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December 24, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, December 24, 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: Sunday, December 23, 1973

Next Date: Tuesday, December 25, 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 Camp David, Maryland

  • 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

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.

  • 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

    • 28. Memorandum From Secretary of State Kissinger to President Nixon, Washington, December 24, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–266, Under Secretaries Committee Memorandum Files, Under Secretaries Study Committee U/SM 136 [1 of 3]. Secret. Sent for action. A stamped notation on the first page reads: “The President has seen.”

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

    Mexico

    • 63. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Kubisch) to Secretary of State Kissinger, Washington, December 24, 1973

      Summary: Kubisch informed Kissinger of the Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control recommendation that he convey U.S. concerns about the increasing flow of narcotics into the United States to Mexican authorities. Kubisch suggested Kissinger raise the issue in a future meeting with Rabasa.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, ARA/MEX Files, Lot 78D235, PER—Ambassador Joseph John Jova, 1973–1975. Confidential. Drafted by Hamilton; cleared by Shankle, Shlaudeman, Kleine, Warner, and in OMB. On December 30 Kissinger initialed his approval of Option II. Attached but not published are an undated and unsigned draft letter from Kissinger to Rabasa (Tab A), talking points for future discussions on the subject (Tab B), the minutes of a November 27 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Drug Abuse (Tab C), an undated memorandum for the Cabinet Committee from Handley on new patterns of international narcotics traffic (Tab D), and a report on the status of anti-narcotics programs resulting from a September 11 démarche to Echeverría (Tab E).

  • 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-E2033 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2033-, President Nixon seated informally in a Lincoln Sitting room easy chair during a meeting with Henry Kissinger. A small decorated Christmas tree sits on a side table. See also E2034 & E2035. 12/24/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln sitting room. President Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2033-03A, President Nixon seated informally in a Lincoln Sitting room easy chair during a meeting with Henry Kissinger. A small decorated Christmas tree sits on a side table. See also E2034 & E2035. 12/24/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln sitting room. President Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger.

    Roll WHPO-E2034 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2034-07, President Nixon seated informally in a Lincoln Sitting room easy chair during a meeting with Henry Kissinger. A small decorated Christmas tree sits on a side table nearby. (Image is in color) See also E2033. 12/24/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln Sitting room. President Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger.

    Roll WHPO-E2035 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2035-03-13, President Nixon seated informally in a Lincoln Sitting room easy chair during a meeting with Henry Kissinger. A small decorated Christmas tree sits on a side table. See also E2033 & E2034. 12/24/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln Sitting Room. President Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2035-07, President Nixon seated informally in a Lincoln Sitting room easy chair during a meeting with Henry Kissinger. A small decorated Christmas tree sits on a side table. See also E2033 & E2034. 12/24/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln Sitting Room. President Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger.

  • 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-6717
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      1. Reasoner/Peterson: Fuel crisis with William Simon. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, energy crisis, oil crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, allocations. Network: ABC.

      2. Reasoner/Landay: Report on President Nixon and Secretary of State Kissinger (with Henry Kissinger). Time Code Start: 02:26. Keywords: Presidents, cabinet, advisors. Network: ABC.

      3. Reasoner/Parker: Report on Vice President on vacation. Time Code Start: 04:40. Keywords: Vice Presidents, leisure, recreation, vacations. Network: ABC.

      4. Chancellor/Brokaw: Report on President Nixon with Secretary of State Kissinger. Time Code Start: 06:33. Keywords: Presidents, cabinet, advisors. Network: NBC.

      5. Chancellor: Oil prices. Time Code Start: 08:05. Keywords: petroleum, drilling, oil supply, oil supplies, imports, shortages, sales, costs, increases. Network: NBC.

      6. Levine/Simon: Oil prices and a possibility of gas rationing. Time Code Start: 08:55. Keywords: petroleum, oil, gasoline, fuel, oil supply, oil supplies, imports, shortages, sales, costs, increases, rationing, natural resources. Network: NBC.

      7. Chancellor/Pussell: Japan having fuel problems. Time Code Start: 11:21. Keywords: Japanese, energy crisis, oil crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, allocations. Network: NBC.

      8. Cronkite/Kalb: Report on President Nixon and Secretary of State Kissinger (with Henry Kissinger). Time Code Start: 13:27. Keywords: Presidents, cabinet, advisors. Network: CBS.

      9. Kuralt: Commentary on Vice President Press Conference. Time Code Start: 15:00. Keywords: media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews. Network: CBS.

      10. Kuralt/Plante: Fuel shortages affecting jobs. Time Code Start: 15:37. Keywords: energy crisis, oil crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, allocations. Network: CBS.

      11. Sefton: More on shortages. Time Code Start: 18:20. Keywords: energy crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing. Network: CBS.

      12. Kuralt/Schieffer/Drinkwater: Prisoner of war's first Christmas. Time Code Start: 21:35. Keywords: Vietnam War, Vietnam Prisoner of War, holidays, famlies. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)