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It was a recording of a converaation in the White House between Nixon and his Chief of Staff, Bob Haldeman. By the time the tape was released, Haldeman had been sacked in the midst of the turmoil of Watergate. The tape showed that Nixon had been fully aware of the break-in at the Watergate Building and had been in charge of a cover-up, which contradicted what he had said in public.

This was considered to be the conclusive evidence (or the "smoking gun") that President Nixon had lied to the investigators. He soon chose to resign, rather than be removed from office by Congress.

The "smoking gun" reference comes from a Sherlock Holmes story, in which Holmes and Watson burst into a crime scene and find the murderer standing over the victim with a smoking gun - the evidence which proves the case beyond doubt.

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11y ago

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