His105: american history after 1865
Part 1: Post a Response
The 1970s and 1980s brought remarkable changes for the Untied States. The Cold War between the US and its allies versus the Soviet Union and its allies/clients was still the dominant international issue. China was also going to start emerging as a major world power. Nixon was dealing with Vietnam and then Watergate—one of the pivotal scandals of modern history. Reagan would bring a new national spirit, and he would tackle economic problems by deregulation and moderating taxes—and he would be dealing with a very new type of Soviet leadership.
Discuss lessons in leadership with the examples of President Nixon and President Reagan:
Choose and discuss (in a full paragraph or two) one of the following two topics related to the 1960s and 1970s, especially to the terms of Presidents Nixon and Reagan.
- Discuss lessons in leadership with the examples of President Nixon and President Reagan:
- Identify a leadership example from President Nixon’s handling of the Watergate issue, and another example from Reagan’s presidency.
- Give two lessons in leadership—one from each example. They can be positive lessons or negative lessons (good things to do; things not to do, etc). Discuss how these lessons can apply to those in business or politics or some other realm.
- Identify the source(s) where you read about these issues.
- Discuss Presidents Nixon and Reagan as Cold Warriors:
- Identify a strategy or policy from the Nixon presidency that related to the Cold War, and another from the Reagan presidency.
- In hindsight, describe your views of each approach and how effective (or not) each approach was.
- Identify the source(s) where you read these issues.
Respond to Peer:
Discuss lessons in leadership with examples of President Nixon and President Reagan.*
NIXON.
Image is everything, however effectiveness in good leadership skills goes even farther. It is almost a reasonably good idea to never let the left hand know, what the right hand is doing, as so was President #37, Richard Nixon. I remembered him on a black and white television screen, as always being so defensive, however always advocating a policy in one form or another. He seemed to be striving to do the right thing for the American people, however he was his own worst enemy. . He was very ambitious, highly intelligent, and wanted nothing more than to prove himself a good leader. I can remember some parts of the Vietnam War, because at that time, my parents had 5 children, I was 11 years old and my 1 and only brother which was the eldest, was 22 years old, and was in college, my parents were afraid he might have to leave college to join the military, however in 1973, Nixon withdrew the last U.S. soldiers from South Vietnam, ending the military draft that same year, to prevent the possibility of further U.S. intervention in Vietnam. One of his leadership skills had Americans concerned as well as his own political party and other politicians. One (Example ) bad leadership quality, President Nixon, campaign advisor, Anna Chennault, at his bequest, established a back channel communication with the South Vietnamese to prolong the Vietnam War, until Nixon was in office for the second term of his presidency. This action placed his on ambition ahead of the lives of American servicemen, so that he could be the one to negotiate an end to the conflict. I feel that, that was not a good leadership skill position to place America in. It was a risk that caused thousands of lives to perish, and hundreds more missing in action. This is not to say that he was not an effective leader, he was just a bad role model, in this particular leadership skill, during that time,because he did accomplish many great things for the American people, that still affects our lives today.
Reagan.
Ronald Reagan # 40
Ronald Reagan was a public figure well before he was a political figure. I recall him as an impressionable actor on black and white television screens in a lot of western movies, in particular the Death Valley Days episodes, that ran weekly, of course they were reruns, but my parents liked watching western films and other serial shows. I was 19 years old when President Reagan took office, he was the oldest president to date to become president in 1981 at the age of 73. He served two terms, and he was a showmen, statesman, and a political leader for years. I believe that President Reagan had good leadership qualities, in many of foreign and domestic affairs. One (example) of good leadership skills was when President Reagan, while skillfully dealing with Congress, he obtained legislation to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation, and increased employment, and strengthened our national defense. In 1986, he also obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and exempt millions of people with low incomes.
* Identify leadership examples from Nixon handling the Watergate issue, and another example from Reagan’s presidency *
President Nixon is best know for the scandal of Watergate. Watergate scandal was a scandal during and after the 1972 Presidential Election. Richard Nixon (Republican) was running against Democrat George McGovern,.The scandal brought to light wire tapes, secret papers that were stolen, Nixon was involved in a cover up, and possibly had hired the men to brake into the Watergate offices, he soon later resigned as president of the U.S. President Ronald Reagan was remembered for his great speech in Berlin in June 1987 to the country and to the Soviet Union, when he said ” Mr. Gorbachev, ” Tear down this wall”.
* Discuss how these lessons can apply to those in business or politics or some other realm.*
I can only hope that when in business and or politics the people that are placed in these positions carry themselves with dignity, fidelity, and integrity. If we can not be honorable in the profession that has been afforded to us, why would we want to risk so much. There can not be enough money and power in the world to risk ones life, or the lives of others. When we do bad things, everyone suffers, and the effects last for generations to come. America has suffered a lot, and has lost much more for democracy, and do we have to continue on the path of destruction, and risk other lives, to be right, or even a super power?
Resources:SCHUTLZ
HISTORY 5
VOLUME 2. U.S. HISTORY SINCE 1865 CHAPTER 26 PAGES, 511, 26-1512 261A
513 26- 26.2
515 26-3A
CHAPTER 27
pages 527 27-1
528 27 1A
537
