An Overwhelming Problem.

The Vietnam War was the single greatest political problem of the early 1970s. Supported by few allies abroad, the war undermined foreign confidence in American power. The enormous financial and manpower drain of the war compromised the military readiness of American forces in Europe, Korea, and at home. The expense of the war fueled inflation and threatened to send the nation into a recession. Domestic opposition to the war increased monthly, dividing the public and making the relationship between President Richard Nixon and Congress increasingly difficult.

The Specter of Vietnam.

Nixon could not avoid the possibility that the Vietnam War might destroy his presidency. His predecessor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, had been overwhelmed by the war and refused to stand for reelection in 1968. Nixon won the election that year, but by an extremely close margin that reflected the sharp...