1. Why?
“King Richard”
Views on Power
Previous elections

2. Nixon and the Watergate Affair
Key Questions
Why did a burglary lead to the President’s resignation?
In 1972 Burglars were caught in the Democrat’s election HQ at the Watergate Complex.
They were linked to the Republican Party.
Richard Nixon was standing for re-election as the Republican’s Presidential candidate.
He was probably not involved.
Later, Nixon tried to cover up his knowledge of the events.
He was forced to resign when it was proved that he had lied.
How did Watergate affect people’s opinion of their government?
Many Americans lost faith in their leaders and their government.
They questioned the openness and accountability of government.
They no longer trusted politicians or government agencies like the CIA and FBI.

3. The Break-In
On the 17th June 1972 five burglars were caught inside the Democratic Party Offices in the Watergate complex, Washington. They were trying to place ‘bugging’ devices and steal documents to gain Democratic ‘plans’ for the coming Presidential election.
The Democrats complained of ‘dirty tricks’.
Richard Nixon – aided by CREEP (Campaign To Re-Elect The President) – easily won the 1972 election and everyone expected the matter of the break–in would ‘blow over’.  

4. Watergate Office and Apartment Complex

5. Washington Post Reports
October 10, 1972: FBI agents establish that the Watergate break-in stems from a massive campaign of political spying & sabotage conducted on behalf of the Nixon reelection effort.

7. Landslide Victory
November 11, 1972: Nixon is reelected in one of the largest landslides in American political history, taking more than 60 percent of the vote and crushing the Democratic nominee, Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota.

8. Victory in 72’

9. The Cover Up There is no direct evidence that President Nixon
knew about the break-in before it happened.
However, people working for him definitely knew about it.
When Nixon found this out he decided on a cover-up. The burglars, it was suggested, should be ‘paid off’.
It was Nixon’s misuse of Presidential Power to cover up a crime by his staff, that was a big mistake.
The President tried to block investigations by the Police, The Justice Department and even his Congress, but gradually the truth emerged. Throughout, Nixon maintained he was innocent of any wrongdoing.

10. Woodward & Berstein Worked for the Washington Post
Dug deep into Watergate scandal
Assisted by inside source = Deep Throat
All The President’s Men about the scandal & mentions source
Who is the secret source?

11. Who is Deep Throat?
2005 FBI Agent Mark Felt confessed that he is Deep Throat
His identity was protected by Woodward & Berstein for almost 30 years!

12. Burglar Convictions
January 30, 1973: Former Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord Jr. are convicted of conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping in the Watergate incident. Five other men plead guilty, but mysteries remain. Who ordered the burglaries?

13. Others Involved??
April 30, 1973: Nixon's top White House staffers, H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resign over the scandal. White House counsel John Dean is fired

14. Hearings
May 18, 1973: The Senate Watergate committee begins its nationally televised hearings. Attorney General-designate Elliot Richardson taps former solicitor general Archibald Cox as the Justice Department's special prosecutor for Watergate.

15. Presidential Coverup?
June 3, 1973: John Dean has told Watergate investigators that he discussed the Watergate cover-up with President Nixon at least 35 times, The Post reports.

16. White House Tapes
July 13, 1973: Alexander Butterfield, former presidential appointments secretary, reveals in congressional testimony that since 1971 Nixon had recorded all conversations and telephone calls in his offices.
July 18, 1973: Nixon reportedly orders the White House taping system disconnected.

18. THE TAPES!
July 23, 1973: Nixon refuses to turn over the presidential tape recordings to the Senate Watergate committee or the special prosecutor.

19. SN MASSACRE
October 20, 1973: Saturday Night Massacre: Nixon fires Archibald Cox and abolishes the office of the special prosecutor. Attorney General Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus resign. Pressure for impeachment mounts in Congress.

20. Tapes given up
November 17, 1973: Nixon declares, "I'm not a crook," maintaining his innocence in the Watergate case.
December 7, 1973: The White House can't explain an 18 1/2 -minute gap in one of the subpoenaed tapes. Chief of staff Alexander Haig says one theory is that "some sinister force" erased the segment.

21. Tapes Transcripts
April 30, 1974: The White House releases more than 1,200 pages of edited transcripts of the Nixon tapes to the House Judiciary Committee, but the committee insists that the tapes themselves must be turned over.

22. Supreme Court Rules:
July 24, 1974: The Supreme Court rules unanimously that Nixon must turn over the tape recordings of 64 White House conversations, rejecting the president's claims of executive privilege.

23. Impeachment
July 27, 1974
The House Judiciary Committee votes to pass the first three articles of impeachment
The President was charged with obstruction of justice

24. Nixon and the Watergate Affair
The Tapes
Since 1970, Nixon had taped all conversations in his Oval Office. When this became known people knew Nixon had tried to cover-up the burglary and his denials had been untrue. He had lied to the American People. Nixon tried to stop the tapes being released – he even cut incriminating sections out and blamed his secretary for erasing it!  
The tapes shocked many Americans.
Nixon used foul language and sounded
like a gangster plotting how to get away
with it. Nixon was facing impeachment
(removal from office) and even prison!
On the 8th August 1974 Nixon resigned. He is the only ever President to have resigned!
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25. Resignation
August 8, 1974: Richard Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to resign. Vice President Gerald R. Ford assumes the country's highest office. He will later pardon Nixon of all charges related to the Watergate case.

26. Nixon and the Watergate Affair
The Resignation

27. Departure

28. Pardon me?

29. Ford Controversial Pardon? Ford Pardoned Nixon
Also pardoned draft dodgers
Wanted to move the country forward
Lost public support
“I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln.”

30. Ford’s Presidency Bad economy: inflation & unemployment high
Pres. when Saigon fell
Assassination attempts
Not elected 1976 – Jimmy Carter

31. Nixon and the Watergate Affair
Effects of Watergate
Watergate has serious effects on America. Many Americans felt let down by politicians, especially the President. People felt he had been too powerful. One result was a ‘Freedom of Information Act’, which made it easier for people to obtain official documents and find out what the government is up to.
Watergate weakened the US abroad. When Gerald Ford took over, the north Vietnamese used the confusion to invade south Vietnam, knowing that the US wouldn’t send in troops. In April 1975, South Vietnam fell to the Communists.
Jimmy Carter won the election in At first popular, he got into difficulty with rising inflation and the oil crisis. His failure to gain the release of hostages held in Iran sealed his defeat in1980. Ronald Reagan followed.
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32. Nixon and the Watergate Affair
What was Watergate? On 17th June 1972 , 5 men broke into the Democratic Party HQ at the ‘Watergate’ Building in Washington DC. They were caught trying to ‘bug’ the phones and to take pictures of important documents. During their trial the men admitted that they had been paid to do it by the Republican party to help them win the election.
How were the Media Involved? Once the burglars admitted that they had been paid by the Republican party there had to be an investigation. The official investigation turned up nothing but 2 Journalists from the Washington Post, Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein were convinced that there was a ‘Cover–up’ going on and conducted their own investigation. They kept digging and digging until they found out the truth.
How did it lead to Nixon’s Resignation? Nixon went on TV and told the American people that he knew nothing about the ‘Watergate’ affair and promised them that there was no cover – up going on. However, all Nixon’ s phone calls from his office had been taped and when they were played they proved that Nixon was lying and that he did know about ‘Watergate’ . As a result he was forced to resign as President because nobody trusted him anymore.