The Cover-up
1. Regardless of the outcome, should the President of the United States have a right to privacy in regards to the Oval Office tapes? Explain.
No. It does not say anywhere in the constitution that people have the right to privacy. Also, Nixon was impeding an investigation. The investigation was reasonably searching and seizing because the tapes would be the definitive evidence for or against Nixon's involvement in the Watergate break-in.
2. Was President Nixon justified when he fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox? Explain.
No. It is not a fair trial if you can get rid of the person trying to find you guilty and replace him with someone more supportive of your cause.
3. Was Nixon creating a Constitutional crisis by refusing to hand-over the tapes? Explain.
Yes. If he had not forfeited them, there might have been a coup, and Nixon could have been assassinated. Or he could have been arrested, maybe a civil war?
Closure
4. Why do you think the American public was so outraged by Watergate?
Because Nixon lied to the public, and tried to cover up his lies. It wasn't the Watergate break-in itself that got the public upset, but the lying to the public part.
5. Do you think President Nixon should have resigned? Explain.
Yes. It was good he did, because if he didn't he might have been assassinated. And if he wasn't assassinated, he would probably have been impeached, which would have been too time-consuming.
6. Do you think President Nixon should have been prosecuted? Explain.
Yes. Nixon committed crimes such as: obstructing justice, misuse of power, and ignoring House subpoena. He was a criminal, even though he was a president, and should have been tried as a criminal.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Watergate: Nixon's Downfall
1. How ere the "plumbers" connected to President Nixon?
They were his burglars trying to collect information about the democratic national convention.
2. Who was the judge? Why did he hand out maximum sentences?
Judge Sirica. He thought the burglars were taking orders from someone.
3. How were Mitchell and Dean connected to Nixon?
Dean was a former white house counsel person.
4. How were Haldeman and Erlichman connected to Nixon?
Chief of Staff, Chief Domestic Advisor
5. What did the following men tell the Senate about Nixon?
a. Dean
He said that the President was deeply involved in the conspiracy and cover-up.
b. Butterfield
Said that Nixon taped everything in the whitehouse
6. Who was fired or forced to resign in the "massacre"?
Richardson would not fire cox and resigned. Deputy attorney general resigned too. Solicitor General fired Cox.
7. Why weren't investigators satisified with the transcripts?
Because the transcripts were edited. Even the president is not allowed to withhold evidence.
8. What did the tapes reveal?
They Had many gaps in them, but a conversation between Haldeman and Nixon gave the investigators enough evidence to impeach him.
9. Why did Vice President Spiro Agnew resign?
He accepted bribes while Governor of Maryland.
10. What did the House Judiciary Committee charge President Nixon with?
obstruction of justice, abuse of power, contempt for Congress for refusing to obey a Congressional subpoena to release the tapes.
11. How did the Watergate scandal create a constitutional crisis?
Nixon had become an emperor not a president. He was abusing his power, and living above the law.
They were his burglars trying to collect information about the democratic national convention.
2. Who was the judge? Why did he hand out maximum sentences?
Judge Sirica. He thought the burglars were taking orders from someone.
3. How were Mitchell and Dean connected to Nixon?
Dean was a former white house counsel person.
4. How were Haldeman and Erlichman connected to Nixon?
Chief of Staff, Chief Domestic Advisor
5. What did the following men tell the Senate about Nixon?
a. Dean
He said that the President was deeply involved in the conspiracy and cover-up.
b. Butterfield
Said that Nixon taped everything in the whitehouse
6. Who was fired or forced to resign in the "massacre"?
Richardson would not fire cox and resigned. Deputy attorney general resigned too. Solicitor General fired Cox.
7. Why weren't investigators satisified with the transcripts?
Because the transcripts were edited. Even the president is not allowed to withhold evidence.
8. What did the tapes reveal?
They Had many gaps in them, but a conversation between Haldeman and Nixon gave the investigators enough evidence to impeach him.
9. Why did Vice President Spiro Agnew resign?
He accepted bribes while Governor of Maryland.
10. What did the House Judiciary Committee charge President Nixon with?
obstruction of justice, abuse of power, contempt for Congress for refusing to obey a Congressional subpoena to release the tapes.
11. How did the Watergate scandal create a constitutional crisis?
Nixon had become an emperor not a president. He was abusing his power, and living above the law.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Women Fight for Equality
1. Experiences in the workplace
in 1950- 1 out of 3 women worked for wages. By 1960 the number had increased by 60% certain jobs considered "mens' work" and "womens' work"
2. Experiences in social activism
Ironically women were often put in unimportant positions in such organizations as the SNCC and SDS.
3. "Consciousness raising"
Groups where women would talk about their feelings about sexism.
4. Feminism
The belief that women should have the same rights as men.
5. Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique was a bestseller which captured the discontent women were feeling. Betty Frieden was its author, she was disatisfied with her life, and decided to write a book about sexism.
6. Civil Rights Act of 1964
7. National Organization for Women (NOW)
Created to pursue women's goals. Pushed for creation of Child-care facilities and prompted EEOC to declare sex-segregated job ads illegal.
8. Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine
a journalist, a political activist, founded Ms. Magazine. Ms. Magazine treated contemporary issues from a feminist perspective.
9. Congress
IN 1972 congress passed a ban on gender discrimination in "any education program or activity recieving federal financial assistnace" Hyer Education Act
10. Supreme Court
In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided that women have a right to have an abortion in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
11. The Equal rights Amendment would have guaranteed equal rights under the law, regardless of gender. Who opposed this amendment? Why?
"The New Right" opposed the ERA because they thought it would ruin the family, cause same-sex marriage, and stop men from providing for their families.
in 1950- 1 out of 3 women worked for wages. By 1960 the number had increased by 60% certain jobs considered "mens' work" and "womens' work"
2. Experiences in social activism
Ironically women were often put in unimportant positions in such organizations as the SNCC and SDS.
3. "Consciousness raising"
Groups where women would talk about their feelings about sexism.
4. Feminism
The belief that women should have the same rights as men.
5. Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique was a bestseller which captured the discontent women were feeling. Betty Frieden was its author, she was disatisfied with her life, and decided to write a book about sexism.
6. Civil Rights Act of 1964
7. National Organization for Women (NOW)
Created to pursue women's goals. Pushed for creation of Child-care facilities and prompted EEOC to declare sex-segregated job ads illegal.
8. Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine
a journalist, a political activist, founded Ms. Magazine. Ms. Magazine treated contemporary issues from a feminist perspective.
9. Congress
IN 1972 congress passed a ban on gender discrimination in "any education program or activity recieving federal financial assistnace" Hyer Education Act
10. Supreme Court
In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided that women have a right to have an abortion in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
11. The Equal rights Amendment would have guaranteed equal rights under the law, regardless of gender. Who opposed this amendment? Why?
"The New Right" opposed the ERA because they thought it would ruin the family, cause same-sex marriage, and stop men from providing for their families.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Why the US lost Vietnam
1. US military tactics in Vietnam
The US had very poor tactics. The US did not know how to fight a guerilla war. source 40 confirms this, showing that the soldiers had no hope of winning the war. Also, the US never had experienced soldiers in Vietnam, according to source 43 the recruits the army was choosing were not only inexperienced, but not very intelligent either.
2. The unpopularity of the South Vietnamese regime
Diem oppressed Buddhists (which is the main religion in Vietnam), as well as being corrupt. Diem spent all his money on material goods rather than military supplies. Source 33 shows Quang Duc burning himself in protest of the attacks on Buddhist shrines by Diem.
3. The experience of the Viet Cong and the inexperience of the American soldiers
The Viet Cong were more experienced because they knew the terrain. Also, they did not have the option of leaving the army after 1 year. According to source 43, soldiers served 1 year, and just when they were getting the hang of it, they left.
4. Domestic opposition to the war in the U.S.
The people of the US became more and more upset with the war as time went on. They began to see people getting killed, like in source 57, on a regular basis. By 1973 the public demanded th war to end.
5. Chinese and Soviet support for the Viet Cong
Source 31 shows the Ho Chi Minh trail. This trail was used by the Vietnamese to get supplies from the USSR and CHina.
6. 'But did they really lose?' Summarize the argument put forward in Source 57, and your view on it.
I think that the US did not really have a clear direction and purpose when it went into Vietnam. The US wanted to destroy the idea of Communism with guns but it did not work. By the wnd of the war, we just wanted to get out of the war without looking bad. I think, although the US was not exactly defeated, it did fail at everything it tried to do in Vietnam.
Add other if you think there are factors you should consider.
The US had very poor tactics. The US did not know how to fight a guerilla war. source 40 confirms this, showing that the soldiers had no hope of winning the war. Also, the US never had experienced soldiers in Vietnam, according to source 43 the recruits the army was choosing were not only inexperienced, but not very intelligent either.
2. The unpopularity of the South Vietnamese regime
Diem oppressed Buddhists (which is the main religion in Vietnam), as well as being corrupt. Diem spent all his money on material goods rather than military supplies. Source 33 shows Quang Duc burning himself in protest of the attacks on Buddhist shrines by Diem.
3. The experience of the Viet Cong and the inexperience of the American soldiers
The Viet Cong were more experienced because they knew the terrain. Also, they did not have the option of leaving the army after 1 year. According to source 43, soldiers served 1 year, and just when they were getting the hang of it, they left.
4. Domestic opposition to the war in the U.S.
The people of the US became more and more upset with the war as time went on. They began to see people getting killed, like in source 57, on a regular basis. By 1973 the public demanded th war to end.
5. Chinese and Soviet support for the Viet Cong
Source 31 shows the Ho Chi Minh trail. This trail was used by the Vietnamese to get supplies from the USSR and CHina.
6. 'But did they really lose?' Summarize the argument put forward in Source 57, and your view on it.
I think that the US did not really have a clear direction and purpose when it went into Vietnam. The US wanted to destroy the idea of Communism with guns but it did not work. By the wnd of the war, we just wanted to get out of the war without looking bad. I think, although the US was not exactly defeated, it did fail at everything it tried to do in Vietnam.
Add other if you think there are factors you should consider.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Vietnam War Turning Point
1. Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point? Explain your answer.
Although the Tet offensive was a strategic failure for the Viet Cong, and they lost a lot of soldiers, it raised questions for the public as to why they were fighting the war in the first place. Also Hue was destroyed, and US taken by surprise.
2. Are Sources 51 and 52 making the same point about the My Lai Massacre?
They both seem to be agreeing that the MY Lai massacre was bad, but 51 is saying that the massacre was wrong, but 52 is saying that they didnt do anything wrong
3. Why do you think it took 12 months for
anyone to do anything about the massacre?
Because soldiers only served one year. And Ridenhower did not want to get in trouble.
4. Why was the massacre so shocking to
the American public?
It was evidence that the war was going wrong.
Although the Tet offensive was a strategic failure for the Viet Cong, and they lost a lot of soldiers, it raised questions for the public as to why they were fighting the war in the first place. Also Hue was destroyed, and US taken by surprise.
2. Are Sources 51 and 52 making the same point about the My Lai Massacre?
They both seem to be agreeing that the MY Lai massacre was bad, but 51 is saying that the massacre was wrong, but 52 is saying that they didnt do anything wrong
3. Why do you think it took 12 months for
anyone to do anything about the massacre?
Because soldiers only served one year. And Ridenhower did not want to get in trouble.
4. Why was the massacre so shocking to
the American public?
It was evidence that the war was going wrong.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
US struggles against communism in vietnam
Stage 2: Thinking it through
Step 3: in each row of column 3, draw some scales to show which way the balance falls for this quality. Did the USA or the Viet Cong have the advantage?
1. Now think about the overall picture - how the strengths and weaknesses work together.
a) Were the armies finely balanced or was the balance strongly weighted to one side or the other?
The Viet Cong had the advantage except for good technology. They were behind on that.
b) Which quality was most important in determining who won the war? Was one feature so important that being ahead in that area meant that other advantages or disadvantages did not matter?
Good tactics was most important. The US soldiers could never tell when the Viet COng would strike next.
Stage 3: Explaining your conclusions
The failure of the U.S. army to beat the Communist in Vietnam was the result of its own weaknesses and Viet Cong strengths.
2. Now write up your answer. Use this structure:
a. The U.S. weaknesses were:
Unfamiliar territory, not supported by Vietnamese, low morale, fear
b. At the same time, the Communist strengths were:
guerilla tactics, support of populous, good tactics
c. The U.S. forces did have some successes. For example:
Rolling Thunder bombing campaign brought the North Vietnamese to bargaining table, and disruputed Ho Chi Minh trail. Tet offensive, La Dreng valley
d. However, there were some major failures as well. Examples of these were:
My Lai massacre
e. The Viet Cong had some major successes, such as:
f. However, they also suffered defeats, for example:
Tet Offensive, La Dreng valley
g. If I had to identify one major American weakness, it would be support of the people because: If the US had the people on there side they could have won. The peasants would give up info to the soldiers about where the Viet COng were hiding, and then the US mght have won.
h. The key Viet Cong strength was tactics because: No matter what the US tried to do to get rid of the Viet Cong, there would always be more, because the Viet Cong and the people worked together. Like in Japan in WWII the US would probably have to kill the whole country to conquer it.
Step 3: in each row of column 3, draw some scales to show which way the balance falls for this quality. Did the USA or the Viet Cong have the advantage?
1. Now think about the overall picture - how the strengths and weaknesses work together.
a) Were the armies finely balanced or was the balance strongly weighted to one side or the other?
The Viet Cong had the advantage except for good technology. They were behind on that.
b) Which quality was most important in determining who won the war? Was one feature so important that being ahead in that area meant that other advantages or disadvantages did not matter?
Good tactics was most important. The US soldiers could never tell when the Viet COng would strike next.
Stage 3: Explaining your conclusions
The failure of the U.S. army to beat the Communist in Vietnam was the result of its own weaknesses and Viet Cong strengths.
2. Now write up your answer. Use this structure:
a. The U.S. weaknesses were:
Unfamiliar territory, not supported by Vietnamese, low morale, fear
b. At the same time, the Communist strengths were:
guerilla tactics, support of populous, good tactics
c. The U.S. forces did have some successes. For example:
Rolling Thunder bombing campaign brought the North Vietnamese to bargaining table, and disruputed Ho Chi Minh trail. Tet offensive, La Dreng valley
d. However, there were some major failures as well. Examples of these were:
My Lai massacre
e. The Viet Cong had some major successes, such as:
f. However, they also suffered defeats, for example:
Tet Offensive, La Dreng valley
g. If I had to identify one major American weakness, it would be support of the people because: If the US had the people on there side they could have won. The peasants would give up info to the soldiers about where the Viet COng were hiding, and then the US mght have won.
h. The key Viet Cong strength was tactics because: No matter what the US tried to do to get rid of the Viet Cong, there would always be more, because the Viet Cong and the people worked together. Like in Japan in WWII the US would probably have to kill the whole country to conquer it.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
US Atttempts to Control Cuba
1. Why was Cuba so important to the United States?
Most of the businesses on the island were owned by Americans, and the US had a huge base on Guantanamo bay.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
If the US invaded themselves, it would be an open act of war, and the USSR might get involved and it could start a nuclear war.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The US did not provide the air cover it promised. Also, there were only 1,400 Cuban exiles, but 20,000 well armed commies.
4. Compare Source 17 on page 345 (in the Arms Race.pdf reading) with Source 24 on page 348. Describe how the Soviet Union missiles on Cuba changed the Cold War balance of power.
Earlier in the cold war, the US could hit locations in the USSR with icbms in 30 mins, but since the USSR had icbms in Cuba, the USSR could hit America, just as fast or faster.
Most of the businesses on the island were owned by Americans, and the US had a huge base on Guantanamo bay.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
If the US invaded themselves, it would be an open act of war, and the USSR might get involved and it could start a nuclear war.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The US did not provide the air cover it promised. Also, there were only 1,400 Cuban exiles, but 20,000 well armed commies.
4. Compare Source 17 on page 345 (in the Arms Race.pdf reading) with Source 24 on page 348. Describe how the Soviet Union missiles on Cuba changed the Cold War balance of power.
Earlier in the cold war, the US could hit locations in the USSR with icbms in 30 mins, but since the USSR had icbms in Cuba, the USSR could hit America, just as fast or faster.
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