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April 1, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, April 1, 1971, 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: Wednesday, March 31, 1971

Next Date: Friday, April 2, 1971

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 San Clemente, California

  • 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.

    Digitized versions can be found at HathiTrust.

  • 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.

  • The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

Archival Holdings

Any selection of archival documents will necessarily be partial. You should use the documents and folders identified below as a starting place, but consult the linked collection finding aids and folder title lists and the collections themselves for context. Many documents to be found this way do not lend themselves to association with specific dates, but are essential to a complete understanding of the material.

  • Selective document listing

    President's Office Files

    The President's Office Files consists of materials drawn together by the Special Files Unit from several administrative subdivisions within the White House Office. It is the handwriting and sensitive papers sent to the Staff Secretary that now comprise much of the President's Office Files. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

  • 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.

    • Transcript of diary entry (PDF)
      Thursday, April 1.

      Calley dominated the day today. The President started out with a 9:00 meeting with Ehrlichman and me to review the general situation and his conversation on the subject last night with Connally. He feels that he can’t temporize on this that he-- and that he cannot that the military advice. He makes the point that the military are not concerned really with the honor of the military service; they're concerned with the system of which they're a part. They want to prove to the liberals that they move expeditiously within the system, and if the President moves in and commutes the sentence, they're back where they started. He feels that there's not enough in it for us to fight for the military. The lawyers, on the other hand, provide no political gain for us in their argument. We do have to be for orderly process, but we've got to act on the basis of what does us the most good. He feels that maybe there's a position to be taken that an act of passion on the part of the President wouldn't be a bad thing to do at this point. He feels that we've got to move now, making the statement that the President will review this in the appeal process and will order that he be-- he, Calley, be allowed to remain in an apartment. That was his earlier thinking.

      I raised the question of bringing Latimer, Calley's lawyer, out, and the President definitely doesn't want to do that. He feels that we've got to consider the political factor as primary. He feels strongly we've got to move today in some way and particularly likes the idea of letting Calley stay in his apartment rather than in the stockade or the penitentiary, and he asked for everyone to work out the options on this. The President’s point is: let's see if this time there isn't a way that we can be on the side of the people for a change, instead of always doing what's cautious, proper, and efficient.

      He then had a session with Henry and made the point there that we're dealing really with the bigger cause, which is the question of how can we hold enough support for a year and a half to maintain our conduct of the war. He then outlined to Henry the line he would take if he moved for a Calley commutation, which would be to outline his Quaker attitude toward war. Add Calley and Medina and all of the My Lai people into one bundle; cover the obsolete idea that war is a game with rules; and say that America has made it clear, or given a clear indication by this trial, that we don't condone this, but when men serve their country you cannot, during this crisis of war, follow this line unless there's a direct, clear breach of orders. He feels we've got to get it raised above this case. Make the point the war is bad, so we've got to avoid more bad wars. It's got to be dealt with not on the merits of the case; there is no reasonable doubt of his technical guilt, but there is doubt regarding the motive or whatever. It gets to the question of whether this man is a criminal who should be treated like Manson, and the answer is no. He wants to use some of the doves' own arguments and turn them against them. He asked us along these lines, to develop a game plan immediately for early moves.

      The President then left for his meeting with the aerospace people regarding employment, while we put some of our plans together.

      He reassembled Finch, Connally, and Ehrlichman, and me, with Ziegler in and out, and Kissinger in for a small period. At noon he made the point that if we don't move, the support we have for withdrawal from Vietnam, etcetera, will evaporate or become discouraged. We've got to keep our eye on the main ball, which is to maintain our public support. He feels that the question is, we either do something Monday or we temporize for a year or two. He thinks he can indicate that he's ordered the file out to study and that he's ordered the General to release Calley to his apartment. He then picked up the phone and called Admiral Moorer and issued the order releasing Calley from the stockade. When he hung up, he made the comment that at least a President can do something once in a while. He then said of Admiral Moorer, “That's the one place where they say “yes, sir,” instead of “yes, but”” Kissinger was in and discussed Laird's reaction to the Moorer call. He was quite distressed. Laird wanted to talk to the President, the President refused the call and told Henry to take it for him. We all were out for a little while. The President reassembled Kissinger, Ehrlichman, and me at 2:45 to review the whole thing again and decided that our options were either to move now or to sit it out for a while. The idea was raised of suspending the sentence while affirming the conviction. Kissinger strongly recommended we wait a couple of weeks to follow a pattern of thoughtful, deliberate action. Let the doves get further out, and more of them get out on the limb on it. He felt that if we do this commutation move before the Wednesday night speech, it will release the doves from their restrictions, and thus they'll hit harder on the speech because they won't be as confused. If we do wait, we would announce now that the President will review as soon as the commanding general receives the report from the judge advocate.

      The President agrees with my feeling that he can't go on-- be in the position of going on television Wednesday night without taking any action regarding Calley. The general public reaction has been stupendous, and we can't simply ignore it. We spent a great deal of time talking the whole thing over, as we have all during the day, and the question is what we really concluded. We left it up in the air for tonight, but we'll have to make a decision first thing tomorrow morning. The Republican Senators got going on their attack on the doves, and it worked extremely well. Hugh Scott and Bill Brock took the lead on it and did a very good job.

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PRIVACY- Reviewed released under Deed of Gift, DR, NARA, September 11, 2014
      Audio Cassette 6, Side A.
      Duration: 30 seconds

      We got back into the Helene Drown flap again tonight. As she was camping in the patio waiting for the President to come home. So he didn’t go home instead remained stuck in his office where he had dinner with Bebe. He’s asked Ehrlichman to move in again and tell Helene she’s no longer welcome––which John’s agreed to do and I guess will do tomorrow. The whole thing is still incredible.
      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      End of April 1.
    • Original audio recording (MP3)

  • 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.

    Nixon Library Holdings

    All National Archives Units

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

    Foreign Economic Policy

    Vol. XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969-1972

    Vol. XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969-1972; Jordan, September 1970

    Persian Gulf States

    • 96. National Intelligence Estimate, Washington, April 1, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1276, Saunders Files, Persian Gulf. Secret. Sent to Kissinger under a June 18 covering memorandum entitled “The Persian Gulf: Back-Up.” A note on the cover sheet of this NIE indicates that it superseded NIE 30–1–67, “The Persian Gulf States,” May 18, 1967, printed in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XXI, Near East Region; Arabian Peninsula, Document 94. The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense and NSA participated in the preparation of this estimate. The Director of CIA submitted this estimate with the concurrence of all members of the USIB with the exception of the representatives of the AEC and FBI who abstained on the grounds that it was outside their jurisdiction.

    Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Vol. E-2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969-1972

    Conferences on Nuclear and World Disarmament and Soviet UN Initiative on Non-Use of Force

    • 316. Telegram 54503 From the Department of State to the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Washington, April 1, 1971

      In this telegram, Secretary of State Rogers examined those sections of Secretary Brezhnev’s March 30 address to the 24 Congress of the CPSU which dealt with disarmament. Rogers noted that Brezhnev revived the idea of holding a five-power nuclear disarmament conference.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, DEF–18. Secret. It was repeated to all NATO Capitals and USDel SALT IV. Drafted on March 31 by Baroz (INR/RSE); cleared in EUR/RPM, PM, and ACDA; and approved by McGuire (EUR/RPM).

    Vol. E-4, Documents on Iran and Iraq, 1969-1972

    Iraq 1969-1971

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

    Costa Rica

    • 186. Telegram 810 From the Embassy in Costa Rica to the Department of State, April 1, 1971, 1420Z., April 1, 1971, 1420Z

      The Embassy reported that President Figueres gave an interview to state that his goal in warming relations with the Soviet Union was “in favor of peace, not war,” and that he would provide a full written statement to clear up any misunderstandings about his policy. Figueres also publicly offered to open up Costa Rica to U.S. intelligence to allow for any necessary vigilance.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL COSTA RICA–USSR. Confidential. Joint State-USIS message. Repeated to Guatemala, Managua, Mexico City, Moscow, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO.

  • 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 can be found in the National Archives Catalog.

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-5960 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5960-03-05, 30-31, Vice President Agnew attending a Veterans Administration gathering. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. Sheraton Park Hotel, interior. Spiro Agnew, unidentified persons.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5960-07-11, Vice President Agnew with unidentified persons. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. Sheraton Park Hotel, interior. Spiro Agnew, unidentified persons.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5960-12-29, Vice President Agnew addressing a Veterans Administration gathering. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. Sheraton Park Hotel, interior. Spiro Agnew, unidentified persons.

    Roll WHPO-5961 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5961-02-18, Lynda Robb interviewing Tricia Nixon under a chandelier. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Tricia Nixon, Lynda Robb.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5961-07A, Lynda Robb interviewing Tricia Nixon. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Tricia Nixon, Lynda Robb.

    Roll WHPO-5962 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5962-03A-20A, Portrait of the Cherry Blossom Queen and Princesses. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Diplomatic Entrance Stairway. Cherry Blossom Queen, Cherry Blossom Princesses, unidentified men and women.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5962-21A-29A, Congressman Bob Hall and unidentified men. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Diplomatic Entrance Stairway. Rep. Bob Hall, unidentified men and women.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5962-31A, Unidentified women leaving the West Wing. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, West Wing Portico. unidentified women.

    Roll WHPO-5963 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5963-05A-25A, Portrait of Cathy Barker. 4/1/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, North Portico driveway. Cathy Barker.

    Roll WHPO-5964 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5964-02A-09A, President Nixon meeting with West Coast scientific leaders, including Stanford Provost William Miller and Stanford Dean of the Business School Arjay Miller, to discuss reemployment opportunities for scientists and engineers. 4/1/1971, San Clemente, California Western White House, Conference Room. President Nixon Clarence Linder, James Mulligan, Ronald Smelt, Sidney Tarnoff, Jerome Weingart, Robert Christy, Arjay Miller, William Miller, Ivan Getting, Ruben Mettler, Benjamin Biaggini, E.N.Cole, John Guarrera, Paul Rubenstein, Shermer Sibley, Herman Weiner.

    Roll WHPO-5965 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5965-04A-09A, President Nixon meeting with West Coast scientific leaders, including Stanford Provost William Miller and Stanford Dean of the Business School Arjay Miller, to discuss reemployment opportunities for scientists and engineers. 4/1/1971, San Clemente, California Conference Room, Western White House. President Nixon, Clarence Linder, James Mulligan, Ronald Smelt, Sidney Tarnoff, Jerome Weingart, Robert Christy, Arjay Miller, William Miller, Ivan Getting, Ruben Mettler, Benjamin Biaggini, E.N.Cole, John Guarrera, Paul Rubenstein, Shermer Sibley, Herman Weiner.

    Roll WHPO-5967 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5967-01A-09A, Colonel Al Redman at swearing-in ceremony. 4/1/1971, San Clemente, California unknown. Al Redman, unidentified man.

  • 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.

    G - Cabinet Officer Briefings

    • WHCA-SR-G-098
      Press briefing by Secretary of Labor James D. Hodgson and Dr. Edward David, with Ronald Ziegler and Gerald Warren. (4/1/1971, San Clemente Inn, San Clemente, California)

      Runtime: 58:00:00

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

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

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-363
      Revenue-sharing briefing by John Hartland for governors. (4/1/1971, [None listed])

      Runtime: 3:15:00

      Keywords: Briefings, private briefings

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by JMC (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-4252
      WRC News with Julie Eisenhower interview. U.S. Senator George McGovern (D-SD).
      ABC
      Runtime: 00:34:00
    • WHCA-4253
      "The Mind of a Juror: The Calley Trial". on the Lt. William Laws Calley trial and his involvement in the My Lai masacre David Frye, comedian; Jack Anderson, investigate reporter.
      Group W Productions
      Runtime: 00:29:12
    • WHCA-4256
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:30:00

      3. Smith/Gill: Calley release from stockade (Lt. Calley and My Lai Massacre trial). Time Code Start: 01:28. Keywords: Vietnam War, Lt. Calley, My Lai Massacre, military trials, massacres, war crimes, atrocities, mass murders, civilians deaths, shootings. Network: ABC.

      4. Reasoner/Giggans/Tuckner: Laos report. Time Code Start: 03:00. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.

      5. Bell/Farmer: Continuation of Laos coverage. Time Code Start: 07:48. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.

      6. Smith/Donaldson: White House view of Laos. Time Code Start: 15:19. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.

      7. Smith/Clark: Vietnam debate in Congress. Time Code Start: 16:26. Keywords: Vietnam War, House of Representatives, debates. Network: ABC.

      8. Brinkley: Calley release from stockade (Lt. Calley and My Lai Massacre trial). Time Code Start: 18:44. Keywords: Vietnam War, Lt. Calley, My Lai Massacre, military trials, massacres, war crimes, atrocities, mass murders, civilians deaths, shootings. Network: NBC.

      9. Chancellor: Public reaction to Calley verdict (Lt. Calley and My Lai Massacre trial). Time Code Start: 23:07. Keywords: Vietnam War, Lt. Calley, My Lai Massacre, military trials, massacres, war crimes, atrocities, mass murders, civilians deaths, shootings. Network: NBC.

      10. Brinkley/Jones: Laos; Casualties reported North Vietnam attempting to capture Luang Prabang, Laos. Time Code Start: 25:57. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War, Killed in Action, KIA, death tolls, fatalities. Network: NBC.

      11. Brinkley: House considering raising minimum wage from $1.60 to $2.00 due to inflation. Time Code Start: 29:25. Keywords: economy, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment. Network: NBC.

      12. Cronkite/Rather: Reaction to Calley's verdict (Lt. Calley and My Lai Massacre trial). Time Code Start: 30:00. Keywords: Vietnam War, Lt. Calley, My Lai Massacre, military trials, massacres, war crimes, atrocities, mass murders, civilians deaths, shootings. Network: CBS.

      13. Cronkite: Vietnam report. Time Code Start: 39:48. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

      14. Cronkite: FBI and POWs wives. Time Code Start: 40:58. Keywords: Federal Bureau of Investigations, Vietnam Prisoner of War, families, women. Network: CBS.

      15. Cronkite: Cost of living report. Time Code Start: 41:33. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices, reports. Network: CBS.

      16. Sevareid: Commentary on Juvenile crime and imprisonment stats in America, 15 year olds responsible for largest percentage of crimes; half of serious-crimes committed by under 18. Time Code Start: 42:05. Keywords: youth, Juveniles, anti-crime, offences, offenses, infractions, criminals, criminality, law breaking, punishments, rehabilitation, prisons, incarceration. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)