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January 1, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, January 1, 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: Friday, December 31, 1971

Next Date: Sunday, January 2, 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

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)
      Saturday, January 1.

      President again got in the question of changing the announcement dates in New Hampshire. Had me check with the Attorney General on the facts and decided on the basis of that, that we could shift the thing around and should do so; moving it up to Saturday the 8th, so that he has the next week free to do his Vietnam announcement whenever he wants, get it out of the way ahead of time, but not during the Sato meeting. He asked me to meet with Bill Rogers to get his judgment on our political plans on television and timing and so forth, and Kissinger called from New York all disturbed, because he thought someone had been getting to the President on Vietnam. He said that the President seems to feel, in conversations Henry's had with him, that he's under terrible pressure on Vietnam, and he therefore wants to give an all-out speech prior to Congress returning. Kissinger thinks this is a mistake, because it'll just focus Congress on Vietnam rather than letting them wallow around for a while undirected. He thinks we shouldn't worry about the Congressional resolutions that are coming up and that we should do our Vietnam announcement at the latest date possible, for example, the 25th he would like the best. He says the announcement date as far as the troop withdrawal is immaterial to him. The important thing is the review of our offers and our new peace plan, and that should come late, so we could consider separating the two. The President has told Henry everyday about the trouble he's in in Vietnam, where Henry feels he's in good shape on Vietnam. Henry feels if he gives a big speech on Vietnam before congression-- Congress comes back, then he makes Vietnam the big issue before the Congress right at the outset. Henry's concerned that the President's looking for a way to bug out, and he thinks that would be a disaster now. His instinct is that the Viet-- North Vietnamese are ready to give, so we'd be totally wrong to show any nervousness. If we do the peace plan early in January, it'll spur the opponents to tear it to pieces. We need to do it as late as possible, but before they have another rallying point. He didn't want me to talk to the President about this, but obviously just wanted to talk it over with me to review his concern.

      End of January 1.
    • 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.

    • No President's Daily Brief delivered on this date

  • 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. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

    Military and Diplomatic Stalemate, October 11, 1971-January 26, 1972

    Vol. XVII, China, 1969-1972

    China, October 1971-February 1972

  • 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)