Elected in a time of turmoil, he led with vision at home and abroad— ending the vietnam war, opening china to the west, signing landmark environmental laws, and reshaping the cold war. Richard nixon, the 37th president of the united states, served from 1969 to 1974, during a tumultuous period marked by significant political and social challenges His presidency is noted for opening relations with china and navigating cold war complexities, but it is overshadowed by the watergate scandal that led to his resignation—the first ever by a sitting president In many cases, the source cited is the public papers of the presidents The numbers in parentheses refer to the item number of the statement in the public papers, not the page number. This guide provides access to digital materials, external websites, and a selected print bibliography.
Nixon stepped down in 1974, halfway through his second term, rather than face impeachment over his efforts to cover up illegal activities by members of his administration in the watergate scandal. Richard nixon 's tenure as the 37th president of the united states began with his first inauguration on january 20, 1969, and ended when he resigned on august 9, 1974, in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office, the only u.s President ever to do so He was succeeded by gerald ford, whom he had appointed vice president after spiro agnew became embroiled in a separate. Nixon affirms his desire to withdraw u.s Troops from southeast asia and declares that individual nations will bear a larger responsibility for their own security
