Defining Documents in American History: Watergate (Defining Documents in American History)

The term “Watergate” has become synonymous with political corruption, intrigue and scandal, but what were the details of the events from 1972-1974 that led to the scandal becoming so well-known and climactic that it led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, and has reverberated throughout the years ever since? From the events leading up to the wiretapping of the Democratic Party's headquarters in 1972, to the investigative reporting of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and others that exposed the scandal to the general public, to Nixon’s eventual resignation after the “smoking gun” audiotape revealed the depth of his involvement, the Watergate scandal dominated the American consciousness and added to a growing sense of public mistrust during the 1970s. Details of the scandal were further entrenched with the release of Woodward and Bernstein’s non-fiction book All the President’s Men (1974) and subsequent movie adaptation in 1976, as well as Nixon’s own infamous interview with British journalist David Frost in 1977. It set the benchmark for scandals to come, with the “-gate” suffix becoming part of popular culture in relation to naming other corrupt, generally political, events. This volume explores the development of the scandal, its exposure and aftermath, and lingering effect on American politics. Documents examined include articles, committee transcripts, legislative debates, speeches, historical accounts, court cases, and more.