Who is richard nixon

Schoolchildren absorb at least one fact about Richard Milhous Nixon: He was the first and so far the only President of the United States to resign the office. Before the spectacular fall, there was an equally spectacular rise. In a half-dozen years, he went from obscurity to a heartbeat from the presidency, winning a congressional race , national prominence in the Alger Hiss spy case , a Senate seat , and the vice presidency John F.

Kennedy interrupted Nixon's ascent in , winning the presidency by the narrowest margin of the twentieth century. Ken Hughes coordinates the team of scholars reviewing and transcribing President Richard M. Miller Center expert Ken Hughes discusses his book detailing how Nixon's resignation created a political shockwave that reverberates to this day.

Grant Rutherford B. Hayes James A. Garfield Chester A. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. The Public Papers of the Presidents volumes are available in print at many public or university libraries and on the following websites:. Breadcrumb Home. President Nixon.

The Life. The Congressman Following the end of the war, prominent Republicans in Whittier approached Nixon about running for Congress in Nixon was easily re-elected in The Vice President Nixon's prominence as an anti-Communist soon brought him to greater national attention. The Wilderness Years Following the election defeat, the Nixon family left Washington in January and returned to Southern California, where Nixon practiced law and wrote a bestselling memoir, Six Crises.

First Term Once in office, Nixon and his staff faced the problem of how to end the Vietnam War, which had broken his predecessor's administration and threatened to cause major unrest at home. Re-election, Second Term, and Watergate In his bid for re-election, Nixon defeated South Dakota Senator George McGovern, the Democratic candidate for president, by one of the widest electoral margins ever, winning electoral college votes to McGovern's 17 and nearly 61 percent of the popular vote.

Timeline of Events. Petersburg , leading to the formation of a Communist government, the sparking of a civil war within the former Russian empire, and finally, in December , the foundation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

August 18, Upon the Tennessee legislature's approval of the 19th amendment to the constitution, the document becomes law, guaranteeing that neither the federal government nor the state governments can deny women the right to vote. December 7, Japanese attack on U. August 6, Following the end of hostilities in Europe, the war in the Pacific is brought to a close after the first military use of nuclear weapons against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Japan formally surrenders on September 2, February 21, Daughter Patricia "Tricia" Nixon is born. His tenure lasts until his resignation in November following his election to the Senate.

The course of the Hiss case, which ended with Hiss' conviction for perjury, catapults Nixon into national attention. October 1, People's Republic of China formally proclaimed November 7, Nixon is elected as Senator for California and serves from December 1, , until January 1, May Attends the World Health Organization Conference in Geneva, Switzerland July 11, Receives the Republican Vice-Presidential nomination September 23, In a nationally televised speech, Nixon responds to charges of improper use of campaign funds, which had jeopardized his spot on the Republican national ticket.

During his defense, and after refuting the charges, he states that his wife wears only a "respectable Republican cloth coat" and the only gift he has kept was Checkers, the family's cocker spaniel--giving the appearance its other name, the "Checkers speech". Board of Education , ordering integration of public schools in the United States. June 2, March 5, Goodwill tour of the Caribbean September 24, President Eisenhower suffers a heart attack December 1, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat, sparking Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott January February Attends Brazilian presidential inauguration as the representative of the United States June 30, July 11, Goodwill tour of Asia October 23, November 10, Hungarian citizens revolt against the Hungarian government and Soviet influence in Hungary, leading to the occupation of the country by the Soviet Red Army.

December 18, December 24, Visits Austria to inspect conditions of Hungarian refugees who fled Hungary after the unsuccessful revolt against Communist rule there. October 4, Soviet Union launches Sputnik, Earth's first artificial satellite. Nixon's strong showing against the Soviet leader gives him a new standing in the United States.

After his defeat becomes clear, Nixon tells reporters "You won't have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference. Joins the law firm of Mudge, Stern, Baldwin and Todd.

June 16, Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes first woman in space. November 22, President John F. April 4, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Capitol in Washington, D. February 24 The U. Supreme Court Tinker v. President, Dwight D. Before the takeover ends, 45 will be injured and arrested. May Nixon orders FBI wiretaps to track the sources of leaks revealing secret bombings of Cambodia. July 20 Apollo 11 lands on the moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first people to walk on the moon, while crewmate Michael Collins orbits in the Columbia command module.

Telephone Conversation with the Apollo 11 Astronauts on the Moon July 25 Nixon outlines what became known as the Nixon Doctrine whereby the United States would provide arms and aid--but not military forces--to its Asian allies, who would provide their own military forces in resisting communist aggression.

Remarks on Arrival at Bucharest, Romania ; Remarks on Departure from Romania ; see also items and August 8 Nixon announces the Family Assistance Plan, his welfare reform proposal providing direct payments to the working poor.

Rejected by Congress, the FAP never became law. September 13 Scooby-Doo, Where are You! Holmes County Board of Education, U. He asks for the support of the "silent majority. Address to the Nation on the War in Vietnam November 9 A group of American Indians, led by Richard Oakes, seizes the Alcatraz island for 19 months, inspiring a wave of renewed Indian pride and government reform.

November 21 Senate rejects Nixon's nomination of Clement F. It carries people, most of them reporters and photographers, from Seattle to New York City. President Nixon assigns military units to New York City post offices. The strike lasts two weeks. April 8 Senate rejects Nixon's nomination of G. On April 13, an oxygen tank in the spacecraft explodes, forcing the crew to abort the mission.

They return safely to Earth on April April 14 Nominates Harry A. April 22 The first Earth Day is celebrated. April 30 Announces the launching of military attacks on enemy sanctuaries in Cambodia Reference: Public Papers. Address to the Nation on the Situation in Southeast Asia May 4 National Guardsmen fire on antiwar demonstrators at Kent State University protesting the American invasion of Cambodia, killing four and wounding nine students. May 12 By a vote of , Senate confirms nomination of Harry A.

February 5 Apollo 14 lands on the moon. February 8 A new stock market index called the Nasdaq debuts. This change adds Columbus Day as a legal public holiday and designates certain Mondays for five of the nine holidays.

Nixon did not issue a proclamation changing the Federal holiday's name from "Washington's Birthday" to "President's Day. Capitol; the Weather Underground claims responsibility. Board of Education, U. June 10 Ends U. Statement about ratification of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution July 3 Jim Morrison, is found dead in a bath tub in Paris, France aged October 21 Nominates Lewis F. Reference: Facts on File pgs. See also items - June 17 Five burglars from a domestic espionage network working for the Commitee to Re-Elect the President are arrested inside the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Washington, D.

They propose having the CIA ask the FBI to halt its investigation of the Watergate break-in by claiming that the break-in was a national security operation.

This conversation is commonly referred to as the "smoking gun. Georgia, U. Remarks to Reporters about the Assault on Israeli Athletes at the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany November 7 Nixon is re-elected to a second term in the largest land-slide victory in American political history.

Wade, stating that the constitutional right to privacy "is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. Wade, U. It is HBO Boxing's first telecast. Gordon Liddy convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and wiretapping Reference: Watergate: Chronology of a Crisis. Dean recaps the history of the Watergate break- in and subsequent cover-up for the President. Dean tells the President that the cover-up is "a cancer on the Presidency" that must be excised or his Presidency would be in danger.

April 30 Accepts the resignations of Assistant to the President H. Accepts responsibility for the Watergate affair Reference: Public Papers. Richardson to be Attorney General May 1 Senate votes for a resolution calling for the appointment of a Watergate special prosecutor Reference: Watergate: Chronology of a Crisis.

Drinan D-Mass. September 22 Henry A. Reference: Kissinger, Henry. Years of Upheaval. Boston: Little Brown, pgs. Agnew resigns after corruption charges beginning when he was county executive of Baltimore County, Maryland. Gerald R. In his bid for office, Nixon defeated Democratic candidate George McGovern by one of the widest margins on record. The break-in was traced to officials of the Committee to Re-elect the President.

A number of administration officials resigned; some were later convicted of offenses connected with efforts to cover up the affair. Nixon denied any personal involvement, but the courts forced him to yield tape recordings which indicated that he had, in fact, tried to divert the investigation.

Agnew resigned in Ford as Vice President. In his last years, Nixon gained praise as an elder statesman. By the time of his death on April 22, , he had written numerous books on his experiences in public life and on foreign policy. The Presidential biographies on WhiteHouse. Copyright by the White House Historical Association. Learn more about Richard M.

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