Ben Bradlee
Ben BradleeReuters

93-year-old Benjamin C. Bradlee, former executive editor of the American newspaper The Washington Post, passed away Wednesday evening. He died at his home in Washington, after several years of suffering from Alzheimer's disease. 

Bradlee was the editor of the Post from 1968 to 1991. By ruling the newspaper with an iron fist, The Washington Post became one of the leading and most respected newspapers in the United States, during his tenure. 

Bradlee was known for his blunt language, and his lack of inhibitions when it came to dealing with politicians and exposing their secrets. He was, in fact, serving as executive editor during Watergate. 

"One of the most prominent things about Ben is the way he expresses," it is written in his biography, "To curse with him makes you feel a part of his club, the club of people who do not take anything too seriously." 

During the Watergate Scandal, which began in 1972, Bradlee guided Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two young journalists who exposed it.

Bradlee encouraged the reporters, who had relatively little experience, to collect additional information by using the source known as "Deep Throat," who revealed internal White House details to them.

The newspaper published 400 articles about the affair in a span of 28 months. 

This set of articles, which are still studied in journalism schools around the world, resulted in the resignation of then-President Richard Nixon in 1974.

The Washington Post also won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the scandal.