Anyone who is interested or has read about American politics is aware of the Watergate scandal. One of the biggest political scandals of its time, it brought down then-President Richard Nixon and eventually ended his political career. To this date, it intrigues scholars and political experts.
The name stems from the Watergate Office Building in Washington D.C. where the Democratic National Committee headquarters was situated. Over the years, several films, books, and shows have been made on this major event that shaped US politics in later years.
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Everything About The Watergate Scandal
In mid-1971, the Pentagon papers were leaked which revealed that Presidents from Harry S. Truman to Lyndon B. Johnson intentionally went full swing in the Vietnam War. This was in sharp contrast to what they told the general public.
After Johnson, Republican Party’s Richard Nixon became the President. Since the paper leak happened under his administration, he tried to cover up the news. His advisor hired people, known as ‘The White House Plumbers’ to stop the news leak.
Some FBI and CIA agents also got involved in the coverup. Ahead of the 1972 elections, a committee was formed for Nixon’s reelection which reportedly used illegal measures to achieve its goals.
They planned to bug and steal information from the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel. On June 17, 1972, during the second break-in, five people were arrested with cash for Nixon’s reelection.
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The Downfall Of Richard Nixon
The perpetrators were linked to E. Howard Hunt, who in fact, was connected to the ‘Plumbers’. Richard Nixon quickly tried to stop the CIA from further investigating the case. His administration denied their involvement in the burglary.
One of the burglars was an aide of the Republican party and another clue led the officials to the committee known as CRP. On June 20, two Washington Post journalists named Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein wrote a report on Nixon’s connection with Hunt.
Their anonymous source was named ‘Deep Throat’. This was a major point in unraveling the mystery of this case. Nixon was impeached in 1973 and his reputation further took a beating after the release of the White House tapes which confirmed his involvement in the cover-up.
His political support became extinct after these revelations and on August 9, 1974, he resigned from office. Several top administration officials from that time were eventually convicted. In 2005, it was revealed that ‘Deep Throat‘ was former FBI deputy director Mark Felt.
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