What is the Watergate Affair?
The Watergate affair was a political scandal that occurred in the United States between 1972 and 1974 It resulted in the arrest of five men for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington D.C. The scandal was exposed by two Washington Post reporters, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, who revealed the burglary was linked to US President Richard Nixon and his White House aides. Nixon was later forced to resign from office in August 1974 following impeachment proceedings by the US House of Representatives for attempting to cover up his involvement in the scandal.
The Watergate scandal is widely regarded as one of the most shocking political scandals in US history. It helped uncover a widespread system of corruption and abuse of power within the Nixon administration. As a result, it led to the creation of several laws which tightened campaign finance regulations and restricted the covert activities of intelligence agencies.
Five Examples of People Hurt by the Watergate Affair
1. Richard Nixon: The former President was forced to resign from office after being accused of attempting to cover up his involvement in the Watergate burglary. He was also the first US President to be impeached and was later pardoned by President Gerald Ford.
2. Martha Mitchell: The wife of Nixon's campaign manager, John Mitchell, Martha was one of the first people to publicly link the White House to the Watergate burglary. She was vilified by the media and within the Nixon administration for her outspoken claims which ultimately proved to be true.
3. John Dean: A White House counsel, John Dean was deeply involved in the coverup of the Watergate burglary. He eventually testified for the prosecution, leading to 33 indictments, including Nixon himself.
4. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward: The two Washington Post reporters exposed the Watergate burglary and its ties to the Nixon White House. After receiving intense criticism and even death threats, they eventually won the Pulitzer Prize for their reporting.
5. Various Political Figures: Many figures in the Nixon administration, such as John Ehrlichman, H.R. Haldeman and John Mitchell, were implicated in the scandal. Their reputations were left severely damaged and their political careers were ruined.