Professor Nicole Hemmer

He does. I mean, this is part of a celebratory moment in the Nixon presidency. It really is kind of like the climax before the day tomorrow of this presidency. Because he's coming off of this trip to China, where he's opening the U.S. to communist China. And then he has these peace talks. And he really does see himself in this moment as the person who is bringing order to the world.

And of course, behind the scenes, the negotiation is... Okay, we're going to declare peace with honor in 1973. And there's a kind of side negotiation with the North Vietnamese. They won't attack until 1975. And so you have actually what ends up being a chaotic and disorderly retreat from Vietnam that happens in 73.

And of course, behind the scenes, the negotiation is... Okay, we're going to declare peace with honor in 1973. And there's a kind of side negotiation with the North Vietnamese. They won't attack until 1975. And so you have actually what ends up being a chaotic and disorderly retreat from Vietnam that happens in 73.

And of course, behind the scenes, the negotiation is... Okay, we're going to declare peace with honor in 1973. And there's a kind of side negotiation with the North Vietnamese. They won't attack until 1975. And so you have actually what ends up being a chaotic and disorderly retreat from Vietnam that happens in 73.

And then in 75, the complete collapse, but in some of those enduring images of the U.S. Embassy being evacuated.

And then in 75, the complete collapse, but in some of those enduring images of the U.S. Embassy being evacuated.

And then in 75, the complete collapse, but in some of those enduring images of the U.S. Embassy being evacuated.

Yeah, it happens after he's left the White House. And he, I believe, takes credit for getting the U.S. out, right? Like, you can't control what happens in Vietnam going forward, but the U.S. got out and for a while there was some stability in Vietnam, but ultimately, you know... couldn't stay there forever.

Yeah, it happens after he's left the White House. And he, I believe, takes credit for getting the U.S. out, right? Like, you can't control what happens in Vietnam going forward, but the U.S. got out and for a while there was some stability in Vietnam, but ultimately, you know... couldn't stay there forever.

Yeah, it happens after he's left the White House. And he, I believe, takes credit for getting the U.S. out, right? Like, you can't control what happens in Vietnam going forward, but the U.S. got out and for a while there was some stability in Vietnam, but ultimately, you know... couldn't stay there forever.

He was fascinated by foreign policy. He was fascinated about the way that power flowed around the globe. And he had read so much on it. And he had theories about what would become known at the time as realpolitik, right, that we needed more realism in foreign policy and less ideology. And this really is a turning point. in how presidents think about the Cold War.

He was fascinated by foreign policy. He was fascinated about the way that power flowed around the globe. And he had read so much on it. And he had theories about what would become known at the time as realpolitik, right, that we needed more realism in foreign policy and less ideology. And this really is a turning point. in how presidents think about the Cold War.

He was fascinated by foreign policy. He was fascinated about the way that power flowed around the globe. And he had read so much on it. And he had theories about what would become known at the time as realpolitik, right, that we needed more realism in foreign policy and less ideology. And this really is a turning point. in how presidents think about the Cold War.

It had been seen in the 1950s and 60s as this clash between incompatible ideological worldviews. Nixon takes a step back and he's like, well, actually, I've talked to people in all these different parts of the world and Der Kommunismus in der Sowjetunion ist nicht das gleiche wie der Kommunismus in China.

It had been seen in the 1950s and 60s as this clash between incompatible ideological worldviews. Nixon takes a step back and he's like, well, actually, I've talked to people in all these different parts of the world and Der Kommunismus in der Sowjetunion ist nicht das gleiche wie der Kommunismus in China.

It had been seen in the 1950s and 60s as this clash between incompatible ideological worldviews. Nixon takes a step back and he's like, well, actually, I've talked to people in all these different parts of the world and Der Kommunismus in der Sowjetunion ist nicht das gleiche wie der Kommunismus in China.

Und in Wahrheit gibt es einen Weg, uns zwischen diesen zwei kommunistischen Supermächten zu triangulieren und sie zu verbinden und mit China zu öffnen, obwohl es eine kommunistische Regierung hat. Und so bringt er eine wirklich studierte und erfahrene Außenpolitik. Es endet einfach nicht sein, dass es sein Legitimum ist, weil von allem anderen.

Und in Wahrheit gibt es einen Weg, uns zwischen diesen zwei kommunistischen Supermächten zu triangulieren und sie zu verbinden und mit China zu öffnen, obwohl es eine kommunistische Regierung hat. Und so bringt er eine wirklich studierte und erfahrene Außenpolitik. Es endet einfach nicht sein, dass es sein Legitimum ist, weil von allem anderen.

Und in Wahrheit gibt es einen Weg, uns zwischen diesen zwei kommunistischen Supermächten zu triangulieren und sie zu verbinden und mit China zu öffnen, obwohl es eine kommunistische Regierung hat. Und so bringt er eine wirklich studierte und erfahrene Außenpolitik. Es endet einfach nicht sein, dass es sein Legitimum ist, weil von allem anderen.

He logged so many tens of thousands of miles crisscrossing the globe as Vice President. And really thought that that was going to be the launching pad for him to become President in 1960. That he could say in this very fraught moment across the globe, here was somebody who had this real experience. and could lead the US through this very precarious moment in the Cold War.