Study Guide: Key People in the Watergate Scand

Here is a detailed study guide focusing on the key individuals involved in the Watergate scandal:

1. Richard Nixon

• Role: President of the United States (1969–1974).

• Involvement: Central figure in the scandal. While Nixon denied direct knowledge of the break-in, the subsequent cover-up, as revealed in the tapes, led to his resignation.

• Significance: First and only U.S. president to resign from office (August 8, 1974).

2. H.R. Haldeman

• Role: White House Chief of Staff.

• Involvement: Played a significant role in managing the cover-up of the break-in. Haldeman’s conversations with Nixon were critical evidence from the White House tapes.

• Outcome: Resigned in 1973; convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, serving 18 months in prison.

3. John Ehrlichman

• Role: Domestic Affairs Advisor.

• Involvement: Key player in orchestrating the cover-up and a member of Nixon’s inner circle.

• Outcome: Resigned in 1973; convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury, serving 18 months in prison.

4. John Dean

• Role: White House Counsel.

• Involvement: Testified against Nixon and his administration, claiming there was a "cancer on the presidency." His detailed accounts were instrumental in uncovering the scandal.

• Outcome: Pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, serving a reduced sentence for cooperating with investigators.

5. G. Gordon Liddy

• Role: Finance Counsel for the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP).

• Involvement: Planned the Watergate break-in and other covert operations.

• Outcome: Convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and refusing to testify; served over four years in prison.

6. E. Howard Hunt

• Role: Former CIA operative and member of the “White House Plumbers.”

• Involvement: Coordinated the Watergate break-in and other activities aimed at discrediting political opponents.

• Outcome: Pleaded guilty to burglary and conspiracy; served 33 months in prison.

7. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

• Roles: Washington Post journalists.

• Involvement: Investigated and reported extensively on the scandal, uncovering connections between the break-in and Nixon’s administration.

• Significance: Their reporting was pivotal in bringing the scandal to public attention and ultimately leading to further investigations.

8. Mark Felt (Deep Throat)

• Role: Associate Director of the FBI.

• Involvement: Provided confidential information to Woodward and Bernstein, guiding their reporting on Watergate.

• Significance: His identity as "Deep Throat" remained a mystery until 2005.

9. James McCord

• Role: Former CIA officer and security coordinator for CREEP.

• Involvement: One of the five burglars arrested during the break-in. His letter to the judge exposing a larger conspiracy was a turning point in the investigation.

• Outcome: Convicted of burglary and conspiracy.

10. Charles Colson

• Role: Special Counsel to President Nixon.

• Involvement: Part of the White House team orchestrating the cover-up and responsible for many of the administration's “dirty tricks.”

• Outcome: Pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice; served seven months in prison.

11. Archibald Cox

• Role: Special Prosecutor.

• Involvement: Appointed to investigate the Watergate scandal. His demand for the White House tapes led to the "Saturday Night Massacre."

• Outcome: Fired by Solicitor General Robert Bork on Nixon’s orders.

12. Alexander Butterfield

• Role: Deputy Assistant to President Nixon.

• Involvement: Revealed the existence of a White House taping system during Senate hearings, which became critical evidence.

• Significance: His testimony was a turning point in the investigation.

13. Sam Ervin

• Role: Senator and Chair of the Senate Watergate Committee.

• Involvement: Led the televised hearings that exposed the extent of the scandal to the American public.

14. Leon Jaworski

• Role: Special Prosecutor (after Cox).

• Involvement: Continued the investigation, leading to Nixon’s release of the tapes and the eventual unraveling of the cover-up.

15. John Mitchell

• Role: Attorney General and later head of CREEP.

• Involvement: Approved the Watergate break-in plan and oversaw its funding.

• Outcome: Convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury; served 19 months in prison.

16. Fred Buzhardt

• Role: White House Counsel.

• Involvement: Played a role in defending Nixon and attempting to navigate the legal challenges surrounding the tapes.

17. Richard Kleindienst

• Role: Attorney General.

• Involvement: Resigned amidst allegations of involvement in the cover-up.

Key Concepts to Remember

• CREEP (Committee to Re-Elect the President): Central organization involved in the scandal.

• “Saturday Night Massacre”: The term for Nixon’s firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox and the resignation of Attorney General Elliot Richardson.

Study Tips

• Create flashcards for each person with their role, involvement, and outcome.

• Review the timeline of events to understand how the actions of each individual interconnected.

• Watch clips of the Senate Watergate hearings to gain insight into the public revelations of the scandal.

The five individuals who directly committed the break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972, were:

1. James McCord

• Role: Former CIA officer, security coordinator for CREEP (Committee to Re-Elect the President).

• Involvement: He was the leader of the group and acted as the chief of security for the break-in.

• Outcome: After the break-in, McCord wrote a letter to the judge, revealing a broader conspiracy involving high-level officials in the Nixon administration, which helped spark further investigations.

2. Frank Sturgis

• Role: Former CIA agent and part of the "White House Plumbers" team.

• Involvement: Sturgis was one of the burglars and had been involved in earlier covert operations for the Nixon administration.

• Outcome: He was arrested and convicted for his role in the break-in.

3. Virgilio González

• Role: Cuban-American locksmith.

• Involvement: González was responsible for the locksmith work during the break-in, including tampering with the locks at the DNC office.

• Outcome: He was arrested and convicted for his participation in the burglary.

4. Bernard Barker

• Role: Former CIA officer.

• Involvement: Barker was another key figure in the break-in, and his experience with covert operations was instrumental in the planning.

• Outcome: Like the others, he was arrested and convicted for his role in the Watergate burglary.

5. Eugenio Martínez

• Role: Cuban-American and former CIA operative.

• Involvement: Martínez participated in the break-in as part of the team to wiretap the DNC offices.

• Outcome: He was arrested along with the others and later convicted for his role in the break-in.

These five men were arrested on the night of the break-in, which led to the investigation that uncovered the full scale of the Watergate scandal. Each of them was connected to the Nixon administration's "Plumbers" unit, tasked with gathering intelligence on political opponents and stopping leaks of information.