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April 18, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, April 18, 1973, 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: Tuesday, April 17, 1973

Next Date: Thursday, April 19, 1973

Schedule and Public Documents

Archival Holdings

  • 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.

    President's Personal File

    The President's Personal File is essentially a President's secretary's file, kept by Rose Mary Woods, personal secretary to the President, for two purposes: (1) preserving for posterity a collection of documents particularly close to the President, whether because he dictated or annotated them, or because of the importance of the correspondent or the event concerned and (2) giving appropriate attention–letters of gratitude, invitations to White House social events, and the like–to members and important friends and supporters of the Nixon administration. This generalization does not describe all the varied materials of a file group which is essentially a miscellany, but it does identify the reason for the existence of the file group's core. 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.

  • 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. XXXIX, European Security

    Opening Negotiations, December 1972-July 1973

    Vol. E-9, Part 2, Documents on the Middle East Region, 1973-1976

    Saudi Arabia

    • 85. Airgram From the Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the Department of State, Jidda, April 18, 1973

      Summary: The Embassy provided its first quarterly assessment of governmental and economic developments in Saudi Arabia for 1973.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, 1970–73, POL 2 Saudi Arabia. Secret. Drafted by T. McAdams Deford (POL); cleared by Eugene Bird (POL/ECON); approved by DCM Horan. Repeated to Abu Dhabi, Algiers, Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Dhahran, Khartoum, Kuwait City, London, Manama, Rabat, Sana’a, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, Tunis, CHUSMTM, CINCEUR, COMIDEASTFOR, and DIA. On the Khartoum incident, see Document 81.

    Vol. E-11, Part 2, Documents on South America, 1973-1976

    Peru

    • 283. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Richardson to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, April 18, 1973

      Summary: Richardson recommended to Kissinger that a SRG be convened to review U.S. policy towards Peru.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files, Box 793, Latin America, Peru, Vol. 3, January 1972–December 31, 1973. Secret. On April 18, Richardson sent a copy of the memorandum to Rogers. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files, 1970–1973, POL PERU–US) Belcher’s February 23 telegram is referred to in the source note to Document 282. On March 23, in telegram 1894 from Lima, Belcher informed the Department of Peru’s “probable imminent decision” to purchase Soviet MIGs. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]) NSDM 199, December 26, 1972, is Document 640 in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. E–10, Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972. No SRG meeting on Peru was held.

    Uruguay

    • 334. Telegram 1176 From the Embassy in Uruguay to the Department of State, Montevideo, April 18, 1973, 1940Z

      Summary: The Embassy reported that “a period of relative political calm” had been reached since the February crisis, and assessed the factors among the military, President Bordaberry, economic development plans, political parties, the left, and the public that might influence future events.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files, 1970–73, POL 14 UR. Confidential. Repeated for information to Southcom and DIA. Airgram A–27 from Montevideo, March 3, reported that the rise to power of the military over a civilian political structure that had seemed stable could be attributed to a number of factors, including longstanding Uruguayan economic troubles, the relative prestige of the military versus the government bureaucracy and politicians, Bordaberry’s lack of institutional support from a political party, and Bordaberry’s poor management of the crisis. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files, 1970–73, POL 15 UR) In telegram 1199 from Montevideo, April 24, Ortiz reported on his April 20 meeting with Foreign Minister Blanco. Blanco asserted that Bordaberry had power over the military, which he described as anti-communist, and that the new National Security Council (COSENA) would be a useful tool to curb corruption. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number])

    Vol. E-12, Documents on East and Southeast Asia, 1973-1976

    Philippines

    Vol. E-15, Part 2, Documents on Western Europe, 1973-1976, Second, Revised Edition

    Western Europe Regional, 1973-1976

    • 10. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Secretary of the Treasury Shultz to President Nixon, Washington, April 18, 1973

      Summary: Kissinger and Shultz secured Nixon’s approval of their strategy for addressing the issue of EC preferential agreements with Spain and Israel.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 322, Subject Files, European Common Market, Vol III Oct 72–Jun 73 (1 of 2). Confidential. Sent for action. Attached but not published is Tab A, an undated paper entitled “Negotiating Instructions on EC-Spain and EC-Israel Trade Agreements.” A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Nixon initialed his approval of the proposed strategy.

  • 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

Context (External Sources)