In Richard Nixon's first inaugural address in 1969, he laid out a vision for America's role as "peacemaker". Explore our Presidents collection → https://www.pbs.org/presidents/ | American Experience | PBS

President Richard Nixon was born on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California. Watch our documentary on the 37th president at pbs.org/presidents. | American Experience | PBS

Fifty years ago tonight, Americans tuned in to an NBC special report to learn that President Richard Nixon had fired Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox in an attempt to stop the Justice Department's probe into the scandal. Attorney General Elliot Richardson resigned and his deputy William Ruckelshaus was fired after both refused to carry out Nixon's order. What unfolded that night would come to be known as the “Saturday Night Massacre" and triggered the impeachment proceedings that would