Richard Nixon: Life, Presidency, Watergate Scandal, and Resignation

It’s easy to picture Richard Nixon as a tragic figure — a man who had the world at his feet as 37th President, only to see it all crumble over a single break-in. Yet his story is far richer than the Watergate scandal that defines it. From his humble beginnings in California to landmark achievements like opening China and creating the EPA, Nixon’s life was a string of highs and lows that ultimately ended in the only presidential resignation in American history.

Born: January 9, 1913, Yorba Linda, California · Presidency: 37th President (1969–1974) · Resignation Date: August 8, 1974 · Cause of Death: Stroke; died April 22, 1994, at age 81 · Burial Place: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda, California

Six key facts about Nixon’s life and presidency, one pattern: a rapid rise to power followed by an even more rapid fall.

The table below captures essential biographical data at a glance.

The pattern: A career built on ambition and discipline that unraveled through a single, fateful scandal.

What was Richard Nixon accused of doing?

What exactly happened at Watergate?

• On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. (PBS NewsHour)
• Nixon publicly denied White House involvement on June 22, 1972 (PBS NewsHour)
• The cover-up unraveled after a Washington Post report linked a $25,000 check intended for Nixon’s re-election campaign to one of the burglars (PBS NewsHour)
• Secret White House tape recordings eventually proved Nixon had authorized the cover-up (Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum)

Who went to jail for Watergate?

• G. Gordon Liddy and James McCord were convicted on January 30, 1973 for their roles in the break-in (PBS NewsHour)
• Senior White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman resigned on April 30, 1973 and were later convicted on conspiracy and obstruction charges (PBS NewsHour)
• Several other administration officials and campaign operatives received prison sentences (Britannica)

The implication: Nixon was not accused of ordering the break-in, but of orchestrating a months-long obstruction of justice using the full power of the White House.

What was Richard Nixon famous for?

What did Richard Nixon do as president?

• Established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 (Miller Center)
• Opened diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in February 1972 (Britannica)
• Signed the SALT I treaty with the Soviet Union to limit nuclear arms (Miller Center)
• Implemented the “Vietnamization” policy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam (Britannica)

What was Nixon’s downfall?

• The House Judiciary Committee passed three articles of impeachment — obstruction of justice, misuse of power, and contempt of Congress — on July 27, 1974 (PBS NewsHour)
• The Supreme Court ruled 8-0 on July 24, 1974 that Nixon must release the White House tapes, which contained the “smoking gun” (Miller Center)
• Facing certain impeachment and conviction, Nixon announced his resignation in a televised address on August 8, 1974 (Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum)

The catch: Nixon’s foreign policy achievements were genuine and far-reaching, yet they are permanently overshadowed by the scandal that ended his presidency.

What were Nixon’s last words?

What was Richard Nixon’s cause of death?

• Nixon suffered a severe stroke at his home in Park Ridge, New Jersey on April 18, 1994 and died four days later at New York-Presbyterian Hospital on April 22, 1994 (Britannica)
• His last words, according to some reports, were “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” though the exact phrasing has not been independently verified by multiple sources (Britannica)
• He was buried at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California (Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum)

What this means: Even in his final moments, the theme of regret ties back to the Watergate scandal that defined his post-presidency.

Which president cried and quit?

Did Nixon ever apologize for Watergate?

• In his resignation speech on August 8, 1974, Nixon did not directly apologize for Watergate. He said, “I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body.” (Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum)
• The following morning, during a farewell address to White House staff, an emotional Nixon cried and said, “Always remember, others may hate you — but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.” (PBS NewsHour)
• In later years, Nixon expressed regret in interviews but never issued a formal apology for the cover-up (Britannica)

The pattern: Nixon’s tears were genuine, but his refusal to say “I’m sorry” for the scandal itself left the public deeply divided.

What established Richard Nixon’s early political career?

What was Richard Nixon’s early life like?

• Born Richard Milhous Nixon on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California, the second of five sons (Britannica)
• Two of his brothers died in childhood, shaping a driven, competitive personality (Britannica)
• Graduated from Whittier College and Duke University School of Law in 1937 (Britannica)

What military service did Richard Nixon have?

• Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1946 as a logistics officer in the South Pacific (Britannica)
• Awarded two service stars for his service (Britannica)

Political career before the presidency

• Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950 (Britannica)
• Served as Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1961 (Miller Center)
• Lost the 1960 presidential election to John F. Kennedy and the 1962 California gubernatorial race (Britannica)

The implication: Nixon’s early life and military service instilled a relentless work ethic and a combative style that would later both fuel his successes and contribute to his downfall.

What was Richard Nixon’s age at death?

How old was Richard Nixon when he died?

• Born January 9, 1913
• Died April 22, 1994
• Age at death: 81 years, 3 months, 13 days (Britannica)

Richard Nixon’s story is a cautionary tale about the intersection of ambition and accountability. His foreign policy successes and domestic reforms changed the direction of the United States, but the Watergate scandal proved that even the most powerful office in the land is not above the law. For historians and legal scholars, Nixon’s resignation remains a defining example of how the system of checks and balances can hold a president accountable — and a reminder that legacy is often written by the choices made in moments of crisis.

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