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August 14, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, August 14, 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: Sunday, August 13, 1972

Next Date: Tuesday, August 15, 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.

  • 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

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

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.

    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. VIII, Vietnam, January-October 1972

    The Parties Move Toward Agreement, July 19-October 7, 1972

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

    Proximity Talks and the Backchannel: Separate Department of State and White House Negotiating Tricks

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

    Persian Gulf States

    Vol. XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969-1972

    Taking Stock

    • 223. National Security Decision Memorandum 184, Washington, August 14, 1972

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 364, NSDMs, Nos. 145–264. Limited Official Use. Copies were sent to Helms, Gerard Smith, Moorer, Weinberger, and David.

    Vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969-1972

    Spain

    Vol. XLII, Vietnam: The Kissinger-Le Duc Tho Negotiations

    Serious Negotiations and the October Settlement, July 1972-October 1972

    • 17. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, August 14, 1972, 9:28 a.m.-5 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 864, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China/Vietnam Negotiations, Sensitive, Camp David Memcons, May–October 1972 [4 of 5]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at the North Vietnamese Residence at 11 Rue Darthé, Choisy-le-Roi. All brackets are in the original. The tabs are attached but not printed.

      As directed by Kissinger, Haig reported to President Nixon that the 7½-hour “meeting was a holding action pending review in the capitals by both sides, especially on the political issue.” Haig continued: “Kissinger informed the other side that he was proceeding to Saigon to discuss the negotiations. Le Duc Tho, in turn, told Dr. Kissinger that he was returning to Hanoi in a few days to review the North Vietnamese position and it was then clear that he was not about to give anything away prior to that review. Kissinger emphasized that the PR effect of the nearly simultaneous visit of Kissinger to Saigon and Le Duc Tho to Hanoi should be significant.”

      A stamped notation on Haig’s memorandum indicates the President saw it, and Nixon wrote on the last page as follows:

      “I. Al—It is obvious that no progress was made & that none can be expected—Henry must be discouraged—as I have always been on this front until after the election.

      “We have reached the stage where the mere fact of private talks helps us very little—if at all. We can soon expect the opposition to begin to make that point.

      “II. Disillusionment about K’s talks could be harmful psychologically—particularly in view of the fact that the Saigon trip, regardless of how we downplay it—may raise expectations.

      “What we need most now is a P.R. game plan to either stop talks or if we continue them to give some hope of progress.” ( Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. VIII, Vietnam, January–October 1972, Document 237)

      In an August 19 memorandum to President Nixon, Kissinger provided further details about this meeting:

      “As the meeting headed toward a close I registered my disillusionment with their generally negative performance. They could hardly expect me to work hard in Saigon on political issues when they were underscoring differences on other issues as well. This had a salutary effect; their tone changed markedly:

      “—They emphasized that both sides had been showing good will and that we were engaged in serious negotiations.

      “—They emphasized that neutral ground must be found on the tough questions, like the political issues.

      “—They opined that if the political problem could be solved, the other issues would fall into place.

      “—They underlined their desire for rapid progress toward a settlement.

      “—And Tho informed me that he was returning shortly to Hanoi; this was the first time he had accounted for his travels to me. (Ibid., Document 246. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it.)

      Le Duc Tho and Xuan Thuy, looking beyond this meeting, assessed for the Politburo a way forward for the next stage of the Paris talks:

      “[A]fter the three last private meetings, we decided

      “—gradually to lead the US into real negotiations, and

      “—step by step to try to understand the US scheme.

      “Watching how much they show their cards, we should open our hands as wide as they do. Generally speaking, we should see what they put forward to follow suit and then play a similar card. However, we must be flexible, it was not necessary that they always made the first step and we always followed them, at times we should take the initiative to show our card first for sounding purposes and to direct them to our aim.

      “We should firmly hold principles and be flexible in tactics.” (Luu and Nguyen, Le Duc Tho-Kissinger Negotiations in Paris, p. 273)

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

    Haiti

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

    • 151. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, August 14, 1972, 3:30-4:10 p.m., New York, August 14, 1972, 3:30-4:10 p.m.

      Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua reiterated to NSC staff member Howe China’s opposition to the Soviet nuclear non-aggression proposal, described a recent visit to China by Gerhard Schroeder of the West German Bundestag, and expressed optimism about a rapprochement between China and Japan. Howe also read the text of a note, outlining U.S. opposition to a Soviet treaty on the non-use of nuclear weapons, informing the Chinese of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s planned trip to Saigon following a secret meeting with North Vietnamese negotiators in Paris, and noting that Kissinger might consider stopping briefly in Japan on his return trip from Saigon.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The precise location of the meeting is not indicated. Attached at Tab A are the U.S. note and a copy of the Soviet-proposed treaty on the non-use of nuclear weapons.

  • 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)