The executive power of the US President in respect of the limits of this power set by the US Congress has changed dramatically since the first President George Washington in 1789. There has been a general shift towards the strengthening of the President, especially in the 20th century. Also in times of national and international crisis and wars, Americans tend to rally around the flag and around their leading figure – the President. In this time the power of the President increased significantly, an example being during the Civil War (1861-65), during the Blockade of West Berlin (1948/49) or since 9/11 (2001). The Vietnam War especially changed America in many ways, not only politically, but also economically and socially.
The American engagement in the conflict in South-East-Asia lasted over two decades, four Presidents were involved and a huge amount of human and financial resources were invested to win the war. Results were for example stagflation in the US and in Europe, and a great distrust within American society towards their President.
In this essay I will try to focus on the actions of President Johnson and in particular President Nixon, both of which altered the executive powers of the presidency during the time of the Vietnam War. I will also take a look at some of the actions the Legislature took to limit the power of the Executive. The essay starts with the increase of power of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Gulf of Tonkin Resolution” in 1965, and will continue with the increasing presidential power during the presidency of Richard Nixon. Finally it will end with some of the actions Congress took to limit the power of the President through the “War Powers Act” of 1973.
The book by Melvin Small “At the Water’s Edge” serves as the main source for this essay. Small describes the domestic issues of the Johnson and Nixon administration, and how the two Presidents were involved in fighting the war. The book “The Presidents” by Stephen Graubard gave me good information for a better understanding of the actions of Johnson and Nixon. Furthermore the books “American Government” by Dunn and Slann, “Government and Politics of the United States” by Bowles, “The basics of American Politics” by Wassermann and Ashbee’s and Ashford’s “US Politics Today” gave me a good understanding of American politics during the Vietnam Era.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Altering the Executive Powers of the US Presidency
II. a) President Johnson
II. b) President Nixon’s own War
III. Conclusions
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the transformation of executive power in the United States during the Vietnam War, focusing on how Presidents Johnson and Nixon expanded presidential authority and the subsequent legislative efforts by Congress to restore constitutional checks and balances.
- The expansion of presidential authority through unilateral crisis management.
- The influence of the "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution" on executive power.
- Nixon's strategy of secret politics and administrative centralization.
- Congressional responses, including the "War Powers Act" of 1973.
- The enduring tension between presidential "inherent powers" and constitutional oversight.
Excerpt from the Book
II. b) President Nixon’s own War
Unlike Johnson, Nixon claimed himself an expert in foreign affairs and increased dramatically his executive powers during his term of office. After Nixon’s assumption of office in January 1969 he declared, he will work for a “peace with honor“: A withdrawal of US troops from the warfare, but without America losing face.
To achieve this goal, he operated in a totally different way than his precursor. Nixon believed that the American system was too open to compete successfully with a closed system, like North Vietnam or the Soviet Union. He also wrote way before his assumption, that in his opinion an effective president has to operate like an undemocratic leader, “ruthlessly and amorally“(Small, 2005: 127). And so he created his own way to run the presidential office: Secret politics buried from the public and even from the Congress.
Nixon for example took the major responsibility for foreign affairs away from the State Department and delegated it to Henry Kissinger, his National Security Advisor (NSA). The advantage of this action was that, unlike the Secretary of State, the NSA did not have to appear before Congress to explain his politics when summoned. And unlike the Secretary of State, the president’s adviser’s office is located in the White House. This shift of power seems to be a major change in the US constitutional system (Small, 2005: 128).
The policy of secrets inside the White House went so far as the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) launching an intelligence operation against the National Security Council (NSC), and stealing over 5000 documents to get information about what was going on in US foreign policy (Small, 2005: 128).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter outlines the historical evolution of presidential power and introduces the research focus on how the Vietnam War provided a catalyst for executive expansion under Presidents Johnson and Nixon.
II. Altering the Executive Powers of the US Presidency: This section provides a theoretical overview of presidential authority and "inherent powers," setting the stage for the specific actions taken during the Vietnam era.
II. a) President Johnson: This chapter analyzes how the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution enabled President Johnson to broaden executive war powers and the subsequent breakdown of trust between the White House and Congress.
II. b) President Nixon’s own War: This chapter details President Nixon’s methods of secret governance, the centralization of foreign policy within the White House, and his circumvention of traditional diplomatic channels.
III. Conclusions: The final chapter summarizes the shift toward an "imperial presidency" and assesses the long-term effectiveness of legislative constraints such as the War Powers Act.
Keywords
Executive Power, Presidency, Vietnam War, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, War Powers Act, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Imperial President, Foreign Policy, Congressional Oversight, Constitutional Law, Secret Politics, Commander-in-Chief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines how the Vietnam War significantly altered the executive powers of the US Presidency, specifically analyzing the administrations of Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central themes include the growth of presidential "inherent power," the impact of wartime crises on democratic institutions, and the evolving power struggle between the Executive and Legislative branches.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to explain the historical trajectory of presidential power during the Vietnam era and how specific executive actions forced Congress to enact legislative restrictions.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author uses a historical-analytical approach, synthesizing secondary literature, constitutional records, and political analyses to map the transformation of executive authority.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body treats the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Nixon's shift toward secretive foreign policy via the National Security Advisor, and the legislative counter-measures taken by Congress.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Imperial President, Executive Power, War Powers Act, and the Vietnam War.
How did President Nixon change the way foreign policy was managed?
Nixon shifted the responsibility for foreign affairs from the State Department to the National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, allowing him to conduct "secret politics" outside of traditional congressional oversight.
Why is the War Powers Act considered contentious?
While intended to limit executive war-making, every president since its 1973 enactment has labeled it unconstitutional, citing their role as Commander-in-Chief as superior to the legislative restrictions.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Rother (Author), 2006, How did the Vietnam War alter the Executive Powers of the Presidency?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/72488
