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April 5, 1974

Introduction

This almanac page for Friday, April 5, 1974, 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: Thursday, April 4, 1974

Next Date: Saturday, April 6, 1974

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.

    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 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.

    • No President's Daily Brief delivered on this date

  • 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. E-14, Part 2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1973-1976

    • 39. Memorandum NSC–U/DM–122 From the Chairman of the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee (Rush) to President Nixon, Washington, April 5, 1974

      Summary: Rush submitted an action program prepared by the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee on steps the United States might take in cooperation with other nations to enhance security and nonproliferation objectives. He recommended that Nixon approve the action program.

      Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 32, Security Aspects of Growth and Dissemination of Nuclear Power Industries. Secret. According to an April 5 covering memorandum from Grove, copies were sent to Clements, Kissinger, Colby, Moorer, Ray, and Iklé. Attachment 1, a March 25 executive summary of the action plan, is attached but not published. Attachment 2, the action program, is not attached, but a version is Document 31. NSDM 235 is Document 18.

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

    Western Europe Regional, 1973-1976

    • 56. Telegram 68767/Tosec 111 From the Department of State to the Delegation in Acapulco, Washington, April 5, 1974, 0059Z

      Summary: The Department forwarded the text of a personal message from Callaghan to Kissinger.

      Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger-Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, Box 24, United Kingdom (15). Secret; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis. From March 30 to April 9, Kissinger was in Mexico. On March 28, Kissinger met with Wilson, Callaghan, and other UK officials, finding them “skeptical of many of the actions of the Nine, though they do not want to confront them head-on.” Callaghan pledged “full consultation with the US,” while Kissinger promised to “resume our old practice of close contact.” Kissinger noted that while Callaghan had no interest in an EC Declaration, he did wish to conclude a NATO Declaration. (Message Hakto 19 from Kissinger to Scowcroft, March 28; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 48, HAK Trip Files, HAK Trip, Bonn, Moscow, London, Mar 24–28, HAKTO/TOHAK) Kissinger’s April 6 reply to Callaghan, in which he agreed to defer the NATO commemoration until June and expressed his desire to complete the NATO Declaration by then, is ibid., RG 59, Records of the Office of the Counselor, Helmut C. Sonnenfeldt, 1955–1977, Entry 5339, Box 4, Britain 1974.

    United Kingdom, 1973-1976

    • 230. Telegram 4301 From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State, London, April 5, 1974, 1143Z

      Summary: The Embassy forwarded its thoughts on U.S.–UK relations and EC renegotiation.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1974, [no film number]. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information to Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, The Hague, Luxembourg, Paris, Rome, the Mission to the EC, the Mission to NATO, and the Mission to the OECD. As a result of the February 28 UK general election, Heath’s majority Conservative government was replaced by a minority Labour government led by Harold Wilson on March 4. On March 28, Kissinger met with Callaghan and Wilson in London; memoranda of conversation on their talks are ibid., Records of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Entry 5403, Box 7, Nodis Memcons, Mar. 1974, Folder 5.

  • 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-E2562 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2562-01-11, Staff on Air Force One en route to Paris to attend funeral of President Georges Pompidou. 4/5/1974, air Air Force One, interior.

    Roll WHPO-E2563 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2563-, Staff on Air Force One en route to Paris to attend funeral of President Georges Pompidou. 4/5/1974, air Air Force One, (AF1) interior.

    Roll WHPO-E2586 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2586-02A-18A, 21st Annual Landscape Awards Ceremony. 4/5/1974, White House, East Room.

  • 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.

    C - First Lady

    • WHCA-SR-C-160
      Remarks by Pat Nixon in awards presentations to the National Association of Nurserymen. (4/5/1974, East Room, The White House)

      Runtime: 55:00:00

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

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-740402
      Remarks by President Nixon on arrival at Orly Airport in Paris. (4/5/1974)

      Runtime: 2:20

      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-6870
      "Martin Agronsky: Evening Edition".
      NBC
      Runtime: 0:30
    • WHCA-6875
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS

      22. Reasoner/Schoumacher: Chapin trial ends in guilty verdict. Time Code Start: 53:07. Keywords: Dirty Tricks, political sabotage, trials, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, Presidential elections, campaigns. Network: ABC.

      23. Reasoner/Jackson: Ed Nixon testifies at Mitchell-Stans conspiracy trial. Time Code Start: 56:00. Keywords: Presidents, familes, brothers, cabinet, advisors, trials, obstruction of justice, perjury, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: ABC.

      24. Reasoner/Cioffi: President Nixon in France. Time Code Start: 58:50. Keywords: Presidents, travel, trips, Nixon trips, international, Europe. Network: ABC.

      25. Reasoner/Reynolds: President Nixon to campaign in Michigan with Percy. Time Code Start: 61:45. Keywords: Presidents,. Network: ABC.

      26. Reasoner: Commentary on world leadership aging. Time Code Start: 65:10. Keywords: senior citizens, elderly, aging issues, leaders, Presidents, officials,. Network: ABC.

      27. Newman/Stern: Chapin found guilty with Chapin. Time Code Start: 66:44. Keywords: Dirty Tricks, political sabotage, trials, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, Presidential elections, campaigns. Network: NBC.

      28. Newman/Hager: Ed Nixon testifies at Mitchell-Stans conspiracy trial. Time Code Start: 70:00. Keywords: Presidents, familes, brothers, cabinet, advisors, trials, obstruction of justice, perjury, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: NBC.

      29. Newman/Dobyns: President Nixon attends French President Pompidou's memorial mass. Time Code Start: 72:02. Keywords: Presidents, Europe, France, death memorials, burials, internments, religious services, funerals. Network: NBC.

      30. Newman/Paxton: Michigan Republicans and future President Nixon's visit. Time Code Start: 74:03. Keywords: Presidents, travel, trips, Nixon trips, domestic. Network: NBC.

      31. Newman/Briggs: President Nixon's taxes and public reactions. Time Code Start: 76:25. Keywords: Presidents, Internal Revenue Service, taxes, taxation, revenue, audits, investigations, state taxes. Network: NBC.

      32. Cronkite/Graham: Chapin found guilty with Chapin. Time Code Start: 78:50. Keywords: Dirty Tricks, political sabotage, trials, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, Presidential elections, campaigns. Network: CBS.

      33. Cronkite/Schakne: Mitchell-Stans conspiracy trial with Ed Nixon's testimony. Time Code Start: 80:30. Keywords: Presidents, familes, brothers, cabinet, advisors, trials, obstruction of justice, perjury, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: CBS.

      34. Cronkite/Schorr: President Nixon's taxes and public reaction. Time Code Start: 82:57. Keywords: Presidents, Internal Revenue Service, taxes, taxation, revenue, audits, investigations, state taxes. Network: CBS.

      35. Cronkite: Michigan Republicans (Sparling) and President Nixon's visit. Time Code Start: 85:00. Keywords: Presidents, travel, trips, Nixon trips, domestic, political parties, GOP, meetings. Network: CBS.

      36. Cronkite/Daniels/Hall/Pappas: People rebuild after tornadoes. Time Code Start: 85:45. Keywords: weather, natural disasters, storms, tornado, 1974 Super Tornado, 1974 Super Outbreak, damages, rebuilding, redevelopment,. Network: CBS.

      37. Cronkite: President Nixon arrives for French President Pompidou's memorial mass. Time Code Start: 90:10. Keywords: Presidents, Europe, France, death memorials, burials, internments, religious services, funerals. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)