Watergate Scandal

About

The Watergate scandal was a pivotal event in U.S. history, marking a significant crisis in the presidency of Richard Nixon. It began on June 17, 1972, when five men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. The intruders aimed to install wiretaps and gather information to aid Nixon's re-election campaign. The incident initially seemed minor, but it soon led to a massive cover-up involving high-ranking officials in the Nixon administration. The scandal unfolded as journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, with the help of an anonymous source known as "Deep Throat," uncovered evidence linking the break-in to the White House. This led to Senate hearings and the discovery of Nixon's secret Oval Office tapes, which revealed his involvement in the cover-up. The tapes became crucial evidence in the impeachment process. Facing certain impeachment, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, becoming the first U.S. president to do so. The scandal highlighted the importance of checks and balances in government and reshaped political journalism.