Administration, in Washington, D.C. Eight months into World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and moved to the Pacific to become a supply ...

    Read More

  • President Nixon Case Study

    710 Words  | 2 Pages

    There was a break-in in 1972 at the Watergate Office Complex of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters and Ronal Reagan was involved. This crime was committed on June 17, 1972 in the very early morning, which will prove that it will be the end for President Nixon. Seven burglars were found inside the Complex and they were arrested inside the DNC, this was a planned out robbery and was linked to to President Nixon’s re-election campaign, the burglars were trying to steal top secret documents and to wiretap the phones. History can't surely say that Nixon took part in this. However, he did take part in covering this up and raising hush money for the burglars, and even trying to stop the FBI from investigating. So in August of 1974, after the conspiracy had become public, President Nixon resigned and was pardoned by Gerald Ford.

    Read More

  • Richard Nixon Impeachment

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    Out of all of the current presidents in our time the most interesting president to explore was President Richard Nixon and out of all of them he was the only one in term to resign. That Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment to be executed to the fullest extent of their nature. His poor choices and decisions led to his resignation. Although he did have some good qualities in helping the U.S. the bad however override the good. In the CRS (Congressional Research Service) It states: “ Obstruction of justice is the impediment of governmental activities. There are a host of federal criminal laws that prohibit obstructions of justice. The six most general outlaw obstruction of judicial proceedings (18 U.S.C. 1503), witness tampering (18 U.S.C. 1512), witness retaliation (18 U.S.C. 1513), obstruction of Congressional or administrative proceedings (18 U.S.C. 1505), conspiracy to defraud The United States (18 U.S.C. 371), and contempt (a creature of statute, rule and common law). Simple perjury in a federal investigation or judicial proceedings carries an extensive fine and up to 5 years in prison.” This was the first article president Richard M. Nixon was charged with by the House of Judiciary Committee. The vote was 27 to 1 for Nixon to be charged with the first article of impeachment, which was Obstruction of Justice. In denial of his liability in part taking in the Watergate scandal by saying he wasn't involved in the scandal He pointed finger at others that were involved in the break-in. However, tapes were found of conversations that proved his involvement and he was going to be impeached. Before he was charged, he made a resignat...

    Read More

  • All the President's Men, by Woodward and Bernstein

    4994 Words  | 10 Pages

    Richard Nixon's first term as president will always be connected with the Watergate scandal, the biggest political scandal in United States history. Various illegal activities were conducted including burglary, wire tapping, violations of campaign financing laws, sabotage, and attempted use of government agencies to harm political opponents to help Richard Nixon win reelection in the 1972 presidential elections. There were about 40 people charged with crimes related to the scandal. Most of them were convicted by juries or pleaded guilty. Watergate involved more high-level government officials than any previous scandal. It has been etched in the minds of millions and is still being recalled today when faced with the present day scandal of President Clinton. In All The President's Men, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, former Washington Post reporters, recount, illustrate, and analyze the Watergate scandal time and their work in reporting and revealing these events for the newspaper.

    Read More

  • Biography of Richard Millhouse Nixon

    2780 Words  | 6 Pages

    Richard Millhouse Nixon, 37th president of the United States (1969-1972) was born on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California. Nixon was one of the most controversial politicians of the twentieth century. He built his political career on the communist scare of the late forties and early fifties, but as president he achieved détente with the Soviet Union and opened relations with the People's Republic of China. His administration occurred during the domestic upheavals brought on by the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. He was re-elected in 1972 by an overwhelming margin, but less than two years later, he was forced to become the first man to resign the presidency amid the scandal and shame of Watergate. He staged a difficult political comeback in 1968, after purportedly retiring from politics, and by the end of his life, he had shed some of the scourge of Watergate and was again a respected elder statesman, largely because of his record on foreign policy. He died on February 22, 1994. His writings include three autobiographical works, Six Crises (1962), RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon (1978), and In the Arena (1990).

    Read More

  • The Impact of the Watergate Scandal

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    The years leading up to the 1972 election were filled with new political tactics. Going into the election year, President Nixon seemed like he could never lose the second term election after successfully negotiating with Vietnam, Beijing, and Russia to improve international relations (Emery 4). Raising international toughness made Nixon seem like the most worthy person to stay president. Fred Emery analyses in his novel Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon, the president was also setting up the first summit meeting in history with Soviet Union Presidents (3). There seemed to be nothing capable of holding the seemingly responsible man back. However, this assurance came with massive consequences. The absolute certainty that Nixon would be reelected fueled the lies and abuse of power by the Nixon government (Emery 195). As the outlook of landslide winnings took over the White House, the moral reasoning, “the end justifies the means” became more prevalent. Nixon was obsessed with winning and being successful. Under his command his staff did whatever possible to ...

    Read More

  • Trujillo Assassination In The Dominican Republic

    1907 Words  | 4 Pages

    assassination, many people wanted him out of power because of how he was leading the country

    Read More

  • A Modern Macbeth

    418 Words  | 1 Pages

    Nixon was long associated with American politics before his fall from grace. He was along time senator before finally being elected president in 1968. During his first term, his United States went through the Vietnam War and a period of economic inflation. In 1972 he was easily re-elected over Democrat nominee George McGovern. Almost unnoticed during his campaign was the arrest of five men connected with Nixon’s re-election committee. They had broken into the Democrats national head quarters in the Watergate apartment complex, in Washington D.C. They attempted to steal documents and place wire taps on the telephones. By March of 1973, through a federal inquiry, it had been brought to light that the burglars had connections with high government officials and Nixon’s closest aids. Despite Nixon and his lawyers best efforts, it was shown that the president had participated in the Watergate cover-up. On August 8, 1974 Nixon announced, without admitting guilt, that he would resign. He left the Oval Office the next day: an obvious fall from grace.

    Read More

More about Richard M. Nixon: The Legacy Of Richard Nixon

Open Document