...The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States during the early 1970s, following a break-in by five men at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972, and President Richard Nixon's administration's subsequent attempt to cover up its involvement. After the five burglars were caught and the conspiracy was discovered, Watergate was investigated by the United States Congress. Meanwhile, Nixon's administration resisted its probes, which led to a constitutional crisis. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by members of the Nixon administration, an impeachment process against the president that led to articles of impeachment,indictment of 69 people, with trials or pleas resulting in 48 being found guilty, many of whom were top Nixon officials. Nixon and his close aides also ordered investigations of activist groups and political figures, using the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as political weapons....
Words: 425 - Pages: 2
...Richard Nixon was the first President to be impeached in America but the legal system was also on trial. The political fiasco put the legal profession in a bad light. Some of the lawyers pleaded guilty. It seemed like it was hard to keep a secret if there were lots of people that were involved in this secret plan. The Watergate scandal rocked the whole nation of America, and to a great extent it also shocked the world. The center of this controversy Richard Nixon was the most powerful man in the world. The president of the most powerful nation on earth was under trial here. Nixon’s aides were charged with different crimes in connection with the break- in at the Watergate building. President Nixon had resigned from his office while insisting on his innocence of the crime being attributed to him. Investigators couldn’t find the “smoking gun” that would point to the president as the mastermind or as a part of a grand conspiracy in the break-in. It is also an important to note that the public’s access to this information and their following reaction that really helped to understand the real issue. The question as to how did the Watergate scandal changed America? There are...
Words: 1364 - Pages: 6
...1 Nixon and the Watergate Scandal Adrian Tillman HIS/145 the American Experience After 1945 January 5, 2012 Dr. Bernnell Peltier 2 Nixon and the Watergate Scandal In 1968 Richard Nixon became the 37th President of the United States of America. Only serving one full term, he also was under heavy scrutiny and the only President to resign from office. His resignation came before his inevitable impeachment from Congress. With the resignation of his Vice President Spiro Agnew (in 1973 because of bribes and kickbacks; Brinkley 2007) he was also forced to “come clean” in his scandals about the Watergate office building in Washington D.C. The Watergate scandal was when five men from Nixon’s re-election committee broke into the Democratic Party headquarters on June 17, 1972. Nixon was soon accused of “covering up” the scandal and refusing to turn over evidence subpoenaed by the Supreme Court ("Impeachment History" 2007 Pearson Education). The Beginnings As the 36th Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952-1960), Nixon a Republican was defeated in the 1960 Presidential election by John F. Kennedy. He continued to work as a Republican leader throughout the 60’s and worked his way to the forefront by...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...damages that were caused the Watergate scandal in the first article. From a speech President Nixon had given, it showed that there were a lot things that still needed to be done regarding the scandal. The article stated that the officials under the Watergate scandal were cheating, lying and engaging in illegal activities while in high positions of the government. The people believed that the president did not stand up to the crisis and that he had only done the bare requirements for the situation at hand. The people stongly believed that President Nixon should have done something more to eliminate the Watergate scandal as soon as it was leaked. The article had also showed that the people were not happy with President Nixon’s actions by only accepting the resignations of H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, (Genovese, 1999). He had also accepted the resignation of Attorney General Kleindienst and appointed Elliot Richardson and instructed him to handle the crisis. Finally, the President had made the correct decision by dismissing his White House Counsel John Dean. The second article portrays President Nixon as a good, moral leader. It tried to defend the President from being impeached by acknowledging his achievements. The article also showed that he was human and not perfect. The actions of the President by trying to resolve the crisis, led to speculations by the Chicago Tribune's editorial to leave office. They did not believe in President Nixon and felt that he let the...
Words: 780 - Pages: 4
...Watergate Paper 03/19/2012 His/145 Cynthia Grant Watergate Paper By 1968 the unpopularity of Lyndon B. Johnson due to the Vietnam War, ushered in yet another American President, Richard M. Nixon. Thought the United States was in the middle of a cultural revolution the change was welcomed. President Richard Nixon could relate to the average American. A product of the hard working middle class, President Nixon rose to prominence through his own will and determination. While not the ideal time to become the President of the United States of America, President Nixon would project a stern image that supported traditional Values. President Nixon inherited the Vietnam conflict and an economy that was weakening the greatest scandal that would send an American President packing. was about to unfold. An obscure break in at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in Washington D.C. in 1972 would create one of the most serious crises in the history of the United States Presidency’s. In 1961 we learned that the first presidential debate was televised live so media coverage of the scandal would surely steer up the American People. The Watergate Scandal would occupy the American Nation for the next two years beginning in 1972; and ultimately, in the summer of 1974. On June 17, 1972 police arrested 5 men who had broken into the offices of the Democratic National Committee’s Headquarters and would eventually arrest 2 additional men who were responsible for the break in. The Washington...
Words: 738 - Pages: 3
...Watergate Lucia San Nicolas HIS/145 October 19, 2011 Marciano Flores Watergate The Watergate scandal shocked millions of Americans when it was revealed in 1972. The president at that time was Richard M. Nixon, who himself was involved within the scandal. The Watergate scandal took place in 1972 when a group of five men broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office complex in Washington. The five men involved in this burglary were eventually identified as Virgilio Gonzalez, Frank Sturgis, Eugenio Martinez, Bernard Barker and James W. McCord Jr. were arrested and plead guilty to charges. Later, it was revealed the burglary was arranged plot to plant bugs in the offices of the Democratic Committee. President Nixon was linked to the scandal when a check for $25,000 dollars, which was intended for the campaign of Nixon’s reelection, was found deposited into an account of one of the five burglars involved in the Watergate scandal. The Watergate scandal was revealed over a two year span and the media coverage kept the American people informed through it all. The media coverage started the day after the events took place. June 18, 1972 Washington Post reported the burglary. Two reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were assigned to investigate the Watergate cover-up and would reveal that former Central Intelligence officer, who had worked in the White House when Nixon was in office E. Howard Hunt and Federal Bureau Investigator...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...The Watergate Scandal is one of the most serious political crimes committed by the President of the United States and his staff. Richard Nixon, anxious of losing his reelection, made an unacceptable move to place himself and the Republicans above of the Democratic party. The Watergate Scandal started with a few men , who broke in to the Democratic National Committee building, in order to plant listening devices, and stop leaks of any information regarding his earlier Presidency. The first article Watergate: The Unfinished Business, makes the reader willing to look deeply into the innocence of President Nixon. The author decided to present an important key events, rather than make a direct statement about Nixon's guilt. As a society, we want...
Words: 649 - Pages: 3
...Nixon attempted to cover up his involvement in the act. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by nixon. Although nixon was never arrested. The Watergate scandal changed politics forever and made Americans question their leadership and think more critically about the presidency. Ford became president when Richard Nixon resigned due to to the Watergate scandal. Gerald was only vice preisent for 8 months, Nixon resigned rather than facing impeachment. President richard nixon resinged on august 9 1974, after that Ford became president. Ford assured the American people that things would get better Just one month after ford assumed posistion as president, Ford granted past president Richard Nixon a full,free, and absolute pardon on September 8th 1974. This saved Nixon from probable criminal prosicution for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. His decision to pardon Richard Nixon caused a lot of controversy and many people believed that his presidency was an arranged deal. But Gerald insisted that the pardon was the beginning of the healing. This one stroke destroyed Ford’s credibility of presidency, According to a Gallup...
Words: 575 - Pages: 3
...21st Century (HIST101) Colorado Technical University For this project I am going to discuss two different articles about President Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal. The first article is “The Washington Post Editorial Watergate: The unfinished business.” The other article that I will be discussing and comparing is one written by Dean Burch. “In Defense of Richard Nixon.” I will provide a brief summary of the two arguments as well as describe how the Watergate events changed American views in politics and politicians. I will also speculate how the events could have been different if the media and population during the Watergate scandal had today’s technology, an example being smart phones, and social media. Editorial: Watergate: The Unfinished Business In this Washington Post Editorial its opening sentence describes Nixon’s speech and actions as “far-reaching as they where in impact and effect” (1973, May 1). The editorial goes on to talk about how the President wants to turn the Watergate scandal over to the courts and let them sort it out. The writer then states that the President removed and added members of his cabinet, some of which were directly related to the Watergate scandal, and for the most part it was not a decision that the public supported. The article then goes on and makes the remark “But the remaking of the Nixon presidency will also depend on his willingness and capacity to bring not just new men, or even new approaches, but a whole new environment...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...The Watergate Scandal Richard Milhous Nixon was the thirty-seventh President of the United States of America from 1969 until 1974. Nixon completed his first term as President in 1973 and was re-elected for the position for the next four years. However, Nixon would have his time in the White House cut short by the series of events that occurred in the twenty-six months that followed the Watergate burglary. On June 17, 1972 five men, one White House employee and four Cubans, broke into the Watergate Office Building in Washington, DC in an attempt to bug the Democratic National Committee (DNC) office. The break in and the events that took place afterwards led to the resignation of Richard Milhous Nixon on August 8, 1974. The morning of June 18, Nixon was at his home in Key Biscayne, FL. when he read a headline about the Watergate break in. The idea was out of this world and Nixon did not believe what he was reading. Nixon dismissed the story as a political prank (Nixon 625-626). James McCord, Bernard Barker, Virgilo Gonzalez, Eugenio Martinez, and Frank Sturgis had been arrested and charged with second-degree burglary by the Washington police (WHT 820). McCord, a former CIA officer, was employed by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP) as a security consultant. Ironically McCord was supposed to prevent the very things he was doing to the DNC. Nixon telephoned Charles Colson, a special counsel to President Nixon, that evening to discuss the Watergate break in. Colson said...
Words: 2069 - Pages: 9
...January 2015 Watergate: The Stain in American History About 40 years ago on August 8, 1974, five men dressed in suits were arrest for breaking into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Offices in the Watergate Hotel. They were charged with burglary and attempting to wire the DNC offices. This event in history would later be known as "Watergate." After a string of other scandals connected to this robbery took place, President Richard Nixon chose to resign his presidency. During this time, President Nixon maintained his innocence. After reading the two articles in the assignment, I believe American development mixed emotions about the event that took place after the Watergate incident. After reading the Washington Post Editorial,"Watergate: The Unfinished Business", it leads me to believe that President Nixon had some part in the incident that took place. This article totally supports my opinion. The article points out how President's Nixon top officials resigned to aid in the cover-up of his involvement of the Watergate crime and the official could have possibly been forces to resign. My conclusion was different after reading the Harvard Crimson article,"In the Defense of Richard Nixon." This letter was sent to the Chicago Tribune by the Special Assistant to the President after the paper called for President Nixon's resignation. This letter presents a more human side to the President. This letter supports the actions of President Nixon by giving him the...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...(DNC) at the Watergate Hotel and Complex on June 17, 1972, the burglary was reported briefly and soon forgotten amidst other headlining news. Months later, the Watergate Burglary exploded when ties were found between the break-in and Richard Nixon’s Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) (Bernstein). Thus began the Watergate Scandal: the bugging and burglary at the Watergate Complex, the cover-up ordered by President Nixon himself, and the Watergate trials which revealed patterns of ethical misconduct within the Nixon administration. The scandal’s traditional timeline ranges from the break-in at the Watergate Complex, Washington D.C. in June of 1972...
Words: 1699 - Pages: 7
...protesters outside. This was Richard Nixon’s reality. In the next paragraph you will hear about Nixon’s childhood. You will learn how Nixon became president, and some of his accomplishments. Speaking of Nixon, did you know that his middle name was Milhous? So let's get started, hope you like what's next. The day was Thursday January 9 1913 in California when life gave way to Richard Milhous Nixon. His father was francis Nixon and his mother was Hannah Nixon. Nixon lived on a ranch in Yorba Linda California. After living at the lemon farm, Nixon wanted to do more in life, not just live at a lemon farm. Growing up, Nixon had 4 other brothers; Harold, Francis, Arthur and Edward. Next, Nixon served in WWII. After that, he went to Duke University of Law. As an adult, he worked for the federal government after he was Vice President. I...
Words: 430 - Pages: 2
...17, 1972, after midnight, a security guard at the watergate building in Washington D.C, identified as Frank Wills, found security tapes on some of the unlocked building doors. Wills did not pay attention to the tape until an hour later, where he found the same doors now blocked, and went on to call the police. After the arrival of the police, five men equipped with spy devices with a value of about 3500 dollars were found in the building of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and were immediately arrested. While the intruders were awaiting federal prosecution, the FBI began an investigation on the incident. Thanks to the report of two Washington Post journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, there were suggestions that led to the connection between the five men, who were now awaiting trial in federal court, and the re-election campaign of the current president Richard Nixon. Unsurprisingly, the White House refused this possibility and denied any connection between the five individuals and President Nixon. In November 1972 Richard Nixon was re-elected as president of the United States of America even though the connection with the stealing of Watergate documents was confirmed months before. The Senate voted on February 1973 for the creation of a Select Committee on...
Words: 1522 - Pages: 7
...Running head: WATERGATE 1 WATERGATE DEVRY UNIVERSITY ONLINE. OCTOBER 20, 2014 WATERGATE 2 INTRODUCTION Watergate is a word that will forever be connected to the 37th President, Richard Nixon. What started out as a botched robbery at the Democratic Reelection headquarters would later become know for bringing down the Presidency. The American public would be able to see and hear firsthand what actually occurred in the Whitehouse behind closed doors, because of the national media that it created and the broadcasting of the Watergate Senate Hearings. This would bring to light the illegal activity that occurred during this time affecting many and changing politics as they were known. This paper will discuss the events that lead up to the Senate hearings and the fall of an American President. The careers that were made and the ones destroyed. The outcome and how it affected the American public and the future of politics. WATERGATE 3 WATERGATE At a time when the American population was dealing with the devastation of the Vietnam War and the loss of many loved ones a robbery at the Watergate hotel hit the papers. Many people did not know or even care what this meant, but later it would be found to affect the entire nation. On June 17, 1972 five men broke into the Democratic Reelection headquarters that was located at the Watergate hotel in Washington, DC (Watergate Info, 2012). They were caught with more...
Words: 3084 - Pages: 13
