Nixon, Richard Milhous (1913-1994), was the only president of the United States ever to resign from office. He left the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974, while facing certain impeachment for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. This scandal included a break-in at the Democratic national headquarters and other illegal activities by employees of Nixon's 1972 reelection committee and members of his executive staff. Nixon's attempts to cover up these crimes became a major part of the scandal.

Nixon was succeeded as president by Vice President Gerald R. Ford. One month after Nixon resigned, Ford pardoned him for all federal crimes he may have committed during his presidency.

Although Nixon left office in disgrace, he won respect for his conduct of foreign policy. As president, he ended U.S. military participation in the Vietnam War in 1973 and eased the tension that had existed for years between the United States and both China and the Soviet Union. He became the first president to visit China while in office. He also visited the Soviet Union. He won congressional approval of U.S.-Soviet trade agreements and agreements to limit the production of nuclear weapons.

At home, Nixon was challenged by sharply rising prices. He placed government controls on wages and prices to halt inflation, but the controls had little effect. Nixon ended the military draft and created an all-volunteer system for the U.S. armed services. He signed into law a wide variety of economic, social, and environmental legislation that made him seem almost liberal.

When Nixon was elected president in 1968, he climaxed one of the most extraordinary political comebacks in U.S. history. In 1960, while serving as vice president under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Nixon ran for the presidency and lost to John F. Kennedy. In 1962, Nixon was defeated when he ran for governor of California, his home state. After this loss, Nixon held what he called his "last press conference." Reporters wrote his political obituary.

But in 1968, Nixon showed that he was politically very much alive. He won several primary elections, and again became the Republican candidate for president. This time, Nixon defeated Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, his Democratic opponent, and former Governor George C. Wallace of Alabama, the candidate of the American Independent Party. In 1972, Nixon won a second term in a landslide victory over Democratic Senator George S. McGovern of South Dakota.

Among the group of vice presidents who became president, Nixon was the first who did not succeed the president under whom he had served. Nixon became vice president under Eisenhower at the age of 40. He was the second youngest man to hold that office. John C. Breckinridge was 36 when he became vice president under James Buchanan in 1857. Before Nixon was elected vice president, he was elected twice to the U.S. House of Representatives and once to the U.S. Senate.

Friends knew Nixon as a painfully sensitive man. Nixon felt especially hurt by what he considered unfair criticism. But in politics, he won fame as a tough, forceful campaigner. He liked a good fight and had a fierce determination to succeed.