70s and 80s Flashcards
Nixon doctrine
Us would honor existing defense commitments, but in the future others would have to fight their own wars without direct aid of US troops
Sig? Reversed other doctrines like trumans or kennedys that said us would get involved anywhere
OPEC and oil embargo
After U.S. aids Israel against Palestine and Egypt in the Yom Kippur war, OPEC enacts an oil embargo
Eventually they repeal it but quadruple prices
Sig? Americans were really accustomed to cheap foreign oil, so it leads to a major recession, creation of Alaskan pipeline, and push for nuclear and coal power. Showed that we couldn’t really be isolated bc we depended on foreign products
Watergate scandal
After 5 men were arrested trying to bug the democratic headquarters, more dirty tricks were discovered like using IRS against “enemies”
Senate committee demands tapes, Nixon refuses, then releases some with deleted sections, then full tapes that prove his guilt
Forced to resign or be impeached
Sig? Increasing cynicism in response to politicians, but also showed that our system of impeachment worked
ERA
Equal rights amendment that would have ensured equality of rights between the sexes
Died bc anti-feminists argued that it would remove protections for women and threaten family structure
Sig? The feminist movement was gaining momentum, but it still suffered major defeats
Camp david
Carter persuaded Israeli and Egyptian leaders to sign an accord
Israel withdrew from conquered territory and Egypt respected Israelis borders + formal peace treaty within 3 months
Sig? Shows jimmy’s humanitarian foreign policy- acted as a go-between to create peaceful relationships
Iran hostage crisis
Muslim militants storm U.S. embassy in Iran and take hostages, demand return of the Iranian shah
+USSR blitzed into Afghanistan
Response? JC embargoes grain and machines to USSR, boycotts Olympics, and calls for draft including women
Orders a daring rescue mission -> fails
Sig? US is extremely humiliated and JC doesn’t do so hot in the next election
Stagflation
Decreasing worker productivity –> stagnation
Deficit from Vietnam and great society + rising oil prices –> inflation
Sig? Impossible to solve one without making the other worse! Eventually the tech industry solves
Equal education act
Comprehensive law prohibiting racial discrimination in many areas
Requires places to take actions to overcome discrimination
Sig? Encourages practices like busing
Henry Kissinger and shuttle diplomacy
Henry flew between Middle Eastern capitals for months to bring about peace after the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. Sig? Successful in separating the ceasefire from long-range problems and minimizing Russian involvement in the process.
