I just finished reading the critical biography of Nixon and Kissinger during their political power years, by Robert Dallek. I found it most disturbing. Both men are characterized as vain, and extremely insecure. Hundreds of examples are given demonstrating that every decision they both made was not based on morality, but based on what would made them look good to the America public. It was all for political advantage and ego enhancement. There was no sense of right or wrong voiced or practiced by them in this accounting. All dirty tricks or unlawful acts were acceptable to them, as long as these acts were something they could use to look better in the eye of the American public. This self-aggrandizing, amoral approach to all problems and situations they faced, eventually led to evil acts, for which both of them were responsible. Of these two, Richard Millhouse Nixon was the worst offender.
You certainly could not tell that Nixon would prove to be an amoral man during his early years and education. He was born into the Quaker faith. His father, who was a Methodist, converted to Quakerism after marrying his mother. Richard was hard working, an excellent student, enthusiastic in sports, even though not the best athlete, and brilliant in debate. As an officer in the Navy, he was given several commendations for meritorious service. As a lawyer, he was exceptional in understanding all the details of every case, and providing diligent service. He knew how to say the right things in every speech. His outstanding performance was a magnet, leading politicians to solicit his entry into politics. When offered an opportunity to run for congress, he was eager to enter that arena. He needed the ego boost that it provided. It was not until his entry into this nefarious field of advantages and disadvantages that Nixon developed the affinity for dirty tricks, no matter how amoral they might be.
Early in his political career, Nixon saw that there was fear of communism in the American public. He immediately adopted that “cause celebre,” and rode that horse throughout his political career, even though it led him through the valley of death. Politically, however, that espousal was a great ploy. It was probably the reason he won his first election to congress, against an entrenched incumbent of the Democratic Party. It worked when he ran for the United States Senate. He carried that same vow, to root communists out of office, in his campaign as Vice-president under Eisenhower. That same reason was given for his nefarious actions in Chile, and his horrendous direction of the Viet Nam war. During his presidency, it was actually the reason given for his efforts, with Kissinger, to create détente with China and Russia, in order to prevent the spread of communism.
The first clear indication the Richard Nixon had become “Tricky Dick” was during his first Vice-presidential campaign. There were strong accusations that he was leading a lavish life style through the contributions of wealthy donors, who were courting favors. Eisenhower told Nixon that he would either have to drop out as a Vice-president candidate, or present a television denial of these claims to the American public. The columnist Drew Pearson, who was ready to publish these accusations, was threatened with devastating retaliation, if he did not hold this story. Nixon went on the air, and in a masterful denial, stated that he was a simple Quaker with a common family. He said his children were not pampered, that his wife had a cloth coat, not fur, and their only extra possession was a dog named Checkers. It is clear that he was already, at that stage of his career, a polished bold liar, who would use any retaliation or maneuver necessary in order to further his political career.
During his run for president of the United States in 1968, Nixon used deceit, subterfuge and illegal activity as his modus operandi. When he was advised that Johnson had directed the president of South Viet Nam, Nguyen Thieu, to begin peace talks with North Viet Nam, Nixon became alarmed that this would deprive him of his major campaign issue, which was ending the war in Viet Nam. In order to subvert any move toward obtaining peace in this country, he had a message sent to Thieu through the military, asking him to resist any peace efforts until after Nixon had become president. When Johnson was apprised as to this sabotage, he became irate. He was on the verge of sending this information to the papers, when Nixon called him, denying that he had attempted to exert any influence on Thieu in any way, concerning the Viet Nam war. Unfortunately, Johnson swallowed this lie, allowing Nixon to continue his campaign for president. He was preaching opposition to the Viet Nam war, while, in fact, he was responsible for prolonging it. An estimated 6000 American soldiers lost their lives from that time until Nixon became president. Nixon did not care that thousands of soldiers were being killed, as long as it meant that he could become president.
It just got worse during his presidency. The country of Chile was holding democratic elections during the first year of the Nixon presidency. There were three candidates, one of whom was neutral, one of whom was pro-American, and one of whom, Allende, was pro-communist. Nixon and Kissinger pulled every kind of underhanded trick they felt they could get away with in order to prevent Allende from becoming president of Chile. These dirty tricks did not work; Allende became president, and instituted reforms. Nixon and Kissinger now exerted even more encouragement on the Chilean military to form a coup, overthrowing Allende. Eventually those efforts succeeded; Allende was assassinated . Nixon presented himself as the champion of democracy in his own country, while he was, through nefarious means, destroying the democracy of another country, leading to the killing of that country’s democratically elected president. Nixon understood that he was supposed to uphold democracy in this country and abroad, not destroy it; but all he wanted to do was look good in the eyes of history for fighting communism.
Nixon’s management of the Viet Nam was can only be described as evil, in retrospect. He continued to proclaim extreme effort to end that war, to the American public, while he was, in fact, responsible for expanding it and worsening it. The number of American troops in that Asian county rose to 184,000. Nixon directed massive bombing campaigns against North Viet Nam, as well as illegal bombing of Cambodia and Laos, where North Viet Nam troops had been identified. There was widespread use of the destructive herbicide, Agent Orange. The problem for Nixon was that he did not want to be seen as a weak president, who caved in because we were not winning that conflict, He only wanted to be known as a strong man, who subjected his opponents to whatever destruction it took to make them submit to him. It did not work. The public sentiment against this conflict became unbearable. Nixon began gradual withdrawal of troops from Viet Nam, which was complete by 1973. Saigon fell to North Viet Nam in 1975.
Richard M. Nixon can be said to have been responsible for the loss of 26,000 American lives in Viet Nam, all in a failed attempt to make himself look good. Why would he deliberately commit such an evil act? Perhaps his parents were partly to blame. His father is described as being harsh, abrasive, dominating, and critical. His mother was often not there, taking care of two of his brothers, who were ill in succession. She is also described as being unemotional; she never gave her children hugs. Maybe that is where all of Nixon’s insecurity, and starvation for power, approval and claim were rooted. Whatever the reasons, the results were a disaster for democracy and the American public.
During the Watergate fiasco, Nixon followed the path of all liars. At first, he denied any knowledge of the Watergate break-in. When evidence became available showing otherwise, he then stated that it was necessary in the best interest of the nation. He also said this criminal act was acceptable, because he, as president, had ordered it, and was above the law. When finally forced to give up the White House tapes, by the Supreme Court, showing he was responsible for all these criminal acts, he kept his position in office until it was clear that he was going to be impeached. He never expressed remorse for any of his illegal acts. He continued to believe that he was misunderstood, while continuing to deny that these were acts of destructive self-aggrandizement. He continued to believe that he was doing all these immoral things because they were in the best interests of the country. He never understood that he was not above the laws of ethics and the laws of his country.
Richard Nixon resigned the office of President of the United States of America on August 9, 1973.