S1E12 · Nixon vs. Kennedy

Complete story — includes the ending

On November 8, 1960, Sterling Cooper's employees have an all-night office party to watch the United States presidential election results, hoping for Nixon to win against Kennedy. When Don is unwilling to promote him to head of accounts, Pete searches through Adam's package for Don; he discovers that Don's real name is Dick Whitman, and that Whitman died in the Korean War in 1950. Pete approaches Don with the box and attempts to blackmail Don into giving him the job. Don is distressed upon viewing the box's contents and visits Rachel, attempting to convince her to run away with him, but she ends their affair. The next day, Don tells Pete that the external candidate Duck Phillips will become the new head of accounts, leading Pete to tell Bert about Don's real identity; Bert chooses not to believe Pete and orders Don to fire him or to have Pete show his loyalty. Don chooses the latter and remembers his past in the Korean War–including the accidental death of Lt. Donald Draper in 1950 and his switching identities with the lieutenant to escape his own grotesque past. The episode ends with Don coming home and watching Nixon's concession speech.