February 12, 1971

The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

The President's day began at Key Biscayne, Florida

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.

• Federal Register of Friday, February 12, 1971

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.

• Annotated News Summaries, Box 30, News Summaries - February 1971 [1 of 2]
• Annotated News Summaries, Box 30, News Summaries - February 1971 [2 of 2] [During this period, the Staff Secretary only removed pages from the News Summaries which contained President Nixon's handwriting, often leaving the document with no date. Although there are no specific documents with this date, you should also consult the full folder for the month.]

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)
  Friday, February 12.
  
  At Key Biscayne. The weather turned out to be pretty bad and got worse as the day went on, ending up with rain from about 2:00 on. The President took it pretty well. We had the 11:00 am photo session with Rogers and Kissinger. Then I spent about three hours with the President on general PR and scheduling. Then he went for a swim with PN and Tricia as the rain started. They then all packed up about mid-afternoon, that is the President and Bebe and Bill Rogers, and headed over to Walker's, and have not been heard from since. They're spending the night there and probably will come back tomorrow, since Adele Rogers comes down tomorrow night.
  
  The photo session went fine, and we had a discussion afterwards with Rogers and Kissinger of the whole Laotian situation. Primarily, on tactics as to the need for putting all the necessary effort in there. The President wants to be sure that we do everything that we need to do, and that we pull no punches at all. He discussed the fact that it's important for some civilian input into military planning and cited some of the earlier instances where he pushed the military to go further than they themselves had intended to go, and that it was beneficial and desirable that he had done so. He's doing that again on this one, feeling that, for instance, we should bomb the passes and perhaps some other things in order to make sure the Laotian operation works out.
  
  We also got into a fairly lengthy discussion of the press problem as a result of an ABC film report last night purporting to show that there were American ground troops operating in Laos. They apparently had gotten some film of an American body being removed, which was wearing an ARVN uniform, and they found that very sinister. Rogers made the point that the key here is what appears on television, and that we've got to keep riding herd or we're going to get clobbered. He is, of course, absolutely right. Henry, on the other hand, was more concerned with a Reston column that complained that we weren't permitting the press adequate access to cover the war. Rogers' point was, that kind of complaint hurts us not at all, but the picture on television and the commentary that goes with it hurts us enormously, and that that's what we've got to watch out for.
  
  After Rogers and Kissinger left, we got into a general PR discussion on how to handle the WSAG PR. He wants to be sure that Rogers' PR judgment is brought in on that. He also discussed the need for Henkin and Ziegler to work up a simple line on why we won't allow any American press in Laos, and then he wants us to move to keep the American press out, under ARVN orders, of course. And told me to ride herd on it for him.
  
  He then got into a long discussion of the long-range schedule planning. I reviewed our philosophy of scheduling recommendations and went through the whole rundown on how we saw schedule planning for the next 20 months. He generally bought our recommendations and seemed to think we were on the right track in looking for more variety in scheduling, and in trying to do more to build the President's standing on a gradual basis for the next 20 months. He agreed that the trips to the country, the stepped-up press conferences, and that kind of thing were all necessary. In fact, he agreed to do one TV press conference per month, plus one non-televised press conference a month, plus one major other event on television. If we can keep up with this schedule, it would be very worthwhile.
  
  He called Connally and had a good chat with him just on general matters. He agreed with him that they ought to do something with LBJ in the near future, which we're supposed to set up. He was very anxious also to move fast on a salute to agriculture, recognizing we have a problem with the farmers at this point.
  
  That was about it for the meeting, which ended by Mrs. Nixon having him go out to go for a swim, and I've heard nothing from him since he went to Walker's.
  
  End of February 12.
• Original audio recording (MP3)

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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.

• President's Daily Brief of 12 February 1971

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

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls, 1969-1972

• 370. Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten and Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, February 12, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files-Europe, Box 677, France, Volume VII 10/70-3/71. Secret. Attached to Document 371. At the top of the page is the handwritten note, presumably by Sonnenfeldt: “VERY URGENT.” Another handwritten note, dated February 17, by Kissinger reads: “Redo last page—I tend to agree with Defense and Commerce. French have not been cooperative enough to justify it on policy grounds.”

Vol. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

Operational Lam Son 719, February 8-April 7, 1971

• 127. Diary Entry by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer), Washington, February 12, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Moorer Diary, July 1970-July 1974. Top Secret.

• 128. Summary of Conclusions of a Meeting of the Washington Special Actions Group, Washington, February 12, 1971, 6 p.m.

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H-115, WSAG Meetings Minutes, Originals 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Situation Room of the White House. According to a February 16 memorandum for the record by Doolin, the meeting ended at 7:10. (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330-76-207, Box 4, 334 WSAG)

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

• 205. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State, Tel Aviv, February 12, 1971, 1129Z

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1160, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—Jarring Talks Edited and Indexed, February 12–18, 1971. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Repeated Immediate to Cairo.

Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

• 180. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush), Washington, February 12, 1971, 2250Z

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. An attached note indicates that “Ambassador Rush will be at his home at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 13, German time, to receive message or telephone call from Captain Holschuh.” Kissinger sent a nearly identical message to Bahr on February 14; the differences in the text are noted in footnotes below. (Ibid., Box 60, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [3 of 3]) For an explanation of how the special channel to Rush and Bahr operated, see Document 171. Copies of the messages between Kissinger and Rush are also in Department of State, Bonn Post Files: Lot 72 F 81, Berlin Negotiations—Amb. Kenneth Rush.

Vol. E-1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969-1972

International Environmental Policy

• 306. Letter From the Scientific Attache (Hudson) at the Embassy in Brazil to the Director of the Office of Environmental Affairs (Herter), Washington, February 12, 1971

  Hudson informed Herter that underdeveloped countries may feel that concern about the environment is a “rich man’s game” and that this may inhibit the work of the Stockholm conference.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SCI 41 BRAZ. Limited Official Use; Official-Informal. Copies were sent to the ambassador, deputy chief of mission, and public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy.

Vol. E-4, Documents on Iran and Iraq, 1969-1972

Iran 1971

• 114. Telegram 722 From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State, Tehran, February 12, 1971, 1001Z

  Ambassador MacArthur and his British counterpart rejected the oil companies’ request for a formal démarche to Iran to resolve remaining disputes with OPEC. The U.S. ambassador favored a message from the President to the Shah to help cement the final deal.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, PET 3 OPEC. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to London. In Telegram 476 from Jidda, February 14, Ambassador Thacher wrote, “we should avoid any action tending to endorse the arbitrary short deadlines and coercive legal measures by which U.S. corporations were forced on very short notice commit themselves to payments of billions of dollars over the next few years.” (Ibid.) In Telegram 28309 to Tehran, February 19, Rogers informed Zahedi that “The settlement just reached with the companies is of great importance … in assuring stable market arrangements during the five-year period of the agreement. Of particular importance to the negotiations and us were the assurances given in this respect at the time of Mr. Irwin’s visit.” (Ibid.)

Vol. E-7, Documents on South Asia, 1969-1972

India and Pakistan: Pre-Crisis, January 1969-February 1971

• 114. Telegram 1291 From the Embassy in Pakistan to the Department of State, Islamabad, February 12, 1971, 0755Z

  Ambassador Farland argued strongly that unless Pakistan was afforded credit terms to help finance the weapons offered under the one-time excerption, the undertaking would prove to be “an exercise in futility.”
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 12–5 PAK. Secret; Exdis.

Vol. E-16, Documents on Chile, 1969-1973

Cool and Correct: The U.S. Response to the Allende Administration, November 5, 1970-December 31, 1972

• 51. Telegram From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State, Santiago, February 12, 1971, 2215Z

  Summary: This telegram outlined the emerging Chilean nationalization policy and set forth options for U.S. companies to pursue in the light of recent moves to expropriate property. The closing paragraph provided a grim picture of Allende’s ongoing efforts to reshape Chilean society.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, INCO 15–2 CHILE. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Rome for Ambassador Martin. Reference telegram 24218 to Santiago, February 12, is ibid.

• 52. Paper Prepared by the Ad Hoc Interagency Working Group on Chile, Washington, February 12, 1971

  Summary: This paper reviewed some possible policy options for the United States regarding its reaction to Chile’s expropriation policies. The alternatives ranged from a passive stance to different variations of a more active, interventionist stance.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, INCO-COPPER CHILE. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Fisher. Crimmins forwarded this paper to Selden, Leddy, McAlister, Shaefer, Nachmanoff, Broe, Amerson, and Eaton under cover of a February 13 memorandum. (Ibid.) The paper was prepared for the upcoming Senor Review Group meeting on February 17. The minutes of that meeting are printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXI, Chile, 1969–1973, Document 206.

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.

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-5649 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5649-02A-06A, Control panel room, interior. 2/12/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, control panel room.

Roll WHPO-5650 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-5650-01A-10A, V.F.W. Auxiliary members on the North Entrance steps. 2/12/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, North Entrance. V.F.W. Auxiliary members.

Roll WHPO-5651 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-5651-01A-13A, Large wooden planters used in White House. 2/12/1971, unknown unknown.

Roll WHPO-5652 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5652-02-14, Large wooden planters used in White House and inside a greenhouse. 2/12/1971, unknown unknown.

Roll WHPO-5653 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5653-01-26, Portraits of Art curator Clement Conger. (head and shoulders view). 2/12/1971, Washington, D.C. unknown. Clement E. Conger.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5653-05A, Panoramic shot of President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Chou En-Lai, Premier of the state Council of China (PRC), seated during a table tennis (ping pong) event at the capital gymnasium in Peking, China. Secretary of State William Rogers, Henry Kissinger, H.R. Haldeman, Ron Ziegler and officials are seated nearby. 2/23/1972, Peking, China Capital Gymnasium. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Secretary of State William Rogers, Henry Kissinger, H. R. Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Chou En-lai, Premier of the state Council of the PRC.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5653-15A, Portrait of art curator Clement Conger. 2/12/1971, Washington, D.C. unknown. Clement E. Conger.

Roll WHPO-5655 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-5655-04A-17A, President Nixon seated at his office desk during a meeting with William Rogers and Henry Kissinger. 2/12/1971, Key Biscayne, Florida Key Biscayne Compound, president's office. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, William Rogers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5655-10A, President Nixon seated at his office desk during a meeting with Secretary of State William Rogers and Henry Kissinger. 2/12/1971, Key Biscayne, Florida Key Biscayne Compound, president's office. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, William Rogers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5655-18A-24A, Presidential residence compound exterior at Key Biscayne. 2/12/1971, Key Biscayne, Florida Key Biscayne Compound, grounds.

Roll WHPO-5664 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5664-02-29, Vice President Agnew at the Schwartz party, sitting and then playing the piano. 2/12/1971, Palm Springs, California unknown. Spiro Agnew, Judy Agnew, unidentified men and women.

Roll WHPO-5665 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5665-02A-35A, Vice President Agnew, Judy Agnew, Randy Agnew talking with Frank Sinatra, Danny Thomas, and Sonny Bono at the Schwartz party. 2/12/1971, Palm Springs, California unknown. Spiro Agnew, Judy Agnew, Randy Agnew, Frank Sinatra, Danny Thomas, Sonny Bono, unidentified persons.

Roll WHPO-5674 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5674-02-36, Vice President Agnew and Judy Agnew with Burt Lancaster, Bob Hope, and Danny Thomas at the Schwartz party. 2/12/1971, Palm Springs, California unknown. Spiro Agnew, Judy Agnew, Burt Lancaster, Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, unidentified others.

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-4172
  South Carolinian of the year.
  
  Runtime: 00:30:43
• WHCA-4173
  "Kup's Show".
  
  Runtime: 00:39:00
• WHCA-4175
  Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 0:30
  
  2. Reasoner/Tuckner/Smith/Gill/Koppel: Indochina War including the Laos situation. Time Code Start: 02:53. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.
  
  3. Smith/Marshall: The economy and President Nixon's first cousin on welfare. Time Code Start: 10:8. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, welfare. Network: ABC.
  
  4. Smith: Commentary on the Indochina War and the policies of former President Johnson (LBJ) and President Nixon. Time Code Start: 13:30. Keywords: Presidents, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.
  
  5. Chancellor/Newman: The Indochina War including the Laos situation. Time Code Start: 15:21. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  6. Newman: President Nixon's first cousin on welfare and President Nixon. Time Code Start: 17:31. Keywords: Family Assistance Programs, government aid, financial aid, health and welfare assistance, financial aid, Presidents, families, statements, interviews. Network: NBC.
  
  7. Nessen: To send Health Bill to Congress. Time Code Start: 18:25. Keywords: House of Representatives, bills, health care, health insurance, insurance, benefits, medicine, medical, hospitals, costs, aid. Network: NBC.
  
  8. Cronkite/Webster: Indochina including the Laos situation. Time Code Start: 19:34. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  9. Cronkite/Drinkwater: President Nixon's first cousin on welfare. Time Code Start: 25:04. Keywords: Family Assistance Programs, government aid, financial aid, health and welfare assistance, financial aid, Presidents, families, statements, interviews. Network: CBS.
  
  10. End of Tape II. Time Code Start: 27:19. Keywords: program finishing time reminder. Network: CBS.
• WHCA-4211
  Excerpts From the "NBC Nightly News" Indochina War Coverage, Tape I (Weekly News Summary).
  NBC
  
  29. Chancellor: Invasion progress; opposition stiffening; Red China reaction (People's Republic of China). Time Code Start: 30:31. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War, People's Republic of China. Network: NBC.
  
  30. Newman: Cambodian fighting continues; Prime Minister of Cambodia Lon Nol to go to Pearl Harbor for medical treatment, anti-U.S. demonstrations in South Vietnam. Time Code Start: 31:48. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War, demonstrations, rally, protesters, demonstraters. Network: NBC.

• LIFE magazine of February 12, 1971

• New York Times of February 12, 1971

• AP Images photos from February 12, 1971
• Getty Images photos from February 12, 1971

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.

• February 1971 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• February 12, 1971