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January 20, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, January 20, 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: Wednesday, January 19, 1972

Next Date: Friday, January 21, 1972

Schedule and Public 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.

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

    Foreign Assistance Policy, 1969-1972

    Vol. VIII, Vietnam, January-October 1972

    Before the Easter Offensive, January 20-March 29, 1972

    • 1. Message From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Abrams) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (McCain), Saigon, January 20, 1972, 0945Z

      Source: National Archives, RG 330–75–0014, OSD Files, International Security Affairs, Vietnam Task Force, Box 3, File of Meetings, Senior Review Group. Top Secret; Immediate; Exclusive; Specat. Repeated to Moorer. Bunker and Berger in Saigon reviewed the message line by line with Abrams. (Sorley, A Better War, pp. 315–316) During a special briefing in Saigon on the cable and the requested authorities, the following exchange occurred between Abrams and Bunker. Abrams: “As messages go, this is probably the most unequivocal message we’ve ever sent.” Bunker: “I think it’s time to be unequivocal because there’s so much at stake.” Abrams: “I’m in hopes that this will get all the way, or the essence of this will get all the way, to him [the president]. I don’t see how they can afford not to.” Bunker: “I can send in—I can flag it to see that he does.” (Sorley, Vietnam Chronicles, p. 756; “the president” is bracketed in the original.) As it turned out, Bunker had no need to flag the message. When the message arrived, Moorer sent it to Laird and recommended that, “because of the importance of General Abrams’ assessment,” the message should be forwarded to the White House. (CM–1468–72, attached to Moorer Diary, January 20; National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman)

    Vol. VIII, Vietnam, January-October 1972

    Before the Easter Offensive, January 20-March 29, 1972

    Vol. XIV, Soviet Union, October 1971-May 1972

    Preparing for Moscow and Nixon's Trip to China, January 1-March 29, 1972

    Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

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

    • 289. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, January 20, 1972

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 776, Country Files, Latin America, Chile, Vol. VII. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Outside System. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Under a January 17 covering memorandum to Kissinger, Hewitt recommended that Kissinger send this memorandum to the President. Hewitt characterized the triumph of the anti-Allende politicians in Chilean congressional elections of January 16: “Their victory arises in part from the unity the opposition parties were able to generate, but must represent some degree of turning away from the Allende government and its policies on the part of the electorate. Your memo notes our contribution to the victory in providing some clandestine support to the opposition parties to assist them with campaign expenses.” Hewitt concluded, “it is important that there be no official comment on the Chilean election from the administration. Allende will be looking for a way to explain his defeat and would be delighted to attribute it to our intervention.” (Ibid.)

    Vol. XXXVI, Energy Crisis, 1969-1974

    April 15, 1971-March 11, 1972

    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

  • 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)