Richard Milhous Nixon (9 January 1913 – 22 April 1994) was President of the United States from 20 January 1969 to 9 August 1974, succeeding Lyndon B. Johnson and preceding Gerald Ford. Nixon was a former Vice President, having served under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1961 (succeeding Alben W. Barkley and preceding Johnson), as well as a former senator from California (R) from 1950 to 1953 (succeeding Sheridan Downey and preceding Thomas Kuchel). His presidency saw the United States withdraw from the Vietnam War, reopen diplomatic relations with China, engage in proxy wars against communism, win the Space Race against the Soviet Union, and initiate détente with the USSR, but he was forced to resign after two scandals at the Watergate Hotel.
Biography[]
Early political career and Vice Presidency[]
Nixon's congressional advertisement
Richard Milhous Nixon was born on 9 January 1913 in Yorba Linda, California, and he completed his studies at the Duke University School of Law in 1937 before becoming a lawyer in his home state. In 1942, he moved to Washington DC to work for the government at the Office of Price Administration, and he served in the US Navy reserve during World War II. In 1946, he was elected to the US House of Representatives as a member of the US Republican Party, and he became a senator from California in 1950, succeeding Sheridan Downey.
Vice Presidency[]
Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign button
In 1953, he was chosen as the running mate of World War II hero Dwight D. Eisenhower, with Thomas Kuchel succeeding him as a senator. Nixon was given more responsibilities than any previous Vice President, and he fought against the Democratic Party in Congress. In 1960, after Eisenhower decided to not seek re-election, Nixon ran for President of the United States against Massachusetts Democrat John F. Kennedy, and he was an eloquent speaker. However, his presidential campaign ended in disaster during a televised debate against Kennedy; Nixon, who had just injured his leg while exiting his car, was sweaty, unshaven, and nervous, and Kennedy won the election. In 1962, Pat Brown defeated Nixon during the California gubernatorial election, but Nixon was able to easily win the 1968 presidential election due to anger at the Democratic Party for leading America into the Vietnam War.
Presidency[]
Nixon with a crowd of supporters, 1968
Nixon was sworn into office on 20 January 1969 with Spiro Agnew as his Vice President, and Nixon began a policy of "Vietnamization", gradually withdrawing US Army personnel from Southeast Asia and giving more responsibilities to South Vietnam's armed forces. He also reopened diplomatic negotiations with the communist regime of China, ending the rivalry between the United States and Red China; Nixon went so far as to personally visit the country and meet with Chairman Mao himself. Nixon was re-elected in a landslide in 1972, defeating Democrat George McGovern. However, his wiring of the Democratic National Convention at the Watergate Hotel was revealed by FBI associate director Mark Felt (who used the pseudonym "Deep Throat"), and 48 officials were convicted of wrongdoing. Nixon decided to send some henchmen to steal evidence relating to the incident, but they were caught and revealed to be Nixon's men. The "Watergate scandal" led to the public's opinion turning against Nixon, and Nixon famously stated, "I'm not a crook." On 9 August 1974, he decided to resign from the presidency rather than be impeached, being the first US president to do so. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, would pardon him afterwards, and Nixon died of a stroke on 22 April 1994 in Manhattan, New York City at the age of 81.