Watergate … a disaster without parallel in Presidential history.

The greatest political scandal of American history, Watergate brought an administration to its knees - and plunged a nation into crisis.

At 02:30 on June 17, 1972, five men — equipped with sophisticated burglary and wiretap equipment — were caught breaking in to DNC Headquarters in the Watergate complex.

Only when this “small crime” had blossomed into a crisis did the senior echelons of the White House begin to fully address it, including Nixon’s Chief of Staff, Bob Haldeman.

Despite ending US involvement in Vietnam, bringing POWs home and making diplomatic inroads with China and the USSR, the shadow of Watergate was hovering over them.

Even as they sought to contain the damage, systematic abuses of the presidency were revealed: it was a road that would end with numerous top-tier indictments and incarcerations.

An unflinching insight into the Nixon administration, in The Ends of Power Haldeman admits and addresses the grievous mistakes made, intelligence and security involvement, the consequent diplomatic crises … and the infamous 18½ minutes.

Praise for H R Haldeman

'The most shattering political book of the decade.' — The Daily Mail

'Ought to be required reading for every student of American politics.' — The Sunday Times

'Haldeman’s book does not disappoint; it is as nasty a portrayal of a nasty politician as one might expect …' — New Statesman

'The book is fascinating and needs to be read not only because of the unexpected insights of the White House but also because it goes a long way to explain America’s continuing political malaise …' — The Guardian

H. R. Haldeman (1926-1993) was White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon between 1969 and 1973. He wrote The Ends of Power while serving a prison sentence for perjury.