The US VS Richard Nixon: the History of Regents of the US

For writing the US history regents thematic essay there are many topics, but specially for this one I chose to reveal the case of Richard Nixon and Supreme Court. By 1789, the Supreme Court was made by Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. Each decision ruled by the Supreme Court would affect the fate of America’s structure. As well as support and protect the rights of Americans under the Constitution. It is a place for Americans to receive justice and hopefully abolish laws that may go against them. Out of many notable cases taken to the Supreme Court, many could say the 1974, US vs. Nixon case, was one that left Americans shocked over the actions taken by their president’s during such a time.

The 1970s only got issues from the 60s to get passed on to a new decade. Women were also seen fighting for their rights of equality until the ERA was approved to the Constitution. Then, as CNN states, “The proliferation of drug abuse, crime in the streets, lack of respect for authority, racism -- all these were conveniently stenciled 'made in Viet Nam'”. The protests only grew the opposition to the biggest issue at the time, that was the ongoing war in Vietnam. Nixon in fact did not want to be the first president to lose on Vietnam land and caused secret bombings and invasions in Cambodia in effort to distablize the country.Racism and protests only grew through the killing of the four Kent State, and two Jackson State students by the police with nationwide strikes . Then came along the Pentagon Papers that released the truth of the Vietnam War and the US’ position with them. There was talk of peace one day and surprise bombings the next when Americans dropped 20,00 tons on North Vietnam. In the Pacific Stars and Stripes news article, Nixon mentioned in his announcement about the Vietnam ceasefire for the withdrawal of American troops within the 60 days from January 27, 1973 and end the war in peace with Southeast Asia. Then by 1975, when the US was in the hands of a new president, North Vietnam soldiers had captured Saigon, ending America’s manic and exhausting war.

The case was first brought to attention through another incident in 1972 when burglars, working for the committee to re-elect the president broke into the Watergate complex located in Washington D.C., and got arrested while carrying bugging equipment and stealing documents from the Democrat’s campaigns. It was not the first time breaking in and they only returned to the complex when some wiretaps suddenly stopped working and that was when the guard of the building noticed some suspicious things, all according to History.com. “President Nixon and leaders of his campaign denied any connection with the incident”. Through a conducted investigation, it was later said that some of the burglars were top members of Nixon’s administration trying to re-elect him. Not only did Nixon first swear he was not involved but it was then proven he lied to his followers and his country. “When they asked to examine the tapes, however, Nixon refused to release them, claiming they were protected under executive privilege” By not giving up the important evidence, this gave more proof for the FBI and the jury to claim the President Nixon was an “unindicted co-conspirator” according to History.com.

The US VS Richard Nixon case of 1974 was one of the cases taken to the Supreme Court. As well as the most shocking to American citizens, as his actions made followers lose trust in their leader, or any person of power working for the nation.

Work Cited

• “Supreme Court”. History, A&E Television Networks, 11 May 2010. https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/supreme-court-facts Accessed 4 Jan 2020.
• “CEASE - FIRE! All GIs Out of Viet in 60 Days”. Stars and Stripes (Pacific) Vol. 29 No. 24, 25 Jan 1973.
• “United States v. Nixon (1974)” . Infopleaase, Pearson Prentice Hall, 28 Feb 2017. https://www.infoplease.com/us/government/judicial-branch/united-states-v-nixon-1974 Accessed 4 Jan 2020
• “Watergate Scandal”. History, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct 2009. https://www.infoplease.com/us/government/judicial-branch/united-states-v-nixon-1974 Accessed 6 Jan 2020.
• Davis, James E., et al. “Nixon and Watergate”. Government and Economics in Action, Pearson Prentice Hall Education, Inc…, 2009.