The History of the watergate scandal
It all started when five men broke into the Watergate plaza on and stole top secret files and wired the phones and put speakers in the offices. But, before they could they were caught red handed by a guard. At first the break in was only a small story in the news, then many investigators looked into the whole situation. The five men were: James McCord, Bernard Barker, Eugenio Martinez, Frank Sturgis, and Virgillio Gonzales. The men (except for McCord) were involved with anti-Castro clubs. And, McCord was an C.I.A. officer.
The investigators soon found out that the five men were working for Nixon’s re-election committee, and they also found out that those five men were paid by white house workers to keep quiet about the scandal. The investigators suspected that Nixon was involved in the scandal, but Nixon denied any and every claim that said that he was involved in the scandal. Come to find out that every one of Nixon’s conversations in the White House (the Oval Office) had been recorded.
The investigators demanded all of the sixty-four tapes, and Nixon refused to give them any. The investigators then made a small offer, and asked for only seven of the tapes, but once again Nixon refused. The Supreme Court got very suspicious of Nixon refusing to give up everything, so they then ordered Nixon to give the investigators all of the sixty-four tapes. Nixon finally surrendered the tapes, but many of the tapes had some deleted parts in it, in fact one of the tapes had eighteen minutes missing from the tape and Nixon’s secretary (Rose Mary Woods) claimed that she had “accidentally” deleted those eighteen minutes while giving them to the investigators.
After Nixon gave the tapes up, twenty-two percent in his popularity dropped. When they listened to the tapes, the investigators made a shocking new discovery. Nixon had been involved with the Watergate Scandal-- in fact he had sent the burglars in the Watergate plaza and he also tried to cover the situation up by paying people to keep quiet. In Nixon’s first year of presidency he had made a list of “enemies” (protestors, reporters, entertainers, and others who had made Nixon mad) and he already had eighteen news men on his list because he suspected them to be involved with information leaks. Every person on Nixon’s “enemy” list had been subdued to wire tapping. Nixon also had approved break-ins, wiretaps, and other illegal things just to find information on antiwar activists. Nixon hired what he called “plumbers” to forge letters, make phony phone calls, hand out bad flyers that were made to smear Democratic candidates.
The investigators brought the case to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court recommended impeachment. But, before they could impeach Nixon, he resigned (Nixon was the only president in the history of the U.S. to resign). He resigned on August 9th, 1974. He was still charged with multiple crimes even though he resigned, but when his vice president (Gerald Ford) took office, his first line of business was to pardon Nixon of all his crimes. Within a week of Ford becoming president, (after Ford pardoned Nixon) Ford’s popularity dropped from 71% to 49%. It was the biggest drop in poll history. In 1974 surveys were given out, one said:
“Do you believe those who run the government are crooked?”
53% said “Yes”
47% said “No”
There was also another poll in 1974 that said:
“Do you want the president removed from office?”
49% said “Yes”
14% said “No”
37% said “Undecided”
A third poll in 1974 said:
“How much faith do you have in the government?”
43% said “Hardly Any”
The American people never fully trusted the government again since the 1970s, their trust was just broken. Back then, everyone had full trust in the government. Something like a scandal from the government would have never ever even crossed their minds. That is why they no longer fully trust the government. The America people have never really forgiven the government for the Watergate scandal. Little to no American people fully trust the government, like they did before the Watergate scandal. I am not sure the American people will ever truly forgive the government.
The investigators soon found out that the five men were working for Nixon’s re-election committee, and they also found out that those five men were paid by white house workers to keep quiet about the scandal. The investigators suspected that Nixon was involved in the scandal, but Nixon denied any and every claim that said that he was involved in the scandal. Come to find out that every one of Nixon’s conversations in the White House (the Oval Office) had been recorded.
The investigators demanded all of the sixty-four tapes, and Nixon refused to give them any. The investigators then made a small offer, and asked for only seven of the tapes, but once again Nixon refused. The Supreme Court got very suspicious of Nixon refusing to give up everything, so they then ordered Nixon to give the investigators all of the sixty-four tapes. Nixon finally surrendered the tapes, but many of the tapes had some deleted parts in it, in fact one of the tapes had eighteen minutes missing from the tape and Nixon’s secretary (Rose Mary Woods) claimed that she had “accidentally” deleted those eighteen minutes while giving them to the investigators.
After Nixon gave the tapes up, twenty-two percent in his popularity dropped. When they listened to the tapes, the investigators made a shocking new discovery. Nixon had been involved with the Watergate Scandal-- in fact he had sent the burglars in the Watergate plaza and he also tried to cover the situation up by paying people to keep quiet. In Nixon’s first year of presidency he had made a list of “enemies” (protestors, reporters, entertainers, and others who had made Nixon mad) and he already had eighteen news men on his list because he suspected them to be involved with information leaks. Every person on Nixon’s “enemy” list had been subdued to wire tapping. Nixon also had approved break-ins, wiretaps, and other illegal things just to find information on antiwar activists. Nixon hired what he called “plumbers” to forge letters, make phony phone calls, hand out bad flyers that were made to smear Democratic candidates.
The investigators brought the case to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court recommended impeachment. But, before they could impeach Nixon, he resigned (Nixon was the only president in the history of the U.S. to resign). He resigned on August 9th, 1974. He was still charged with multiple crimes even though he resigned, but when his vice president (Gerald Ford) took office, his first line of business was to pardon Nixon of all his crimes. Within a week of Ford becoming president, (after Ford pardoned Nixon) Ford’s popularity dropped from 71% to 49%. It was the biggest drop in poll history. In 1974 surveys were given out, one said:
“Do you believe those who run the government are crooked?”
53% said “Yes”
47% said “No”
There was also another poll in 1974 that said:
“Do you want the president removed from office?”
49% said “Yes”
14% said “No”
37% said “Undecided”
A third poll in 1974 said:
“How much faith do you have in the government?”
43% said “Hardly Any”
The American people never fully trusted the government again since the 1970s, their trust was just broken. Back then, everyone had full trust in the government. Something like a scandal from the government would have never ever even crossed their minds. That is why they no longer fully trust the government. The America people have never really forgiven the government for the Watergate scandal. Little to no American people fully trust the government, like they did before the Watergate scandal. I am not sure the American people will ever truly forgive the government.