The Watergate scandal Flashcards
What did Nixon set up in 1972?
Concerned that he might not be re-elected, he set up CREEP (Committee to Re-Elect the President).
What was CREEP encouraged to use?
It was encouraged to use whatever methods necessary to ensure his re-election, with $350,000 set aside for ‘dirty tricks’.
What happened on 17 June 1972?
5 members of CREEP were arrested for breaking into the Watergate offices of the Democratic Party.
What soon became obvious about the burglars?
They were not ordinary burglars, but were there to plant bugging devices. 2 reporters from the ‘Washington Post’ Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, discovered that all 5 burglars were employed by CREEP and that the CREEP fund was controlled by the White House.
How did Nixon react to the claims against CREEP?
He strongly denied all involvement by himself and his advisers, and went on to win a landslide victory in the 1972 presidential election.
What happened in January 1973?
The Watergate burglars went on trial and were all convicted.
What happened in March 1973?
James McCord, one of the convicted, claimed in court that there had been a White House cover-up.
How did Nixon respond to James McCord’s claim?
He admitted that two of his top advisers, Bob Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, had been involved. They then resigned.
What was televised between May and November 1973?
The investigation of a Senate Committee set up to investigate the scandal.
What had become increasingly obvious by 1974?
White House officials had been involved. One of them, John Dean, claimed there had been a cover-up directed by Nixon.
What did the tapes Nixon had to hand in show?
He had been involved in the dirty tricks campaign and had repeatedly lied throughout the investigation.
Why did the tapes shock the nation?
Foul language.
What happened in July 1974?
Congress decided to impeach Nixon. This meant that he would be put on trial with the Senate acting as the jury.
What happened on 8 August 1974?
Nixon resigned, giving his reason in a televised broadcast, to avoid impeachment.
Describe Nixon’s reputation after the Watergate scandal.
He was seen as untrustworthy and was given the nickname ‘Tricky Dicky’. For many years afterwards the Watergate scandal overshadowed all of his other achievements.
