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April 26, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, April 26, 1972, 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 25, 1972

Next Date: Thursday, April 27, 1972

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.

    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)
      Wednesday, April 26.

      Spent the day at the EOB getting ready for the TV speech tonight on Vietnam, had me over several times, going over just odds and ends on the speech. He wanted to get the Harriman cable on the bombing halt conditions cleared by Henry so he could use it on the speech, and we went around about that. I told him about the cable. We went around about that some during the day but he ended up deciding not to use it after all. He wanted to be sure on the follow-up that we really worked on the news out of Vietnam on the developing public support for the speech, a heavy attack on the dove Democrats, get George Bush going. All that sort of thing. He wants to keep beating the television on Vietnam, calls following up on the commentary and all that sort of thing. He doesn't want to release an advance copy, because he wants the Congressmen to hear the speech rather than to read it. He's obviously somewhat concerned about the rhetoric he's using at the opening, and I guess more particularly at the closing. He did read that to me later on during the day. He then agreed to release the text because of the argument of the press guys that we needed it in order to get adequate coverage in the AM papers. He wants to be sure we have Bunker do press briefings in Saigon, he was very impressed with the cable Bunker had sent to Henry. It later turned out that it was from Abrams, not Bunker. Henry had misunderstood the source. Speech went very well, and our early reaction has been excellent.

      We left right afterwards, for Key Biscayne. He wanted to be sure that Colson hit hard the point that the attacks by the Democrats in the Senate and the House and the Presidential candidates will jeopardize the negotiations and undercut the President, and that they, therefore, must accept the responsibility if the peace efforts fail. He wants to take them on for supporting the Communists, and really go right up to the "aid and comfort to the enemy" line. He's ordered Henry to hit Hanoi again this weekend. He told him-- Henry was on the plane, he told him--asked him how many B-52s we had in the Vietnam area, Henry said 130, so the President wrote down on a card that he was ordering 130 B-52 raid. Henry afterwards said, "what can I do, I can't possibly send 130 up". He wants some attacks orchestrated regarding the latest Vietnam attack on I Corps, on the point that while we're going back to the conference table, the North Vietnamese start a new attack. When we arrived at Homestead, he found out that there are two squadrons based there that were leaving the next day for Vietnam. He thought he might go over and see them off tomorrow.

      End of April 26.
    • 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

    International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    • 227. Telegram From the Embassy in Italy to the Department of State, Rome, April 26, 1972, 1857Z

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, FN 10 EEC. Confidential; Limdis; Greenback. Repeated to Bern, Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, The Hague, London, Luxembourg, Ottawa, Oslo, Paris, Santiago (where the UNCTAD III Ministerial was getting underway), Stockholm, Tokyo, Vienna, USEC, and USOECD.

    Vol. VIII, Vietnam, January-October 1972

    The Easter Offensive, March 30-May 7, 1972

    Vol. XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969-1972

    Republic of Korea Troops in Vietnam and Force Modernization, April 1971-December 1972

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

    Yugoslavia

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

    Greece

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

    Iran 1972

    • 179. Memorandum From Harold Saunders of the National Security Council Staff for the Files, Washington, April 26, 1972

      Saunders summarized the correspondence received from a U.S.-based Iranian dissident, Nasser Afshar, who denounced the Shah’s rule.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations, Box 1282, Iran 1/1/72–5/31/72. No classification marking. In 1971, Congressman Graham Purcell inserted into the Congressional Record letters from Afshar’s “Free Iran” movement, condemning the Shah’s reign. In response, on August 18, 1971, Ambassador MacArthur wrote to Purcell, denouncing the character and activities of the organization and its chairman, on the basis of FBI information. The Department official assigned to deliver the letter to Purcell was advised to “reminisce about a number of other Congressmen who had taken up the anti-Shah banner in the 1960’s, much to their subsequent embarrassment.” On October 21, 1971, Purcell apologized for his action, agreeing that “Free Iran” was unworthy of his support. All of this correspondence was passed to Court Minister ALAM for the Shah’s perusal on November 7, 1971. (NEA/IRN, Office of Iran Affairs, Lot File 75D351, Box 6, PS 7, Iran 1969–71, Assistance to Americans, Nasser Afshar 1971)

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

    Mexico

    • 476. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Irwin) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Meyer), Washington, April 26, 1972., Washington, April 26, 1972

      Under Secretary Irwin provided Assistant Secretary Meyer with a summary of U.S. policy priorities in Mexico for the FY 72–73 period. Among the major focal points were the Colorado River salinity issue, bilateral trade differences, narcotics control, illegal immigration, and development assistance.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 1–1 MEX–US. Secret. Attached but not published at Annex A is “Indicative Resource Guidance.” In telegram 2281 from Mexico City, May 3, the Embassy reported that Rabasa listed as the 3 most important issues in United State-Mexican relations, “salinity, trade problems, and situation of Mexicans working illegally in U.S.” (Ibid., POL 7 MEX)

    Vol. E-13, Documents on China, 1969-1972

    • 127. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, April 26, 1972, 5:50-6:30 p.m., New York, April 26, 1972, 5:50-6:30 p.m.

      The President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs Haig relayed to Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s discussions in Moscow concerning President Nixon’s upcoming visit, SALT negotiations, events in West Germany, and Vietnam.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, March 1, 1972-June 24, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The precise location of the conversation is not indicated. Brackets in the source text. Presumably drafted by Rodman. Shi Yen-hau was also present. See Document 122 for discussion of the April 18 Chinese note.

  • 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)