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December 29, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, December 29, 1969, pulls together various records created by the federal government and links to additional resources which can provide context about the events of the day.

Previous Date: Sunday, December 28, 1969

Next Date: Tuesday, December 30, 1969

Schedule and Public Documents

  • The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    The President's day began at The White House - Washington, D. C.

  • The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents made available transcripts of the President's news conferences; messages to Congress; public speeches, remarks, and statements; and other Presidential materials released by the White House.

    Announcements

    • Imports of Sheet Glass (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 5, December 29, 1969)
      Announcement of Signing of Proclamation 3951.
    • Disaster Assistance for California (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 6, December 29, 1969)
      Announcement of Allocation of Additional Funds for Repair of Damage Caused by Severe Storms and Flooding.

    Appointments and Nominations

    Bill Signings

    Resignations and Retirements

    Acts Approved by the President

    Checklist of White House Press Releases

    The releases listed below, made public by the Office of the White House Press Secretary during the period covered by this issue, are not included in the issue.

    • Press conference of Ambassador Gerard C. Smith and Ambassador Llewellyn E. Thompson on the strategic arms limitation talks with the Soviet Union.

    Digest of Other White House Announcements

    Following is a listing of items of general interest which were announced in the press but not made public as formal White House press releases during the period covered by this issue. Appointments requiring Senate approval are not included since they appear in the list of nominations submitted to the Senate, below.

    • Members of the United States delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks at Helsinki met with the President at the White House to report on the preliminary talks.
    • The President announced his intention to appoint Wiley T. Buchanan, Jr., of the District of Columbia, to be a member of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. He will succeed Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr., who has resigned.

  • Each Public Papers of the Presidents volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during the time period specified by the volume. The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In instances when the release date differs from the date of the document itself, that fact is shown in the text note.

    To ensure accuracy, remarks have been checked against audio recordings (when available) and signed documents have been checked against the original, unless otherwise noted. Editors have provided text notes and cross references for purposes of identification or clarity.

  • The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other Presidential documents.

    No Federal Register published on this date

Archival Holdings

  • The H. R. Haldeman Diaries consists of seven handwritten diaries, 36 dictated diaries recorded as sound recordings, and two handwritten audio cassette tape subject logs. The diaries and logs reflect H. R. Haldeman’s candid personal record and reflections on events, issues, and people encountered during his service in the Nixon White House. As administrative assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Haldeman attended and participated in public events and private meetings covering the entire scope of issues in which the Nixon White House engaged in during the years 1969-1973. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

  • The National Archives Catalog is the online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records. It is the main way of describing our holdings and also provides access to electronic records and digitized versions of our holdings. 

    The Catalog searches across multiple National Archives resources at once, including archival descriptions, digitized and electronic records, authority records, and web pages from Archives.gov and the Presidential Libraries. The Catalog also allows users to contribute to digitized historical records through tagging and transcription.

National Security Documents

  • The President's Daily Brief is the primary vehicle for summarizing the day-to-day sensitive intelligence and analysis, as well as late-breaking reports, for the White House on current and future national security issues. Read "The President's Daily Brief: Delivering Intelligence to Nixon and Ford" to learn more.

  • The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Visit the State Department website for more information.

    Vol. III, Foreign Economic Policy; International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    • 144. Memorandum From Secretary of the Treasury Kennedy to President Nixon, Washington, December 29, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 289, Treasury, Volume I. Confidential. Attached to internal National Security Council memoranda and a transmittal memorandum to the President indicating that Kissinger approved Secretary Kennedy’s recommendation on the President’s behalf since the quota increase was consistent with policy decisions already taken.

    Vol. IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969-1972

    Commodities and Strategic Materials, 1969-1972

    • 421. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness (Lincoln) to President Nixon, Washington, December 29, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 396, Stockpile. Confidential; Sensitive. Attached to a December 29 transmittal memorandum from OEP Deputy Director Russell to Flanigan, which indicated that the memorandum had been dictated by Lincoln over the phone from Colorado. Russell called Flanigan’s attention to two points discussed with Lincoln, but which were not included in the memorandum to the President: “(a) Does the Administration wish to subject itself to allegations that it has placed this country in a position to be ‘blackmailed’ by those foreign countries which are the sources of the critical materials which our country or this continent do not produce in sufficient quantity? (b) Is the Administration prepared to risk identifying itself as allegedly in favor of jeopardizing national security, disrupting the market, and injuring domestic industry and foreign countries when there is a substantial likelihood that Congress and industry will prevent the accelerating of stockpile disposals?” These memoranda were transmitted to Kissinger in a December 30 memorandum from Haig, who noted the possible disadvantages and agreed with Lincoln that it was unlikely $1 billion of sales from the stockpile could be realized.

    Vol. XII, Soviet Union, January 1969-October 1970

    Expansion of the Kissinger-Dobrynin Channel and Further Discussions on the Middle East, December 11, 1969-July 28, 1970

    • 112. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, December 29, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 489, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, 1969, Part 1. Top Secret; Sensitive. This memorandum of conversation was attached to a January 2, 1970, memorandum from Kissinger to the President. Kissinger provided the salient points from his conversation with Dobrynin and explained that “while it produced nothing startling new, its overall tone was forthcoming, frank and reasonable.”

    Vol. XX, Southeast Asia, 1969-1972

    Thailand

    Vol. E-10, Documents on American Republics, 1969-1972

    Panama

    • 526. Memorandum From Viron P. Vaky of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, December 29, 1969., Washington, December 29, 1969

      National Security Council staff member Vaky reported to President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger that President Torrijos believed that members of the U.S. Army Intelligence Unit in the Canal Zone were involved in the December 15 attempt to oust him from power. The Department of State instructed the U.S. ambassador to inform Torrijos that an investigation of the matter would be quickly initiated.

      Source: Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 790, Country Files, Latin America, Panama, Vol. 1, January 1969–February 28, 1970. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Kissinger wrote on the top of the page, “Do memo for Pres conclusion: I shd [should] talk to [Melvin] Laird that this info comes to WH [White House] as matter-of-course. Al [Haig]—Check on army intelligence—this sounds very circumstantial.” In the margin next to the first sentence of the last paragraph, Kissinger wrote, “Why?” In the margin next to the last sentence, he wrote “and [illegible].” Attached but not published was telegram 4158 from Panama City, December 27; and telegram 407 from Panama City, December 27. Kissinger summarized this memorandum in a December 30 memorandum to the President, but there is no indication the President saw it. (ibid.)

    Vol. E-10, Documents on American Republics, 1969-1972

    Peru

  • The Kissinger telephone conversation transcripts consist of approximately 20,000 pages of transcripts of Kissinger’s telephone conversations during his tenure as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1969-1974) and Secretary of State (1973-1974) during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Visit the finding aid for more information.

    Digitized versions of many of these transcripts can be found on the Yale University Library website.

Audiovisual Holdings

  • The White House Photo Office collection consists of photographic coverage of President Richard Nixon meeting with prominent social, political, and cultural personalities; speaking engagements and news conferences of the President and various high-ranking members of the White House staff and Cabinet; Presidential domestic and foreign travel, including Presidential vacations; social events and entertainment involving the First Family, including entertainers present; official portraits of the President, First Family, and high-ranking members of the Nixon administration; the 1969 and 1973 Inaugurals; the President’s 1972 Presidential election campaign appearances (including speeches) and other official activities of the White House staff and the President’s Cabinet from January 20, 1969 until August 9, 1974 at the White House and the Old Executive Office Building; other locations in Washington, DC, such as The Mall; and the Presidential retreats in Camp David, Maryland, Key Biscayne, Florida, and San Clemente, California. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    Roll WHPO-2705 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2705-02A-22A No negatives - contact sheet only., President Nixon seated with members of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) delegation, including U.S. Ambassador to Finland Gerard Smith. 12/29/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Gerard Smith, Gen. Royal Anderson, Harold Brown, Llewellyn Thomas.

    Roll WHPO-2706 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2706-, A portrait study of Lucy Winchester. 12/29/1969, Washington, D.C. unknown. Lucy Winchester.

    Roll WHPO-2707 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2707-, A portrait study of Lucy Winchester. 12/29/1969, Washington, D.C. unknown. Lucy Winchester.

    Roll WHPO-2755 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2755-, Vice President Agnew arrives Guam. 12/29/1969, Guam in AF-2, at Andersen AFB. Spiro Agnew, Judy Agnew.

    Roll WHPO-2756 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2756-, Vice President Agnew departs Guam. 12/29/1969, Guam Andersen AFB. Spiro Agnew, Judy Agnew.

  • The White House Communications Agency Sound Recordings Collection contains public statements that took place between 1969 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    B - Vice-Presidential (Agnew and Ford)

    • WHCA-SR-B-031
      Remarks during arrival ceremony-Manila, Philippines. (12/29/1969)

      Runtime: 4:23

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-114
      Statement on Arms Limitation Talks in Helsinki by Ronald Ziegler, Gerard Smith, and L. Thompson. (12/29/1969, Roosevelt Room, White House)

      Runtime: 20:00

      Keywords: Briefings, public briefings, statements to the press (see also Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media)

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by NBC; Recorded by ELB (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

  • The White House Communications Agency Videotape Collection contains “off-the-air” recordings of televised programs produced between 1968 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • WHCA-3587
      Weekly News Summary. Richard Nixon,.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 00:31:00

      1. Reasoner/Pierpoint: SALT Talks [Strategic Arms Limitation Talks] team's Ambassador Gerard Smith reports to President Nixon Soviets interested in arms limits. Time Code Start: 00:11. Keywords: SALT, S.A.L.T., Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Russia, Soviet Union, USSR, Cold War, détente. Network: CBS.

      2. Brinkley: SALT Talks [Strategic Arms Limitation Talks] Ambassador Gerard C. Smith tells President Nixon USSR interested in limiting arms buying. Time Code Start: 03:07. Keywords: SALT, S.A.L.T., Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Russia, Soviet Union, USSR, Cold War, détente. Network: NBC.

      3. Smith/Jarriel/Geer: SALT Talks [Strategic Arms Limitation Talks]Ambassador Gerard Smith tells President Nixon USSR iwants arms limitations; Nixon signs Signs $4.8 billion public housing bill, Farmington, West Virginia mine disaster widows in Washington. Time Code Start: 05:00. Keywords: SALT, S.A.L.T., Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Russia, Soviet Union, USSR, Cold War, détente, mining, disasters, families, lobbyists,. Network: ABC.

Context (External Sources)