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Nixon wiretaps Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

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Study Guide: The Nixon Administration Wiretap Program

Cheat Sheet:
The Nixon Administration Wiretap Program Study Guide

Program Genesis and Rationale

The principal motivation cited for the initiation of the Nixon wiretap program was the collection of evidence for political campaigns.

Answer: False

Explanation: The primary motivation for initiating the Nixon wiretap program was the concern over leaks of classified information, particularly regarding national security matters, as articulated by Henry Kissinger. While the program later proved useful for political intelligence, this was not its initial impetus.

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Information pertaining to the clandestine bombing of Cambodia constituted one of the classified leaks that generated concern for Henry Kissinger.

Answer: True

Explanation: Details concerning the secret bombing campaign in Cambodia were indeed among the classified leaks that prompted significant concern from National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, contributing to the rationale for the wiretap program.

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A meeting involving Henry Kissinger, John N. Mitchell, and J. Edgar Hoover resulted in a decision to implement, rather than forgo, national security wiretaps.

Answer: False

Explanation: Contrary to the statement, the meeting on April 29, 1969, involving Henry Kissinger, John N. Mitchell, and J. Edgar Hoover, culminated in the decision to implement national security wiretaps, not to reject them.

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The 1969 EC-121 shootdown incident involving North Korea was unrelated to the concerns regarding information leaks within the Nixon administration.

Answer: False

Explanation: The 1969 EC-121 shootdown incident was directly related to concerns about information leaks. Internal discussions about the appropriate response to this event were among the classified leaks that heightened Henry Kissinger's concerns.

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The wiretap program was initially conceived with the sole intention of serving national security purposes.

Answer: True

Explanation: The wiretap program was initially established with the primary objective of addressing national security concerns and preventing leaks of classified information. However, its utility expanded to include gathering political intelligence.

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What was the primary rationale cited for the initiation of the Nixon administration's wiretap program?

Answer: Concerns over leaks of classified information, particularly regarding national security.

Explanation: The primary rationale cited for the initiation of the Nixon wiretap program was the concern over leaks of classified information, particularly regarding national security matters, as articulated by Henry Kissinger.

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Which senior officials convened on April 29, 1969, to authorize the implementation of national security wiretaps?

Answer: Henry Kissinger, John N. Mitchell, and J. Edgar Hoover

Explanation: A pivotal meeting occurred on April 29, 1969, attended by National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, Attorney General John N. Mitchell, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover, culminating in the decision to deploy national security wiretaps.

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Which of the following was not identified as a classified leak that prompted concerns from Henry Kissinger?

Answer: The planning stages of the Watergate break-in.

Explanation: Details regarding the planning stages of the Watergate break-in were not among the classified leaks that prompted Kissinger's concerns. Leaks concerning the Cambodia campaign and the EC-121 shootdown incident were cited.

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What was the stated purpose for wiretapping the telephones of journalists and government employees?

Answer: To identify sources leaking classified information.

Explanation: The stated purpose for wiretapping the telephones of journalists and government employees was to identify sources leaking classified information, driven by concerns over national security.

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Which of the following was not among the stated reasons for the Nixon administration's use of wiretaps?

Answer: Investigating potential foreign espionage threats.

Explanation: Investigating potential foreign espionage threats was not a stated reason for the Nixon administration's use of wiretaps. The primary reasons cited were identifying leaks of classified national security information, gathering political intelligence, and monitoring communications related to sensitive operations like the Cambodia bombing.

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Key Personnel and Their Roles

Alexander Haig held responsibility for receiving the outcomes of the wiretapping operations conducted under the Nixon administration.

Answer: True

Explanation: As a staff member of the National Security Council, Alexander Haig was instrumental in selecting targets and was tasked with receiving the results from numerous surveillance operations conducted during the Nixon administration.

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FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt was the individual who initially proposed the wiretapping program to President Nixon.

Answer: False

Explanation: The initial proposal for the wiretapping program originated from concerns voiced by National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger regarding leaks. Mark Felt, as FBI Deputy Director, later played a role in disclosing information about the program to the public.

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John Ehrlichman served as the Attorney General and received the wiretap requests drafted by J. Edgar Hoover.

Answer: False

Explanation: John Ehrlichman was not the Attorney General; he served as White House Counsel. The Attorney General at the time was John N. Mitchell, who received the wiretap requests drafted by J. Edgar Hoover. The missing wiretap files were later found in Ehrlichman's White House files.

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William C. Sullivan, an FBI official, was involved in the process of reviewing the results of the wiretap operations.

Answer: True

Explanation: William C. Sullivan, an FBI domestic intelligence official, was indeed involved in the wiretap operation. He was the individual Alexander Haig would visit to review the surveillance results.

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What was Alexander Haig's specific role in the Nixon administration's wiretapping program?

Answer: He was responsible for selecting targets and receiving the surveillance results.

Explanation: Alexander Haig, serving as a staff member of the National Security Council, played a pivotal role in identifying numerous targets for the wiretapping operations and was responsible for receiving the resultant surveillance data.

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What specific role did William C. Sullivan fulfill within the wiretap operation?

Answer: He was the FBI official Haig visited to read the wiretap results.

Explanation: William C. Sullivan, an FBI domestic intelligence official, was involved in the wiretap operation and served as the point of contact for Alexander Haig to review the surveillance results.

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What was J. Edgar Hoover's role in the Nixon administration's wiretap program?

Answer: He drafted and submitted the official requests for the wiretaps.

Explanation: J. Edgar Hoover, as Director of the FBI, was responsible for drafting and submitting the official requests for the wiretaps to the Attorney General, and he attended the meeting where the program's implementation was decided.

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Targets and Scope of Surveillance

The wiretapping program initiated during the Nixon administration was exclusively employed to monitor journalists suspected of disseminating classified national security information.

Answer: False

Explanation: The wiretapping program encompassed more than just journalists; it targeted seventeen individuals in total, including federal employees, and was not exclusively limited to national security leaks, as political intelligence gathering also occurred.

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Daniel Davidson was identified as a source of information leaks and subsequently resigned from his position on the National Security Council.

Answer: True

Explanation: Alexander Haig identified Daniel Davidson, a staff member of the National Security Council, as a leaker based on wiretap intelligence. Consequently, Haig confronted Davidson, leading to his departure from his position.

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A total of twenty-five individuals were identified as targets for wiretapping under the Nixon administration's program.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Nixon administration's wiretapping program identified a total of seventeen individuals as targets, not twenty-five.

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William Beecher, a journalist affiliated with The New York Times, was among the individuals subjected to wiretapping.

Answer: True

Explanation: William Beecher, a journalist for The New York Times, was indeed among the seventeen individuals whose telephones were wiretapped as part of the Nixon administration's program.

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Morton Halperin, identified as a journalist for CBS News, had his phone wiretapped.

Answer: False

Explanation: Morton Halperin was not a journalist for CBS News; he was a staff member of the National Security Council whose phone was wiretapped. Marvin Kalb was the journalist from CBS News who was wiretapped.

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William Safire, who served as a White House speechwriter, was among the individuals targeted by the wiretapping program.

Answer: True

Explanation: William Safire, a White House speechwriter, was indeed one of the individuals whose telephone communications were monitored as part of the Nixon administration's wiretapping program.

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William H. Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Laos, was not among the individuals subjected to wiretapping.

Answer: False

Explanation: William H. Sullivan, the United States Ambassador to Laos, was indeed among the seventeen individuals whose telephone communications were monitored through wiretapping during the Nixon administration.

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The wiretapping operations were active for a period of approximately two years, commencing in May 1969 and concluding in February 1971.

Answer: True

Explanation: The wiretaps implemented by the Nixon administration were indeed active for approximately two years, spanning from May 1969 to February 1971, during which seventeen individuals were monitored.

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Marvin Kalb, a journalist for CBS, was wiretapped under suspicion of leaking details concerning the Cambodia campaign.

Answer: False

Explanation: Marvin Kalb, a CBS journalist, was among those wiretapped. While details about the Cambodia campaign were among the leaks that concerned Kissinger, the specific reason for Kalb's wiretapping is not explicitly stated as solely related to that campaign, but rather as part of the broader effort to identify leaks.

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Anthony Lake, a staff member of the National Security Council, was subjected to wiretapping as part of the administration's efforts to prevent information leaks.

Answer: True

Explanation: Anthony Lake, a staff member of the National Security Council, was indeed wiretapped as part of the administration's broader initiative to prevent the leakage of classified information.

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What was the total number of individuals identified for wiretapping within the Nixon administration's program?

Answer: 17

Explanation: A total of seventeen individuals were identified and subjected to wiretapping under the Nixon administration's program.

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Which individual, identified by Alexander Haig as a leaker, subsequently resigned from his position?

Answer: Daniel Davidson

Explanation: Daniel Davidson, a staff member of the National Security Council, was identified by Alexander Haig as a leaker, which led to his departure from the NSC.

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Which of the following journalists was not among the individuals subjected to wiretapping?

Answer: Bob Woodward (The Washington Post)

Explanation: Bob Woodward of The Washington Post was not among the journalists wiretapped. The wiretapped journalists included William Beecher and Hedrick Smith (The New York Times), Henry Brandon (London Sunday Times), and Marvin Kalb (CBS).

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With which government department was Richard F. Pedersen affiliated when his telephone was subjected to wiretapping?

Answer: Department of State

Explanation: Richard F. Pedersen was affiliated with the Department of State when his telephone communications were monitored via wiretapping.

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Who was William H. Sullivan, and what was his diplomatic role when his telephone was wiretapped?

Answer: The United States Ambassador to Laos.

Explanation: William H. Sullivan held the diplomatic post of United States Ambassador to Laos. He was among the seventeen individuals whose telephone communications were monitored through wiretapping.

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Which of the following individuals was a staff member of the National Security Council whose telephone was subjected to wiretapping?

Answer: Morton Halperin

Explanation: Morton Halperin was a staff member of the National Security Council whose telephone was wiretapped as part of the investigation into information leaks.

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Who was identified by Alexander Haig as a leaker, prompting that individual's departure from the National Security Council?

Answer: Daniel Davidson

Explanation: Daniel Davidson, a staff member of the National Security Council, was identified by Alexander Haig as a leaker, which led to his departure from the NSC.

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Which of the following individuals, a White House speechwriter, was subjected to wiretapping?

Answer: William Safire

Explanation: William Safire, who served as a White House speechwriter, was among the individuals targeted by the wiretapping program.

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Who was Henry Brandon, mentioned as one of the individuals subjected to wiretapping?

Answer: A journalist associated with the London Sunday Times.

Explanation: Henry Brandon, mentioned as being wiretapped, was a journalist associated with the London Sunday Times.

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Operational Procedures and Administration

J. Edgar Hoover was tasked with submitting the official wiretap requests to Attorney General John N. Mitchell, not directly to Henry Kissinger.

Answer: False

Explanation: J. Edgar Hoover, as Director of the FBI, was responsible for drafting and submitting the official wiretap requests, but these were submitted to Attorney General John N. Mitchell, not Henry Kissinger.

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Who was responsible for drafting and submitting the official requests for the wiretaps?

Answer: J. Edgar Hoover

Explanation: J. Edgar Hoover, in his capacity as Director of the FBI, was tasked with drafting the official wiretap requests and subsequently submitting them to Attorney General John N. Mitchell.

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Effectiveness and Uncovered Information

The wiretapping program implemented during the Nixon administration was successful in uncovering numerous significant leaks of classified information.

Answer: False

Explanation: Contrary to the assertion, the wiretapping program did not ultimately uncover any serious leaks of classified information, despite its extensive scope and duration.

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What was the ultimate outcome of the wiretapping effort concerning the discovery of serious leaks of classified information?

Answer: It did not ultimately uncover any serious leaks of classified information.

Explanation: The wiretapping effort did not ultimately uncover any serious leaks of classified information, despite its extensive application.

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Public Disclosure and Subsequent Investigations

In 1973, William Ruckelshaus initiated an inquiry concerning the disappearance of wiretap records.

Answer: True

Explanation: In 1973, William Ruckelshaus, then serving as FBI Director, launched an official inquiry upon being alerted to the fact that wiretap records were missing from FBI files.

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The missing wiretap files were ultimately located within the personal files of Henry Kissinger.

Answer: False

Explanation: The missing wiretap files were not found in Henry Kissinger's personal files. Instead, they were discovered within the White House files belonging to John Ehrlichman, who served as White House Counsel.

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The Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigated the Nixon wiretaps in a closed session, not an open one, in September 1973.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigated the Nixon wiretaps in a closed session during September 1973. The investigation into the missing records, however, was likely shared with the Senate Judiciary Committee during closed-door hearings related to impeachment proceedings.

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Alexander Haig refused to provide testimony regarding the wiretaps during the Watergate investigations.

Answer: False

Explanation: Alexander Haig did not refuse to provide testimony; he submitted sealed testimony about the wiretaps to a grand jury as part of the Watergate scandal investigation.

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The inquiry launched into the missing wiretap records involved the interviewing of more than fifty individuals.

Answer: False

Explanation: The inquiry into the missing wiretap records involved interviewing approximately forty individuals, not over fifty, and resulted in a fifteen-page report after seven days.

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How did the existence of the Nixon administration's wiretaps eventually come to public awareness?

Answer: Gradually spread among staffers, eventually disclosed by FBI deputy director Mark Felt to Time Magazine.

Explanation: Information regarding the wiretaps gradually disseminated among National Security Council staff and those under surveillance. Ultimately, FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt divulged details to Time Magazine, thereby bringing the program to public attention.

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What significant development concerning the wiretap records transpired in 1973?

Answer: The wiretap records were discovered missing from FBI files, prompting an inquiry.

Explanation: In 1973, the newly appointed FBI Director, William Ruckelshaus, was apprised of the disappearance of wiretap records from FBI archives, which initiated an official investigation.

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What was the outcome of the inquiry initiated by William Ruckelshaus concerning the missing wiretap records?

Answer: It resulted in a 15-page report after interviewing about 40 people.

Explanation: The inquiry initiated by William Ruckelshaus resulted in a fifteen-page report after seven days of interviews with approximately forty individuals.

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Which publication ultimately brought the Nixon wiretaps to widespread public attention?

Answer: Time Magazine

Explanation: Time Magazine ultimately brought the Nixon wiretaps to widespread public attention after FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt disclosed information about the program to the publication.

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According to the source material, what broader political context did the inquiry into missing wiretap records likely connect with?

Answer: Hearings concerning the potential impeachment of President Nixon.

Explanation: The inquiry into missing wiretap records likely connected to the broader political context of hearings concerning the potential impeachment of President Nixon, as part of the Watergate scandal investigation.

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