Watergate summary and key players involved

Essay by isabellamargaretCollege, UndergraduateA, November 2007

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WatergateThe Watergate situation is best known for leading to the 1974 resignation of President Nixon. It all began on June 17, 1972, when five men were arrested for breaking in to the office of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel. Further investigation would show that Nixon knew about the break-in from the start and that he was involved in the cover-up as time went on.

The break-in itself was part of a much larger plan by President Nixon supporters to ruin the reputation of the Democratic Party. This included harassment of Democratic candidates, negative campaign ads, two separate break-ins at the National Democratic Headquarters, and another one at Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office. Ellsberg was the person who offered up the Pentagon Papers to the public, detailing the strategy for the United States' position in Vietnam.

Young reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post were assigned to investigate the situation.

Together, they wrote a series of articles that were crucial in exposing the actions of the Nixon administration. Before these two reporters started investigating, almost all media reported the break-in as a minor story, and it had little national coverage. With the help of a source known as Deep Throat, Woodward and Bernstein had uncovered one of the most important stories of the twentieth century.

12 central playersPresident Richard Nixon: The 37th President of the United States, and the only U.S. President to resign from office. He ordered an illegal cover-up, owed back taxes, accepted illicit campaign money, and harassed opponents with executive agencies, wiretaps, and break-ins.

Bob Woodward: A reporter for The Washington Post, who helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to President Nixon's resignation.

Carl Bernstein: Also a reporter for The Washington Post, who helped uncover the Watergate scandal.

Deep Throat: An important...