Throughout history, from Greece to the present day, tragic heroes have existed, not only in literature, but also in real life. President Richard Nixon meets the criteria of a tragic hero. During his presidency, Nixon demonstrated goodness and maintained a high position before his fatal mistake that led to his downfall. When people think of President Richard Nixon, they immediately associate him with the Watergate scandal, but in reality “…his pre-Watergate record is much better than most people realize…” (DeGregorio 600). Nixon and his administration stepped up and showed kindness during his first term and part of his second term. They reduced U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and brought home 518,000 soldiers from 1969 to 1972. They also made arrangements to bring home POWs in North Vietnam (DeGregorio 595). The Nixon administration formed the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce clean air and water laws. Nixon also signed every civil rights law passed by Congress (DeGregorio 597). The Civil Rights Acts desegregated schools, and by 1972, 90% of schools were desegregated (the Richard M. Nixon administrations). This really helped improve educational opportunities for black children. Nixon also initiated a revenue-sharing program in which the federal government returned billions of tax dollars to state and local governments (DeGregorio 596). This helped local governments because they were able to spend the money on the things their communities needed most. Nixon's specialty was foreign affairs, and he visited both Communist China and the Soviet Union. He was the first president to go to China and helped open Sino-American relations and resolve differences with the Chinese (The Richard M. Nixon Administr...... middle of paper ......on's own taping system si was inaugurated ultimately led to his downfall, which shows that his own mistake caused it. Even though Nixon made poor decisions that caused his downfall, he was a respected and good president. His presidency may always be best known for scandals that led to his downfall, but the passage of time and the study of his accomplishments by historians have led many people to conclude that he was a good president. Work citedDeGregorio, William The Complete Book of US Presidents Richard M. Nixon New York: Wing Books, 1997. Print "Richard Milhous Nixon." Discovering Biography: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Web Context November 12, 2013. "Profiles of the Presidential Administration for Students Ed -Ann Raffaelle Detroit: Gale Group , 2002. Student Resources in Context. Network. November 18. 2013.