The Watergate Scandal Flashcards
Define ‘scandal’.
An action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.
What were the Pentagon Papers?
Reports
What did CREEP stand for?
Committtee for Re-Election of the President
What was at the Watergate Hotel?
Democratic Headquarters
How many people were arrested trying to break into the Watergate Hotel?
5
When were 5 men arrested trying to break into the Watergate Hotel?
June 17, 1972
What did Nixon do to try and stop the news getting out?
He tried to block the FBI’s investigation.
What was the name of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s (journalists) annonymous source? Why was the source helpful?
Deep Throat - secret leaker who kept breakig them new, key information.
Who was the Special Prosecutor investigating the scandal? Why is this signficant?
Archibald Cox - Nixon had him fired as he believed that he wa part of a witch hunt.
When stating his innocence to the public, what did Nixon claim that he wasn’t?
‘I am not a crook’.
Which Nixon staff member turned and became a valuable witness for the investigation? What did Nixon urge him to do at the start of the investigation?
John Dean - his lawyer who he orginally urged to pay off the burglars.
What was the Saturday Night Massacre?
When Nixon dismissed leading figures.
When were the White House tapes finally released?
July 1974
What did the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape prove?
That Nixon knew about the cover up since mid 1972.
Summarise Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate Scandal.
Hint: 6 points.
- After the burglary, Nixon was trying to urge his lawyer to pay off the burglars.
- Nixon had made tapes of everything but refused to hand them over.
- He fired Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor; telling the nation ‘I am not a crook’.
- When the tapes were handed over, the ones that the Senate Committee recieved had been altered.
- An unknown tape was released in August, confirming Nixon was involved in the cover up. The tape became known as the ‘Smoking Gun’.
- Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.
