The Watergate Scandal In The 1970's

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The Watergate Scandal HIS/145 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Watergate Scandal The Watergate scandal was one of the largest scandals that shook the nation in the 1970s. Watergate changed how the public in general perceived politics. This scandal began when the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, located in a Washington office complex named the Watergate, was broken into on June 17, 1972. Upon further investigation of the break-in, it became evident that the five men arrested were part of the Plumbers’, former CIA and FBI agents that were a secret unit built and maintained by the White House. Watergate became a complex web of political…show more content…
Many wanted to believe that he was innocent and that he was the trusted leader of the nation that had been voted into Presidency. As investigations continued about the scandal, this belief of his innocence quickly demised. Some of the sadness and disbelief felt by the nation is portrayed through a quote by Mrs. Bennett from Pittsburg, PA. “I wanted to feel that the President didn’t know, but I know that’s not true. I truly feel he knew, and it hurts me. You like to think your leader is honest and upright, flawless, A-1. When you find out he’s not, especially when he’s got your life in his hands, it makes you feel terrible” (Roberts,…show more content…
Nixon, 37th President of the United States, announced his resignation. Nixon was the first to leave office under threat of impeachment. His resignation came as a disastrous peak of mismanagement of the Presidential office and was revealed before the stunned American public as the watched in awe. Many Americans expressed their feelings of relief that this ongoing political nightmare was over “But his accomplishments, or his failures of accomplishments, are the least important part of the saga of Richard M. Nixon. What is important is that here was a man who failed his public trust. Never before in American history has there been such a failure at so high a level. This is the sorrow and tragedy” (, 1974). Conclusion A President that was full of secrecy, control, and obsession with information, is what ultimately led to the Watergate scandal. Watergate captivated Americans and kept them wondering what the truth behind the Presidential scandal was. It took several years for President Nixon to be finally connected with and implicated as being part and behind the largest political scandal in history. On threat of impeachment, President Nixon finally decided to resign has President of the United States. The Watergate scandal went down in history as one of the largest Presidential and political scandals of all time.

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