Watergate: Cause and Effect

The date is June 17th, 1972. Night has fallen and the streets of the city are silent. Five men dressed in suits have just broken into Watergate, the Democratic headquarters. Their intent is to bug the DNC director's phone (McQuaid, 181-182). Suddenly, the lights flash on. Hiding behind desks, trying to still their breathing, they wait. But it is to no avail, for they are caught.
The great presidential scandal known as Watergate happened something like that, but it started out as much less, and became much, much more.
The US was in the midst of the Vietnam War. …