Overall, was Nixon a positive or a negative for America?
While most people remember Nixon because of his involvement in the Watergate Scandal, he actually accomplished many tasks while in office. Nixon was able to relax the tension that the average American citizen felt due to the ongoing Cold War. He did this through establishing a relationship with China, a communist nation. Nixon even referred to China by its real name, a huge step, and also by visiting China. This was a big step because no U.S. president had ever been there before. Through this, Nixon was able to end the embargo that had been previously been in place between China and America. The third reason why Nixon was a positive influence on America is due to the SALT I talks that he had with the Soviet Union. This created a five year agreement that froze the Soviet’s production of ICBM's. While most people realized that they still had many other dangerous weapons, it settled many people’s nerves because it showed that America was able to create a positive relationship with the Soviets. Many people see Nixon's presidency as a negative effect on America, but they forget all the good that he created for America.
