The international effect of Watergate?

[Cyrvak]

Hey folks, I've just finished a book on Watergate that covers the domestic impact to a T but doesn't go anywhere near its implications, if any, internationally. What with Nixon's trip to China and the beginnings of Detente with the Soviet powers, I'd like to know if the USSR and China, or any other country for that matter, handled Nixon's downfall. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Cyrvak]

Nobody has any idea?

[Monarchist]

Don't be too hasty to assume that no one wishes to discuss the matter, my friend. People often like to take time to look over the forum or think of a response before posting.

I have always had rather annoyed feelings about Watergate. Governments had been doing this constantly in America since FDR - the angel of socialism himself, as well as Truman and LBJ, used interrogation techniques. They did this before Watergate - long before - and it wasn't a big deal. Something about Nixon seems to have finally irked people enough to force someone to call the practice out for what it was. The problem with this is that practically every president before Nixon had done it, and no one said much, probably because all the presidents from FDR to Nixon had been Democrats except Eisenhower.

I refuse to discuss Watergate most of the time because people treat it as if it was a terrible, unique resurgence of Fascism. Once I read more and more about it, I will probably be more helpful, but as it stands I wish people would expose the uses of surveillance on Republicans and Independents by FDR, Truman, and LBJ. I do not mean to diss your questions though; they are legitimate, if we talk only of Watergate.

[sephodwyrm]

I'd like to know if the USSR and China, or any other country for that matter, handled Nixon's downfall.

Mainland-China replaced us (The Republic of China in Taiwan) in the UN. The Sino-Soviet split got a lot more serious since China now has US backing. Nixon's downfall is of little note. He started the inevitable diplomatic and political isolation of the USSR. The rest of the US presidents would continue this course.