Guide Note: The June 17, 1972 arrest of five men who broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington D.C. Watergate complex led to a series of political scandals and the resignation of President Richard Nixon in August 1974.
Fast Facts:
- Richard Nixon denied having anything to do with the break-in
- He was found to be involved in its cover-up
- Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein unravelled the scandal
- A main source for the two reporters was known as Deep Throat
- The House of Representatives moved to impeach Nixon
- He resigned on August 8th, 1974, insisting he had never broken the law
- Nixon was the first U.S. President to resign
- Gerald Ford became America's 38th President, the only President never elected to any office higher than the US Congress
