Origins
Richard Milhous Nixon was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California, to Francis Anthony Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon. Raised in a struggling Quaker family, Nixon experienced early hardship, including the deaths of two brothers from illness. The family operated a gas station and grocery store in Whittier, California, where young Nixon worked while attending public schools. An academically gifted student, he graduated second in his class from Whittier College in 1934 and earned a full scholarship to Duke University School of Law, graduating third in his class in 1937. These formative years instilled in Nixon a fierce determination to succeed despite limited financial resources, alongside what biographers have characterized as a persistent sense of resentment toward social elites.
Nixon’s political career began rapidly after World War II naval service. In 1946, he won election to the House of Representatives from California’s 12th district, gaining national prominence through his aggressive pursuit of Alger Hiss during the House Un-American Activities Committee investigations. This anti-communist reputation propelled him to the Senate in 1950 following a contentious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas. Just two years later, Dwight D. Eisenhower selected the thirty-nine-year-old Nixon as his running mate. After serving two terms as Vice President, Nixon narrowly lost the 1960 presidential election to John F. Kennedy and subsequently lost the 1962 California gubernatorial race. His political career appeared finished until a remarkable comeback culminated in his 1968 presidential victory over Hubert Humphrey amid national turmoil over Vietnam and civil rights.
Presidency
Nixon’s domestic agenda, which he termed the “New Federalism,” sought to transfer power from federal to state and local governments through revenue sharing and block grants. Despite Republican ideology, his administration expanded federal regulatory authority, creating the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1970. Nixon imposed wage and price controls in 1971 to combat inflation and removed the United States from the gold standard, fundamentally restructuring international monetary arrangements. His administration also initiated the desegregation of Southern schools, though Nixon personally pursued a “Southern strategy” designed to attract white conservative voters to the Republican Party. Domestically, his presidency reflected pragmatic governance that defied simple ideological categorization.
In foreign affairs, Nixon, working closely with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, pursued détente with the Soviet Union while simultaneously opening diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China through his historic 1972 visit to Beijing. These initiatives represented fundamental reorientations of Cold War strategy. Regarding Vietnam, Nixon implemented “Vietnamization” to transfer combat responsibilities to South Vietnamese forces while secretly expanding operations into Cambodia and Laos. The Paris Peace Accords of January 1973 ended direct American military involvement, though the agreement ultimately failed to preserve South Vietnam. Nixon’s foreign policy achievements remain subjects of scholarly debate, with critics emphasizing the human costs of prolonged conflict and supporters crediting his restructuring of great power relations.
Historical Significance
Nixon’s presidency ended in unprecedented constitutional crisis. The Watergate scandal, originating with the June 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters, evolved into revelations of systematic abuse of power, including obstruction of justice, illegal surveillance, and misuse of federal agencies. Facing certain impeachment by the House of Representatives after the Supreme Court ordered release of incriminating tape recordings, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974—the only president to do so. His successor, Gerald Ford, inherited a nation experiencing profound distrust of government institutions, economic stagflation, and the imminent collapse of South Vietnam. Ford’s subsequent pardon of Nixon for all federal crimes proved deeply controversial and likely contributed to his 1976 electoral defeat.
Historical assessments of Nixon remain contested. Some scholars emphasize his diplomatic achievements, pragmatic domestic policies, and strategic vision, while others focus on Watergate’s lasting damage to American political culture and the expansion of executive secrecy. Nixon spent his post-presidential years rehabilitating his reputation through extensive writings on foreign policy. He died on April 22, 1994, in New York City. The Nixon presidency ultimately illustrates tensions between effective governance and democratic accountability, leaving historians to weigh genuine accomplishments against serious violations of constitutional norms.
Key Developments
- January 9, 1913: Born in Yorba Linda, California
- June 21, 1940: Married Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan in Riverside, California
- November 5, 1946: Elected to House of Representatives from California
- November 4, 1952: Elected Vice President on ticket with Dwight D. Eisenhower
- November 5, 1968: Elected thirty-seventh President, defeating Hubert Humphrey
- January 20, 1969: Inaugurated as President
- July 20, 1969: Presided over Apollo 11 moon landing
- February 21, 1972: Began historic visit to People’s Republic of China
- June 17, 1972: Watergate break-in occurred at Democratic headquarters
- January 27, 1973: Paris Peace Accords signed, ending U.S. combat role in Vietnam
- August 9, 1974: Resigned from presidency amid Watergate scandal
- April 22, 1994: Died in New York City following a stroke