Profile and Biography of Richard Nixon: The 37th U.S. President Who Resigned from Office | Gita Blog Sport
Gitablogsport.com - Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, holds the distinction of being the only U.S. president to ever resign from office.
Before reaching the White House, Nixon was a former Republican Congressman and U.S. Senator from California. He served two terms as Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower during the 1950s.
As President, Nixon’s key accomplishments included establishing diplomatic ties with both China and the Soviet Union, and orchestrating the withdrawal of American troops from the Vietnam War.
However, his legacy was overshadowed by the Watergate scandal, which deepened public mistrust in the U.S. government.
Midway through his second term in 1974, Nixon ultimately stepped down from the presidency. He faced the threat of impeachment for his involvement in attempting to cover up illegal activities carried out by members of his administration during the Watergate affair.
Humble Beginnings
Richard Milhous Nixon was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California. He was the second of five sons born to Francis Anthony Nixon (1878–1956) and Hannah Milhous Nixon (1885–1967).
His father earned a living operating a grocery store and a gas station. Growing up in a working-class family, Nixon was driven by his parents' dissatisfaction with their economic situation, which sparked a strong ambition in him.
While serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Nixon made a considerable amount of money playing poker. He used these winnings to help finance his first political campaign in 1946.
During his college years at Whittier College, Nixon excelled in debate and was elected student body president before graduating in 1934.
In 1937, he earned his law degree from Duke University, where he served as president of the student bar association and graduated near the top of his class.
Nixon returned to Whittier, California, and began practicing law. In 1940, he married Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan (1912–1993), whom he had met through a local theater group.
The couple had two daughters, Patricia and Julie. When the U.S. entered World War II, Nixon joined the Navy and served as a supply officer in the Pacific.
After the war, Nixon launched his political career in 1946 by defeating a five-term Democratic incumbent to represent a California district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
As a congressman, he served on the House Un-American Activities Committee and gained national attention for leading a controversial investigation into Alger Hiss (1904–1996), a former State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy in the late 1930s.
His role in the case significantly bolstered his reputation as a strong anti-Communist.
Nixon was re-elected to the House in 1948 and won a U.S. Senate seat two years later.
Unsuccessful Presidential Bid
Despite concerns over his aggressive stance against alleged Communists and political opponents, Nixon’s tough rhetoric boosted his popularity among conservative Republicans.
His staunch anti-Communist image caught the attention of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Republican Party, who believed Nixon could attract voters in the West. At the 1952 Republican National Convention, Nixon was selected as Eisenhower’s running mate.
Shortly after accepting the nomination, Nixon faced allegations regarding financial gifts and contributions from lobbyists. He addressed the controversy in his famous "Checkers Speech," where he claimed the only gift he had accepted was a dog named Checkers, given to his young daughter.
The speech resonated with the public and helped him remain on the Republican ticket.
Eisenhower and Nixon won the 1952 election and were re-elected in 1956. In 1960, Nixon secured the Republican presidential nomination but lost in one of the closest elections in U.S. history to Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
A pivotal moment came during the first televised presidential debate, where Nixon appeared pale, nervous, and sweaty compared to the youthful and composed Kennedy. This loss was a significant blow to Nixon’s ego, and he later blamed the media for favoring his charismatic opponent.
Returning to California, Nixon resumed his legal career and ran for governor in 1962. After losing that race as well, many political analysts believed his career was over.
Return to the White House
However, six years later, Nixon made a stunning political comeback. He once again secured the Republican presidential nomination and won the 1968 U.S. election, defeating Democrat Hubert Humphrey and third-party candidate George Wallace.
Nixon took office during a time of major social and political upheaval in America. The country was deeply divided over the Vietnam War, while civil rights demonstrations and demands for gender equality were transforming the national landscape.
Promising “peace with honor” in Vietnam, Nixon introduced a policy known as Vietnamization, which aimed to gradually withdraw U.S. troops while training South Vietnamese forces to defend their country independently.
In January 1973, Nixon’s administration reached a peace agreement with North Vietnam. The last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam in March of that year. Hostilities continued until North Vietnam captured the South in 1975, unifying the country under Communist control.
Aside from the Vietnam War, Nixon made groundbreaking visits to China and the Soviet Union in 1972. These trips helped reduce Cold War tensions and paved the way for formal diplomatic relations.
Nixon also signed critical treaties to limit nuclear weapons production.
The Watergate Scandal and Its Aftermath
While campaigning for re-election in 1972, operatives linked to Nixon’s team broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C.
Several members of Nixon’s administration were aware of the break-in. Though Nixon denied involvement, secret White House tapes later revealed he had attempted to cover up the crime.
Facing imminent impeachment by Congress, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. He was succeeded by Vice President Gerald Ford (1913–2006), who granted Nixon a full pardon a month later.
Several Nixon administration officials were eventually convicted for their roles in the Watergate scandal.
After leaving the presidency, Nixon retired to California, later relocating to New Jersey. He quietly worked to restore his public image by writing books, traveling widely, and advising both Democratic and Republican presidents.
Richard Nixon passed away on April 22, 1994, at the age of 81 in New York City, following a stroke. While some viewed him as a respected elder statesman, others still regarded him as a disgraced politician.