Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

On the first day of my undergraduate Nixon class, I ask the students to write down their impressions of his Presidency. Few know much about him but most report mixed opinions. The typical response is that Nixon did “something very wrong” in Watergate, but that he was “a great foreign policy President.” “What great things did he do?,” I inquire. From across the room, many chime in: “He opened relations with China” and “He ended the war in Vietnam.” One of the ironic effects of the Watergate scandal is that it has become the controversy for which Nixon is most famous. Among young people, it is widely known that there was some kind of burglary at Democratic Headquarters and an associated cover-up, which forced the President out of office. As exemplified by the recent satirical movie “Dick,” Watergate details have filtered into popular culture and continue to shape the public's image of Richard Nixon. For those old enough to remember, it is remarkable to contemplate the resulting eclipse of the four years of ferocious domestic struggle over Nixon's Vietnam policies. It was that struggle which dominated his Presidency and established the context in which the Watergate scandals occurred. To supporters and critics alike, the defining feature of Nixon's White House years was his controversial decision to prolong the war in Southeast Asia. Indeed, Richard Nixon was the only President in ... log in or subscribe to read full text