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The Watergate Scandal: Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon's paranoid style of governing led to the Watergate scandal. His close circle of unelected assistants advised him rather than elected officials. In 1972, burglars were caught trying to plant wiretaps at the Democratic headquarters, and were connected to Nixon's re-election committee. Over the next two years, investigations revealed Nixon's involvement in the cover-up. In 1974, the Supreme Court ruled Nixon must release recordings proving his role, and he became the first US president to resign facing impeachment and removal from office. The scandal weakened the presidency and eroded public trust in government.

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Merlin Wehrs
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35 views2 pages

The Watergate Scandal: Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon's paranoid style of governing led to the Watergate scandal. His close circle of unelected assistants advised him rather than elected officials. In 1972, burglars were caught trying to plant wiretaps at the Democratic headquarters, and were connected to Nixon's re-election committee. Over the next two years, investigations revealed Nixon's involvement in the cover-up. In 1974, the Supreme Court ruled Nixon must release recordings proving his role, and he became the first US president to resign facing impeachment and removal from office. The scandal weakened the presidency and eroded public trust in government.

Uploaded by

Merlin Wehrs
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lukas, Sebastian, Merlin

06/27/14


The Watergate scandal
Handout

Richard Nixon:


Style of government
Nixons style of government was shaped by his paranoid fear of potential political enemies, as well as an
extreme secrecy:
He mostly discussed political issues with a close circle of assistants, who were not elected democratically,
rather than with his ministers. He also put up the so called Nixon Enemies List on which the people
appeared, who he considered to be his political opponents. Those were often wiretapped and for example
their tax declarations were checked more frequently.
The Watergate scandal Timeline:

1972 - June 17: 5 burglars are caught, attempting to plant wiretaps in the headquarters of the
Democratic Party in the Watergate complex. A connection between the criminals and the
Republican Party is evident.
- October 10: FBI agents prove that the Watergate burglary is only a part of several acts of
political spying, done by the Committee for the Re-Election of the President Nixon.
1973 - April 30: Some of Nixons closest assistants resign, because of their involvement in the burglary.
- May 18: The Senate Watergate Committee starts its public trials.
- June 3: Former White House counsel John Dean testifies, that Nixon was involved in the break-
in and later tried to cover-up his involvement.
- June 23: Nixon refuses to hand the presidential tape recordings to the Committee. They contain
all conversations Nixon ever made in the White House.
- October 20: Nixon fires the special prosecutor Archibald Cox, whose task was to examine
Nixons guilt.
BORN IN YORBA LINDA,
CALIFORNIA
BECOMES SENATOR
BECOMES VICE
PRESIDENT UNDER
EISENHOWER
LOSES PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION
LOSES ELECTION FOR
GOVERNOR OF
CALIFORNIA
BECOMES 37TH
PRESIDENT OF THE US
APPOLLO 11 MISSION
BOMBING OF CAMBODIA
VISIT TO CHINA
VISIT TO THE USSR
REELECTION
PARIS PEACE ACCORDS
RESIGNATION
Lukas, Sebastian, Merlin
06/27/14


1974 - July 24: The Supreme Court decides, that Nixon has to hand out the presidential tape recordings.
- July 27: The first of three articles of impeachment is passed. It states, that Nixon is guilty of
obstruction of Justice.
- August 5: The White House released a tape called the smoking gun, which proved Nixons
involvement in the cover-up of the scandal.
- August 8: After Nixon has lost all support in the impeachment committee, he becomes the first
president of the US to resign.
- September 8: The new president Gerald Ford pardons Nixon of all charges.


Lasting effects:
- The Power of the president was permanently limited, as a result of the Supreme Court case
United States v. Nixon.
- The Americans partly lost their trust in the government, as well as in the existence of the
separation of power, which resulted in a great number of protests.
- The exposure of the scandal is considered to be a success of the freedom of the press, as well as
a beginning of investigative journalism.

Useful vocabulary

burglar Einbrecher
(to) wiretap abhren
wiretap Abhrgert
bribe Schmiergeld
impeachment Amtsenthebungsverfahren
obstruction of justice Behinderung der Justiz
tape - Tonband
resignation - Rcktritt
vice president Vizeprsident

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