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August 3, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, August 3, 1971, 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: Monday, August 2, 1971

Next Date: Wednesday, August 4, 1971

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)
    Tuesday, August 3.

    President spent the whole day holed up at the EOB getting ready for his press conference, except for a long meeting this morning with John Connally. The result of that, plus his long meeting last night with Shultz and Connally, was a decision to delay the big economic plan until September 8. The problem is, they can't really get the staff work done on it and have it ready to launch this week. There's also some other advantages to holding off and doing it next week, in any event.

    There was a major stir this morning on the Texas busing question, as a result of some phone calls late last night when Harry Dent informed the President that the Southern chairmen were going to join the Buckley move in suspending the support of the President, as a result of the decision to appeal the Austin school decision. The President was very disturbed about this last night and had them all stirring. And then this morning, Connally, Mitchell, and Shultz all met together, with Ed Morgan and others in and out, to try and figure out how to resolve it. The net result was that there wasn't anything we could do; we'd have to take our lumps now. We have to go ahead with the appeal. If we don't, the issue will keep rattling around and come back to haunt us later this year and next year, where if we get it settled once and for all, it may be gone by next year. This, at least, was the decision.

    The President had me over at midday to go over some scheduling questions. He's still debating whether to take a several-stop swing across the country on the way to California, or just do Dallas and on into LA., so we're trying to work that out. Because of the Texas school bus problem, we now don't feel we can spend much time in Dallas, or anywhere else in Texas, because there'll be some strong adverse reaction.

    End of August 3.
  • 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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

The Nixon Administration and War Powers Legislation

Vol. IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969-1972

Expropriation Policy, 1969-1972

East-West Trade, 1969-1972

Vol. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

The Consequences of Operation Lan Som 719 and the Search for a Settlement, April 8-October 6, 1971

Vol. XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971

South Asia Crisis, 1971

Vol. XIII, Soviet Union, October 1970-October 1971

Between Beijing and Moscow: Summit Announcement, July 19-October 12, 1971

  • 307. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, August 3, 1971

    Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 716, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XV. Secret; Nodis. Sonnenfeldt forwarded a draft of this memorandum to Kissinger on July 30 with the comment on the Beam–Gromyko meeting: “I doubt that you want this channel to become active.” Haig wrote in the margin: “HAK, I’ve told State this channel is not to be used—they understand.” A notation on the memorandum from Kissinger indicates that the President saw it.

Vol. XIX, Part 2, Japan, 1969-1972

April-October 1971: Change and Reassessment

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

Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

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

Malta

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

Guatemala

  • 354. Memorandum From the Acting Inspector General of Foreign Assistance of the Department of State (Faunce) to Secretary of Defense Laird, Washington, August 3, 1971., Washington, August 3, 1971

    Acting Inspector General of Foreign Assistance Faunce summarized a report on the U.S. Military Group in Guatemala, noting a disturbing failure to fill one important post for over seven months.

    Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 330–74A–0083, 19, Guatemala 1971 000.1. Confidential. In the attached July 29 memorandum to Acting Inspector General Faunce, inspectors William T. Briggs, Edward W. Markey, and Bruce Clark noted that the position of Chief of USMILGP/Guatemala had been vacant since December 18, 1970 because “the problem of terrorism in Guatemala City may have influenced the officers’ decision not to accept the assignment out of concern for the safety of their families.” The attached memorandum is not published.

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 Tapes are sound recordings of President Richard Nixon's telephone conversations and of meetings held in the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House, the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB), the Lincoln Sitting Room in the residence section of the White House, and several locations at the Presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. These recordings document many of the major events and decisions of the Nixon Administration from February 16, 1971 to July 18, 1973. Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

Old Executive Office Building

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-6929 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

  • Frame(s): WHPO-6929-03-05, Pat Nixon receiving a cookbook, "What's Cookin' in Lochmere," from Congressman Louis Wyman. 8/3/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Library. Pat Nixon, Louis Wyman.
  • Frame(s): WHPO-6929-06-08, Pat Nixon with the Ambassador of Iran, Dr. A. Aslan Afshar. 8/3/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Library. Pat Nixon, A. Aslan Afshar.

Roll WHPO-6930 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

  • Frame(s): WHPO-6930-05A-07A, Pat Nixon with the Ambassador of Iran, Dr. A. Aslan Afshar. 8/3/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Library. Pat Nixon, A. Aslan Afshar.

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.

H - White House Staff Member Recordings

  • WHCA-SR-H-421
    Press briefing by Gerald Warren, John D. Ehrlichman, and Clark MacGregor. (8/3/1971, Press Center, White House)

    Runtime: 35:00:00

    Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

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

    Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
  • WHCA-SR-H-422
    Donald Rumsfeld speaks to a group of Summer Interns. (8/3/1971, Room 444, Executive Office Building)

    Runtime: 60:00:00

    Keywords: Briefings, private briefings

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

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

I - Various Administration Events

  • WHCA-SR-I-088
    POWs' testimony before a Senate Committee on CBS Evening News (Vietnam Prisoner of War). (8/3/1971, [None listed])

    Runtime: [Nonelisted]

    Keywords: Television

    Production credits: No feed information listed; No WHCA engineer initials listed

    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-4558
    "First Tuesday" in August, Tape I. Jacques Barzun (educational & cultural historian), Rex Reed (film critic).
    Daphne Productions and Roland & Jaffee Productions
    Runtime: 01:00:07
  • WHCA-4559
    "First Tuesday" in August, Tape II.
    CBS
    Runtime: 00:59:02
  • WHCA-4560
    CBS News Special: "The Catholic Dilemma". U.S. Representatives Paul N. McCloskey (R-CA) and Jack Kemp (R-NY), ballet dancers 'Natasha' Natalia Makarova and Eric Bruhn.
    Group W Productions
    Runtime: 00:58:19

Context (External Sources)

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

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