51 years ago today, five men were arrested at the DNC offices, setting into motion the unraveling of Nixon's presidency.

The ensuing scandal, and Nixon's cover-up efforts, would lead to the first and only presidential resignation in US history.

How did it begin? On June 17, 1972, security guard Frank Wills noticed tape on a door lock at the Watergate complex. (WP)

Wills called the police, who found five men ransacking the DNC's offices at Watergate. All five were arrested. (WaPo)

Per the WaPo, the group was found with several bugging devices. The purpose: to bug DNC chair Lawrence O'Brien's office.

On Aug. 1, the WaPo reported that a $25K check from Nixon’s 1972 campaign was deposited into one of the men's accounts.

In Sept., all five men and two White House aides were indicted by a federal grand jury. (History)

In Jan. 1973, Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James McCord were convicted of planning the Watergate break-in. (History)

In Feb., the Senate voted unanimously to create a select committee to investigate Nixon's involvement in Watergate.

In April, McCord testified to the Senate Watergate Committee that Nixon's 1972 campaign made payoffs to the burglars.

Nixon's administration was hit by a wave of resignations in April. Among them, Attorney General Richard Kleindienst. (WP)

On April 30, Nixon delivered his first primetime address on Watergate: "That responsibility...belongs here. I accept it."

On May 18, the Senate Watergate Committee began its first public hearings, with testimony from several in Nixon's orbit.

WH Counsel John Dean testified that Nixon met with him to discuss $1M+ hush-money payouts to the burglars. (History)

On July 16, former aide Alexander Butterfield testified that Nixon taped all calls and conversations in the White House.

Nixon disconnected the taping system, later rejecting subpoenas from the committee and prosecutors for the tapes.

In Oct., Nixon fired the special prosecutor assigned to Watergate; In Nov., he famously declared: "I'm not a crook."

On May 9, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee launched impeachment proceedings against Nixon. (History)

The committee approved three articles against Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress.

On Aug. 5, forced by a SCOTUS ruling, Nixon released a tape of him calling for the FBI to drop its Watergate investigation.

The release of the "smoking gun" tape caused a mass defection of Republicans on impeachment. (History)

On Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon resigned as president: "I must put the interest of America first." (History)

On Aug. 9, VP Ford assumed the presidency. Ford later pardoned Nixon for crimes that he committed as president. (History)