1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Almanac

August 23, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, August 23, 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: Wednesday, August 22, 1973

Next Date: Friday, August 24, 1973

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.

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 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. XXII, Panama, 1973-1976

    Panama, 1973-1976

    Vol. XXV, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    Vol. XXVII, Iran; Iraq, 1973-1976

    Iraq, January 1973-December 1974

    • 230. Research Study Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Washington, August 23, 1973

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL IRAQ–USSR. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem. Drafted by Alexandra U. Johnson (INR/USSR and Eastern Europe), cleared by David E. Mark (Deputy Director, Regional Intelligence), and approved by Martin Packman (Chief, Current Intelligence Staff).

    Vol. E-11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973-1976

    El Salvador and Honduras

    • 151. Telegram 168092 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Honduras, Washington, August 23, 1973, 2107Z

      Summary: Responding to a Honduran purchase of Cuban sugar, Director of Central American Affairs Lazar met with the Honduran Ambassador and sought assurances that his government would follow through on its commitment to oppose a Venezuelan initiative to lift OAS sanctions against Cuba.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted and approved by Lazar on August 23. Repeated to San Salvador, Guatemala City, San José, and Managua. The Venezuelan initiative on Cuba is described in Document 275. In telegram 167208 to Tegucigalpa, August 22, the Department stated that Batres had told Shlaudeman that his government opposed the Venezuelan initiative but had not mentioned the Honduran purchase of Cuban sugar. (Ibid.) In telegram 168889 to Tegucigalpa, August 24, the Department instructed the Embassy to urge López to reverse the transaction, warning that it could affect the Honduran U.S. sugar quota. (Ibid.) In telegram 3472 from Tegucigalpa, September 11, the Embassy reported that Lazar told Batres the purchase “might well create problems in future between two governments in ways difficult to control.” (Ibid.)

  • 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 Communications Agency Sound Recordings Collection contains public statements that took place between 1969 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    S - White House Press Office Briefings (continuation of the L-series)

    • WHCA-SR-S-271
      Briefing by Henry A. Kissinger. (8/23/1973, San Clemente)

      Runtime: 39:12:00

      Keywords: Briefings, public briefings, statements to the press (see also Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media)

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

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-S-272
      Press briefing by Gerald Warren. (8/23/1973, Press Center, San Clemente Inn, California)

      Runtime: 30:31:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

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

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-S-274
      Press briefing by Herbert Stein. (8/23/1973, EOB Conference Room (450))

      Runtime: 48:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by RHS (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-6512
      Weekly News Summary, Tape III.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 0:30

      1. Reasoner/Jerriel: Kissinger's press conference; nomination for Kissinger as Secretary of State well accepted. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews. Network: ABC.

      2. Reasoner/Donaldson: Ervin not satisfied with President Nixon's press conference. Time Code Start: 03:07. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, statements, media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews, criticism, critics. Network: ABC.

      3. Smith/Geer: Vice President Agnew investigation. Time Code Start: 05:39. Keywords: Vice Presidents, resignations, terminations, taxes, investments, investigations, hearings. Network: ABC.

      4. Smith/Drury: Gas stations close in protest of Phase IV. Time Code Start: 07:41. Keywords: energy, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, natural resources, businesses, closing, protests, wage and price controls, freezes, prices, costs, increases, decreases, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation. Network: ABC.

      5. Reasoner: Commentary on farming guidelines; how they change and why. Time Code Start: 10:37. Keywords: agriculture, farming, procedures, regulations, products, guides. Network: ABC.

      6. Chancellor: Kissinger news conference in San Clemente, California. Time Code Start: 12:39. Keywords: media, speeches, statements, interviews, Western White House, La Casa Pacifica. Network: NBC.

      7. Chancellor/Valeriani/Stern: President Nixon's press conference; burglary during former President Kennedy's (JFK) and former President Johnson's (LBJ) years. Time Code Start: 14:35. Keywords: Presidents, John F. Kennedy, thefts, burglaries, history, media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews, history, biography, burglary, theft, crime, investigations. Network: NBC.

      8. Chancellor/Goralski: Vice President Agnew investigation; 1972 campaign funds. Time Code Start: 18:45. Keywords: Vice Presidents, resignations, terminations, taxes, investments, investigations, hearings, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, finances, funding. Network: NBC.

      9. Chancellor/Levine/Briggs/Davis: Inflation and the economy with Herb Stein; food prices and beer prices. Time Code Start: 20:43. Keywords: reports, officials, food, alcohol, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices. Network: NBC.

      10. Cronkite/Rather/Kalb: Kissinger's news conference at San Clemente, California; mood at State Department. Time Code Start: 26:14. Keywords: media, speeches, statements, interviews, Western White House, La Casa Pacifica. Network: CBS.

      11. Cronkite/Grahm: Burglaries for national security; past and present. Time Code Start: 30:49. Keywords: break-in, burglary, theft, civil defense, counterintelligence services, secret police, anti-terrorism. Network: CBS.

      12. Cronkite/Serafin: Campaign funds for 1972. Time Code Start: 33:04. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates, costs, finances, funding, credit, loans, cash, currency, funding, financial aid. Network: CBS.

      13. Cronkite: Vice President Agnew investigation. Time Code Start: 35:00. Keywords: Vice Presidents, resignations, terminations, taxes, investments, investigations, hearings. Network: CBS.

      14. Cronkite/Davis: Cambodia war [Vietnam]. Time Code Start: 35:57. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

      15. Cronkite/Schahan: GI's plight in Germany; dangerous Army hospitals. Time Code Start: 37:55. Keywords: Armed forces, military, troops, bases, West Germany, hospitals, medical care. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)