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The Wars of Watergate: The Last Crisis of Richard Nixon

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If your goal is to understand the depth of Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate scandal, Stanley Kutler's `The Wars of Watergate' is the book for it. It's a great introduction to Watergate without that qualifying caveat, of course, but Kutler perches his narrative squarely on Nixon's shoulder. This book doesn't take extended side trips to the creation of the Plumbers, to that dirty trickster Donald Segretti, or the back desks in the Special Prosecutor's offices. The wars of Watergate, Kutler writes, are "rooted in the lifelong political personality of Richard Nixon," a personality that is marked by political paranoia, a determination to wreak vengeance on his enemies, and an overweening concern with winning his own elections. For those who dismiss Watergate as a third-rate burglary, or a vague `everyone else does it,' Kutler provides a substantial "discussion of the abuses of power that precede the burglary and the obstruction of justice that followed it."

Kutler sets the stage with brief chapters on the LBJ Administration, Vietnam, and a biographical sketch of Richard Nixon prior to the presidential election of 1968. We're taken closer to our subject with Kutler's next few chapters on Nixon's first term as president, where Nixon's relationship with the media (antagonistic,) and congress (disdainful,) as well as his executive style (obsessive micro-management) are surveyed. Providing as they do a context for the crimes of Richard Nixon, these prelude-to-war sections properly prepare us for the battles of Watergate.

An American constitutional historian, Stanley Kutler is well qualified to guide us through the battleground that was the second term of Richard Nixon. The war analogy is apt. For Nixon the Wars of Watergate officially begins with the immediate Administration response to the break-in at the DNC headquarters by the Watergate burglars. The first phase may be called "The War of the Burglars' Silence," a phase that is marked by Nixon's active participation in those acts that would lead to his resignation less that two years later.

One gets the strong impression that `The Wars of Watergate' is Kutler's response to future revisionist historians. The revisionist template was already being hammered out by Nixon, and others, when this book was published in 1990. If Kutler is forestalling an alternate interpretation, he does so with a well-coordinate, thoughtful, balanced, and overwhelmingly convincing presentation of facts. His interpretation - that Nixon was at the center of the Watergate cover-up from the beginning - is, with the evidence he provides to back it up, irrefutable.

Although `The Wars of Watergate' is not a complete history of the scandal, it's a good chunk of it - the heart of it, if you will. It would make a good introduction for the uninitiated. Even for Watergate wonks its expanded chapters on the Rodino chaired House Judiciary Committee, which considered impeachment, will provide fresh insights and a more complete story of an under-reported Watergate subject. This may not be the best single volume on Watergate, but if it isn't I haven't read its rival. Highest recommendation.

The Watergate break-in and coverup scandal that toppled the presidential administration of Richard Nixon is, maybe arguably, one of American history's watershed events. Why is clearly explained by Richard Kutler in his historically rich book that is very probably the most comprehensive and easily understood publication on the subject. Kutler begins with the approval by the president's men of the break-in at the headquarters in the Watergate complex of the National Democratic Committee and, after the plot's five burglars are nabbed, the conspiracy to cover up the involvement of the White House in the break-in. Kutler is rightly clear in pressing the point that there has never been any evidence that Nixon himself approved the break-in (that was OKed by the president's operatives). But, just six days after the June 17, 1972, break-in, Nixon ordered the coverup in the now infamous smoking gun taped conversation with chief of staff H.R. Haldeman. From the apprehension of the break-in's participants, Kutler takes us to the Senate investigative committee that gradually chipped away to lead to the articles of impeachment that were being advanced but not forwarded to the House because of Nixon's resignation. The number of participants in the Watergate affair is sheer numbing, but Kutler does a tremendous job in not getting his reader too bogged down in trying to keep the cast straight. In the end, though, the historical value of Kutler's contribution is why Watergate essentially redefined the presidency, how it altered the American public's perception of the nation's highest office and why and how the built-in safeguards against a tyrannical presidency worked. As for Nixon, it goes without saying he was a truly tragic figures whose pettiness sabotaged what could likely have been one of the most effective presidential administrations in history. Kutler concludes with a tantalizing question: assuming that Nixon did, to some extent, rehabilitate his public image in the years before his death, was that rehabilitation due to the fallen president's changing his character's fatal flaws, or was it because he simply out-lived most of what he called his "enemies?" All this and more in one of the most compelling documents in the Watergate fiasco.

Finally, a book with an analysis of Watergate as a historical event. The problem with previous books about Watergate is that they were all written from the perspective of the author and his/her view of reality. Kutler writes as a historian. Attempting to set the stage for the event and detailing the issues with careful analysis. It is an amazing work really. Sunday historians or "picture-book" readers will lose patience with the work due to the painstaking detail of the book. Kutler starts with a careful analysis of Nixon's political past then moves on to the reasons (or lack thereof) for the arrogrant presumption that whatever the President does is OK (except perhaps for getting a BJ in the White House). Since the President is basically in charge of National Security issues, he cannot break the law in protecting those interests. Until reading Kutler's brilliant book, I was confused as to where this concept originated and how Nixon and his staff could be so stupid to justify the actions surrounding Watergate. Kutler puts it all into perspective. It can be a tough read, however, since Kutler assumes that the reader knows something about 20th Century American History as well as posessing a basic understanding of the american political system. If you are looking for a "light" read, pass this one by. If you are prepared to be engrossed in the Watergate saga through a well-written, intelligent, and researched book, then buy this one. You will be happy you did.

This is the clearest, most concise, most accesible book on Watergate I have ever come across. Its most important feature is providing the reader with a deepr understanding of Watergate beyond the mere surface aspects of the cover-up, but instead lets one understand the implications the Nixon Administartions activities had for the nation. At times, the book may seem too partisan, and the large "cast of characters" can be hard to juggle. These minor criticisms aside, it as an important book to read, particlulary for young people in light of the recent Clinton impeachment hearings, so that they may judge for themselves whether or not that scandal in fact had the gravity and import of Watergate.

Most books on Watergate were written not long after the scandal broke by either journalists or by the participants. Stanley I. Cutler is one of the first to look at the scandal from a "historical" perspective. He does an excellent job of presenting the events in the proper historical context, removed as they now are from the political passions that bolied over at the time. Nixon then was a discraced figure with a core of ardent supporters. He managed to partly rehabilitate himself before his death by outlasting many of his enemies. This book shows, in all grim detail, why Nixon should never be allowed to complete his quest for rehabilitation. It shows clearly the dangers of electing a President willing and able to deliberately misuse his power.

There is no scholar better versed in the matters of Watergate than Stanley Kutler, and this is his definitive account of the subject. In it he lays out in painstaking detail the course the crisis took, from its origins in the Nixon presidency to its legacy today. I expected such an account to be dull; instead, I found it impossible to put down. No reader can walk away from this book - with its extensive evidence and clearly-reasoned arguments - and not have a deeper understanding of what Watergate was and how it effected the nation, both then and now.

This book goes into more detail than any others I've read. Putting Watergate into the wider context of an administration and President that is paranoid about secrecy, all the while taping his personal conversations. This book provides important details about all the major players in this drama from the powerful Haldeman, the petulant Gordon Liddy to the aspiring young attorney John Dean, there is an abundance of interesting drama in this tale, and you have to remind yourself that this actually happened. The new chapter of this book in hopefully a next edition will deal with the role played by "Deep Throat" Mark Felt of the FBI.

One of the more disturbing scenes for me in this book is the vote by the Congressional sub-committee for impeachment. Looking at the damning evidence that Nixon clearly obstructed justice, there were still numerous Republicans voting no for impeachment, among them a young congressman named Trent Lott. His sanctimonious blustering in the Clinton impeachment proceedings made my skin crawl knowing his own hypocrisy.

Anyone interested in American history should have this book in their collection.

At least for those us who cut their political teeth during the 1960's and 1970's, Watergate and Vietnam were the watershed events. There was life before Watergate and Vietnam and life after. Stanley Kutler's work is one of the first to bring an historian's perspective to the Watergate story. As the saying goes, if you read one book about Watergate, this is the one.

Kutler is by no means neutral on Richard Nixon, but one of the unique things about Watergate was that Nixon's own taping system provided the record to hang himself. If nothing else the tapes proved Nixon was a habitual and flagrant liar. Kutler, whose regular job is as a professor at the University of Wisconsin, was drawn into a lifetime of work by his expertise on the sprawling scandal that was Watergate. His work has continued as he battled first Nixon, Nixon's estate, and then the National Archivists for full access to the White House tapes. Nixon kept up his lies and deception to his last days, with far more success than one would have hoped. In the long run, history's judgment of Nixon will be harsh and will start with Kutler's work.

I couldn't add anything else to the other comments; just buy it - you will not regret.

Not just about Watergate, but a comprehensive look at RN's political career. The Watergate break-in came to symbolize the abuses of this imperial presidency. Excellent historical analysis. Comprehensive history not just at RN's presidency, but the evolution of the office during the Cold War. Thank goodness G. Gordon Liddy was such an incompetent stooge that the whole bag of "White House Horrors" came to light.