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January 4, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, January 4, 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: Wednesday, January 3, 1973

Next Date: Friday, January 5, 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 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.

  • The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

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)
      Thursday, January 4.

      The President had Ziegler and me in first thing this morning, reviewing plans for Ziegler's briefing. Told Ron, on Vietnam, to say there's no further comment from the White House, because of the sensitive negotiations under way. Reviewed other general items with Ron and got into how to handle press coverage of the Friday night Congressional reception. Told him that he could invite the two wire services and some good friendly reporters -- include their wives -- but let them cover it on a writing basis, also say that they were selected because of their interest in the new members of Congress. He also said he wanted from Ron on an early date the Nixon loyalist list to work on, including Timmons and Mollenhoff and that type, and also a list of those people that he should not see.

      He had me talk to Rose today, and it went pretty well. She didn't seem to be particularly upset, or at least didn't want to get into any of her concerns with me. We had a good session on general plans for the second term: social engagement lists, etcetera.

      He got into the education money question again, wanted me to hit Weinberger -- which I did on cutting MIT. He wants a further study of direct and indirect subsidy of higher education. Thinks all Cap had given him before was HEW and he wanted to cover everything, all Federal Government support, in every form. And wanted Cap to get together with Schlesinger on this, because of his suggestion that we make the cuts at MIT before Richardson gets into Defense, that is the Defense support cuts.

      He got into a fair number of personnel items on AEC, but still wants to go with Dixy Lee Ray, if Schlesinger can sell her. Is concerned about ACTA; and thought we agreed probably we should go with Agnew. Raised the question of John Foster to the AEC, but then that was dropped later on the basis of that he's too much of a research man.

      Told me to find out whether the dragon lady knows Thieu at all, or who the individual is in the United States who knows him best, and might be able to help us deal with him. Obviously he has something in mind there. That lead into some analysis of Vietnam and of the Congress --he can't figure why they all keep the pressure on for an explanation of why he's doing the bombing, and I must say I agree. The reason seems to be obvious, and I can't conceive that any intelligent person doesn't clearly understand why he's bombing, therefore, the questions and arguments are obviously political or academic.

      He also got into his Kissinger concerns again. The need to keep Henry's dauber up this week, so that he will go strongly into the negotiations. Also, his concern about Haig being gone and whether Scowcroft is going to be strong enough to handle Henry and the problems there. I had a long talk with Henry late in the afternoon. He seemed to be in good shape, feels he's got a good chance of bringing off the negotiations, and overall seems to be at least reasonably optimistic.

      They had a session with Laird, Rogers, and Moore this morning, and I guess that Rogers was pretty bad in it, making such helpful comments as “explain to Henry that he has to realize that you don't have an agreement until it's signed”, and that “he shouldn't run around smiling when he's with Le Duc Tho”. But other than the trivia, apparently everybody is solidly behind the program, and no real problem there. The President still is concerned about dealing with reaction here in the press and the Congress, but concludes that there is no way we can. That they're obsessed with negative stuff with Vietnam and are going to play it no matter what we do, and that all he can do is ride it out. If we get the settlement, none of the comment now will matter; if we don't get it we'll have far greater problems to deal with then what we now have.

      End of January 4.
    • 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.

  • 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. IX, Vietnam, October 1972-January 1973

    America Leaves the War, December 30, 1972-January 27, 1973

    Vol. XXXV, National Security Policy, 1973-1976

    National Security Policy

    • 1. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) for the President’s Files, Washington, January 4, 1973, 11:45 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Presidential/HAK MemCons, Box 1025, MemCon—The President, Sec. Richardson, and HAK, Jan. 4, 1973. Secret; Sensitive. The memorandum is not initialed by Kissinger. The meeting, held in the Oval Office, concluded at 12:37 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) There is a tape recording of this conversation. (Ibid., White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation No. 833–11)

    Vol. E-3, Documents on Global Issues, 1973-1976

    Drug Control, 1973-1976

    Vol. E-12, Documents on East and Southeast Asia, 1973-1976

    Japan

    • 165. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, January 4, 1973, 5:40 p.m., Washington, January 4, 1973, 5:40 p.m.

      Kissinger criticized the Japanese government’s Vietnam message and discussed the state of U.S.-Japanese relations with Ambassador Ushiba.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 538, Country Files, Far East, Japan, January–June 1973, vol. 9. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office. On January 3, John Holdridge provided talking points for Kissinger’s meeting with Ushiba and attached telegram 232944 to Tokyo, December 28, 1972, which contained the text of a message that Ushiba gave to U. Alexis Johnson on December 27, 1972, appealing to the United States to resume Vietnam peace negotiations as quickly as possible. (Ibid.)

    Vol. E-15, Part 2, Documents on Western Europe, 1973-1976, Second, Revised Edition

    Western Europe Regional, 1973-1976

    • 1. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs (Flanigan) to President Nixon, Washington, January 4, 1973

      Summary: Flanigan sought Nixon’s approval of U.S. policy toward Concorde.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 752, Presidential Correspondence, France, Pompidou, 1972 (1 of 2). Confidential. Shultz and Colson concurred. Attached but not published is Tab 1, a December 11, 1972 letter from Kosciusko-Morizet to Nixon; Tab 2, a December 11 letter from Cromer to Nixon; and Tab 3, minutes of a December 11, 1972 Interagency Review Group discussion of Concorde. Nixon did not indicate his preferences regarding Flanigan’s recommendations; however, he did sign the attached letters to Heath and Pompidou, both of which are dated January 19. (Ibid.)

  • 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)