Watergate Break-In

The June 17, 1972 arrest of five men who broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington D.C. Watergate complex led to a series of political scandals and the resignation of President Richard Nixon in August 1974.

Fast Facts

1. Richard Nixon denied having anything to do with the break-in
2. He was found to be involved in its cover-up
3. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein unraveled the scandal
4. A main source for the two reporters was known as Deep Throat
5. The House of Representatives moved to impeach Nixon
6. He resigned on August 8th, 1974, insisting he had never broken the law
7. Nixon was the first U.S. President to resign
8. Gerald Ford became America's 38th President, the only President never elected to any office higher than the US Congress

Significance

Investigations into the break-in eventually revealed the secretive surveillance activities of the Nixon administration. After the release of the Pentagon Papers, detailing governmental strategies and cover-ups concerning the War in Vietnam, Nixon became concerned with preventing leaks of classified information to the press. In response, he set up a unit of so-called "plumbers," working out of The White House, and paid through a campaign slush fund. A number of these plumbers would eventually be convicted for participating in political sabotage, and some served jail time.

The Watergate Tapes

Much of the Congressional investigation into Watergate concerned a series of secret tapes made by Nixon of White House conversations. The most incriminating tape, known as the "smoking gun" tape, features Nixon asking aides to suggest that the CIA Director halt the FBI's investigation into the Watergate break-in on national security grounds. Another tape famously features an 18 1/2 minute gap of unknown purpose or origin.

Nixon Resigns

After resigning from the Presidency, Nixon himself was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford. Though he conceded to making errors of judgment that led to his downfall, Nixon never admitted to any genuine wrong-doing or illegal activities on his own part.

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