Watergate Scandal

Nixon's Vice Presidency

Jan 20, 1953

Nixon is President Dwight D. Eisenhower's vice president from 1953-1961.

Nixon's Campaign for Presidency

Jan 1, 1968

Nixon's promise to Americans was that if he was elected, he would get the country out of Vietnam. He said that "new leadership will end the war and win the peace in the Pacific." Nixon's campaign slogan was "Nixon's the One."

Richard Nixon becomes president

Jan 20, 1969

Richard Nixon is elected as the 37th president of the United States.

Address to the Nation

Apr 30, 1970

In his Address to the nation, Nixon said that he planned to hit North Vietnam sanctuaries in Laos and Cambodia to weaken the Viet Cong. Anti-War supporters protested against spreading the war from Vietnam to the rest of Ind-China. However, this strategy was supposed to shorten the war more quickly.

The Pentagon Papers are first published in the NY Times

Jun 13, 1971

In 1969, Daniel Ellsberg, who worked for the Pentagon, started photocopying highly classified documents to leak to the NY Times. The papers had information about how the Johnson Administration had lied to Congress and the American public about their knowledge about the war. When they were published, the whole situation brought great embarrasment to Nixon and the previous Kennedy Administration. The Nixon administration began a campaign against Ellsberg personally, who was now on the enemy list.

Established: White House Plumbers

Jul 24, 1971

The Plumbers were a covert White House Inverstigations unit established to stop the leaking of classified information to the news media. They went through and messed up the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist to uncover classified files and to discredit Ellsberg.

Break-in Occurs at the Watergate Complex

Jun 17, 1972

A security guard notices that the locks in the compex had been taped and retaped, so he notified the police. Five men were arrested inside the Democratic National Committee headquarters. They were charged with attempted burglary and attempted communication intervention. The government downplays this as "3rd rate burglary," to make the American public feel as though nothing serious happened.

Watergate Burglars are indicted

Sep 15, 1972

Two White House officials and five other burglars are indicted by a federal grand jury.

Burglary Trials

Jan 8, 1973

Five defendants plead guilty at the trials.

Kick-Outs and Resignations

Apr 30, 1973

The senior White house administration officials John Ehrlichman, H. R. Haldeman, and Richard Kleindienst resign. John Dean, the White House Counsel, is fired.

The Conversations were taped...

Jul 13, 1973

Alexander Butterfield, the former presidential appointments secretary, reveals that all conversations and telephone calls in Nixon’s office have been taped since 1971.

White House Taping System

Jul 18, 1973

President Nixon orders the White House taping systems to be disconnected.

Nixon Refuses to Turn over presidential tapings

Jul 23, 1973

Nixon refuses to turn over presidential tapings to the Senate Watergate Committee or the special prosecutor.

Hand Over those Tapes!

Jul 24, 1974

The Supreme Court ruled that "executive privilege" gave Nixon no right to withhold evidence relevant to possible criminal activity. Nixon is forced to hand over the tapes.

Resignation

Aug 9, 1974

Nixon resigns because he faces impeachment for his role in the Watergate Scandal.

Gerald Ford Becomes President

Aug 9, 1974

Gerald Ford becomes president of the United States on August 9, 1974 after Nixon resigned because of involvement in the Watergate Scandal. He was the only person to assume the vice-presidency and the presidency without having been voted into either office.

Gerald Ford Pardons Nixon

Sep 8, 1974

Ford issued Proclamation 4311 on this day, which gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he may have committed against the United States while President. Ford felt that the pardon was in the best interest of the country.