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January 17, 1970

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, January 17, 1970, 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, January 16, 1970

Next Date: Sunday, January 18, 1970

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.

    Digest of Other White House Announcements

    Following is a listing of items of general interest which were announced in the press but not made public as formal White House press releases during the period covered by this issue. Appointments requiring Senate approval are not included since they appear in the list of nominations submitted to the Senate, below.

    • The President and the First Lady hosted a dinner honoring William McChesney Martin, Jr., retiring Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

  • 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.

    President's Personal File

    The President's Personal File is essentially a President's secretary's file, kept by Rose Mary Woods, personal secretary to the President, for two purposes: (1) preserving for posterity a collection of documents particularly close to the President, whether because he dictated or annotated them, or because of the importance of the correspondent or the event concerned and (2) giving appropriate attention–letters of gratitude, invitations to White House social events, and the like–to members and important friends and supporters of the Nixon administration. This generalization does not describe all the varied materials of a file group which is essentially a miscellany, but it does identify the reason for the existence of the file group's core. 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 17.

      President at Camp David still alone. Long call at noon with a bundle of instructions for the speech. Now wants each writer to do a specific length section on one item - Price, environment; Buchanan, crime; and Safire, inflation. Also wants Ehrlichman input worked into these, with the writers. Feels he's ready now to zero in - apparently is getting a general feel of what he wants to do, but still not really writing his own draft. Looking for statistics, etc., and also doing some background reading. Has been sleeping late in the mornings, and working very late at night.

      Breaks at noon and dinner times, and spends an hour or so on the phone. We've done very well at keeping calls and interruptions away from him.

      Called tonight - back at White House for Martin dinner, and said he was pretty well ready to start writing - would do this tomorrow at EOB. Will start in morning trying to get some kind of outline (apparently hasn't yet). Also wanted to chat a bit - had been looking back over first year, and figures that, with what we're up against with antagonistic press, we have come out rather well. Must not be concerned that establishment press give us poor marks, because they don't want us to do well. They can't bear the thought that they're wrong. He had read couple of Agnew's speeches and feels they have a sharpness of logic (Buchanan) versus Price's. Price lacks thrust, so people don't listen.

      Kissinger and Ehrlichman and I had long discussion this morning about basic thrust of Administration - foreign and domestic. All feel we have posture of basic command of situation in foreign policy, and need to develop same in domestic. Problem is we can't get control of all the apparatus. Feel President has to find a way to take some kind of positive leadership. Main area of opportunity is crime issue - real question of value in environment, welfare, etc. Needs to put enough real stroke into one thing to make some real headway instead of just talk.
    • Handwritten diary entry (JPG)

  • 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. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    • 167. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, January 17, 1970

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 142, Vietnam Country Files, Vietnam, Vol. XIV–1, January 1–15, 1970. Confidential. Sent for information. Received January 10. This memorandum was based on a “Holdridge/Moor analysis” that the NSC Secretariat sent as telegram WHO00108, January 6, to Nixon in San Clemente. (Ibid.) This memorandum is cited in Kissinger, White House Years (p. 435). The CIA prepared an intelligence memorandum analyzing Giap’s article and Hanoi’s intentions, No. 064/70, on January 14. On February 27 Kissinger sent a copy of the intelligence memorandum to Nixon under a memorandum containing a summary similar to the one in this memorandum. Nixon wrote the following note on the February 27 memorandum: “K. It is important for us to inflict maximum casualties on them now—to engage them not avoid.”

    Vol. E-5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969-1972

    Nigerian Civil War

    • 169. Memorandum of Conversation , Washington, January 17, 1970, 10:30 a.m.

      Four pro-Biafran individuals meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Newsom complained that the United States was doing nothing to prevent starvation while endorsing Federal Military Government (FMG) propaganda. Newsom countered by stressing FMG sovereignty and the need for hard facts.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Special Coordinator on Relief to Civilian Victims of the Nigerian Civil War, February 1969–June 1970, Lot 70 D 336, Box 517. Confidential. The meeting took place in Newsomʼs office.

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

    Dominican Republic

    • 274. Central Intelligence Agency Information Cable, Washington, January 17, 1970, TDCS–314/00645–70. , Washington, January 17, 1970

      CIA reported that, if the Dominican National Police did not release Dominican Popular Movement (MPD) Secretary General Maximiliano Gómez Horacio, the MPD would kidnap a U.S. Embassy official as collateral to ensure Gómez’s release.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 783, Country Files, Latin America, Dominican Republic, Vol. I. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Field Dissem: State, Army, Navy, Air Force. An advance copy was transmitted to the White House, Department of State, DIA, Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, NIC, NSA, OCI, and FBI.

  • 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-2796 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2796-06-13, President Nixon and Pat Nixon at State Dinner in honor of William McChesney Martin. 1/17/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Martin, Mrs. Martin, Cynthia Martin, Malcolm Martin.

    Roll WHPO-2797 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2797-3A-24A, Ron Ziegler with his staff. 1/17/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. Ron Ziegler and his staff.

  • 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.

    B - Vice-Presidential (Agnew and Ford)

    • WHCA-SR-B-057
      VP's background briefing concerning trip-A.F. 2, bet. New Zealand & Hawaii. (1/17/1970)

      Runtime: 26:13:00

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

    J - Entertainment at the White House

    • WHCA-SR-J-115
      Cole Porter Revue [see P-700107]. (1/17/1970)

      Runtime: 11:53

      Keywords: Musician, musicians, music, celebrities, performance, American popular music, jazz

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-J-116
      Roberta Peters [see P-700117]. (1/17/1970)

      Runtime: 35:52:00

      Keywords: Musician, musicians, music, celebrities, performance, classical music

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-700107
      Remarks by President Nixon at dinner for William McChesney Martin [see J-115]. (1/17/1970)

      Runtime: 20:00

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

Context (External Sources)