Chapter 20 Notes. The Seventies: under control?

In the seventies, the political system couldn't seem to control the public's loyalty to the government, especially the loyalty of unskilled workers.

What led to this disloyalty?

• The US role in Vietnam for seven years with 55,000 casualties, immorality, and the unnecessary loss of lives.
• Many began to think that the government was run only looking into a few large interests, which would not benefit the majority of people.
• Consequence: Radical juries began to support those on trial for cases against the government. More people turned to the independent party rather than republic or democratic. 

The watergate scandal led to even more distrust in the public, five burglars were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee offices with burglars from high positions- a security officer of the committee to reelect the president (called CREEP), cuban veterans, CIA,  and even an assistant that was special counsel to President Nixon himself!  

What had happened behind the scenes while Nixon was in office?

• Nixon had used illegal actions against  opponents and people protesting the war
• A secret fund existed for using against the democratics- to fake out the media, forge letters, and steal files
• Huge american corporations contributes millions to Nixon's campaign  (this may suggest where the government interests would be if elected)
• Nixon asked the people who had been burglars caught at the watergate to keep quiet and promised massive sums of money 
• An adviser to Nixon had been found with files stolen from the FBI in his safe
• Spiro Agnew, the vice president would take bribes for political favors
• Over 10 million dollars were taken and used for Nixon's private homes, claimed to be for "security purposes" and he gave himself an illegal massive tax reduction
• Secret bombing was done in Cambodia by the president in 1969-1970, of which the public and congress had no knowledge
• Consequence: Impeachment was introduced three times, and when Nixon heard he had no chance, he resigned. 

 After Nixon left, his foreign policy still stayed. Henry Kissinger, his secretary of state remained as well. Alexander Haig, his close adviser, stayed to head NATO forces. However, a lot had still been wrong with the government's large interests, like the American public said. 

Many things had happened with money and corporations-

• The International Telephone and Telegraph company (ITT) merged with the Hartford Fire Insurance, the biggest merge ever. Although this broke antitrust laws, it was dismissed from court! This happened after the company had paid $400,000 to the republicans.
• The milk industry gave a lot of money to Nixon's campaign when their prices would not rise. After that, the prices of milk sky rocketed, pulling in a huge profit.
• Oil company economists held oil until prices went up, then sold it for more profit. In 1973, it had been $1, and went up in a year to $4.50!
• Consequence: The companies actually were let off really easy! They were said to have contributed unwillingly and were simply fined under $5000, when they could have faced jail or a $10,000 fine.

Ford went into office and pardoned Nixon, who would have faced hard punishment otherwise. He tried to promise Americans victory, and remained confident in the Vietnam situation. North Vietnam moved into Saigon and the war ended, proving the president wrong and breaking his promise. 

How did this affect Americans?

• They thought the leaders of the country didn't tell the truth
• Americans now had doubt in the military action overseas
• They developed less national will 
• There was doubt that they were a world power
• There was less will to fight

After this an American ship was sailing, The Mayaguez, when it was stopped and asked to come to the mainland of Cambodia. Although they were treated kindly, when the Ford didn't get them back in 36 hours after a message was supposedly sent, he set out to show them all of America's power, and try to win over American will and trust. 

What happened with this situation?

• The US bombed ships in Cambodia, including the Mayaguez. 
• The crewmen were sent on their way home to return, but the president ordered assault on Tang Island (where the crew had been) anyways. The president was warned they would return too, but still carried through.
• Consequence: No casualties were necessary, but the assault killed people on both sides.
•  The president thought this was done for "the well being of this society" to prove America was fast acting and had authority

The need to gain the public loyalty continued, and this was done by keeping the structure of the system, but kicking out and certain people as the bad guys. Now the CIA and FBI were in trouble because of the watergate scandal, and their involvement came out.

What did the CIA and FBI do?

• The CIA had been preforming illegal actions and giving LSD to unsuspecting people as an experiment. One man killed himself while on the LSD they had given him.
• The CIA had put the African Swine fever virus in Cuba and killed thousands of pigs.
• There were plans of assassinations against heads of state in the CIA and a plan to destabilize the government in Chile.
• The FBI had destroyed radical groups illegally.
• The FBI had committed 92 burglaries in 6 years, and illegally opened mail.
• The FBI also murdered Fred Hampton, a Black Panther leader.
• Consequence: By exposing the CIA, they tried to regain trust in the people. People still were suspicious and hostile towards military, leaders, and businesses.

The American situation:

• Americans were unhappy about the bad economy and faced a lot of inflation and unemployment. 
• The amount of legally poor Americans rose by 10% in one year. 
• The government claimed the amount of poors was lower to make it look better.
• The situation happened because in the 60s the federal budget shifted to spend less on foreign affairs and more on social spending. 
• The democratic surge in the 60s also challenged authority systems that had already been in place.
• The more rebellious American attitude made the presidents authority go down, and the ability to govern the country hard without the Establishment's backup. 
• The bicentennial celebration of the signing of the declaration of Independence was the system's opportunity to regain American patriotism, but there was still no enthusiasm. 
• The people united to dump packages of large corporations into the Boston Harbor to oppose the power of businesses, like the Boston Tea Party.