1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Almanac

July 15, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, July 15, 1971, 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, July 14, 1971

Next Date: Friday, July 16, 1971

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 San Clemente, California

  • 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.

  • Each Public Papers of the Presidents volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during the time period specified by the volume. The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In instances when the release date differs from the date of the document itself, that fact is shown in the text note.

    To ensure accuracy, remarks have been checked against audio recordings (when available) and signed documents have been checked against the original, unless otherwise noted. Editors have provided text notes and cross references for purposes of identification or clarity.

  • 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.

    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)
      Thursday, July 15th. The day of the big speech. The President was in good spirits and completely relaxed during the day. We got into quite a little discussion on plans for the speech. He's not going to release an advance text, and we didn't inform anybody, including Ziegler or anyone else, of what the content of the speech was going to be, until we got to the TV studio, when Henry told him...

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      DECLASSIFIED - E.O. 13526, Sect. 3.4: by MS, NARA, June 12, 2013
      Audio Cassette 10, Side B, Withdrawn Item Number 31 [AC-10(B) Sel 26]
      Duration: 5 seconds

      ...before he started his calls to the Russian and Indian ambassadors.
      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      We also took Scali up, at Ron's strong suggestion. It was felt that, in making the arrangements, we needed to be sure that we got the point across of the President's initiative on this, and we talked about the problems of handling right-wing Congressmen and the reaction that they were going to have. Ron was concerned that the basic interpretation would set in tonight and that Kissinger, therefore, should do a backgrounder, but the President refused to let him do that. The President also decided he wanted to walk on to the camera rather than be standing behind the podium when the thing started. We set up all our phone call process and were ready to cover everybody.

      We got into some of the problems. Rogers pointed out that we're going to appear to be letting our friends down, and they will object. Also, the liberals, on the other side, will make the Tricky Dick claim, and will complain that there was no consultation with Congress and do everything they can to scuttle it. So we have a delicate path to tread right down the middle. Rogers, in a meeting with Henry and me, urged therefore, that we have to make clear what we didn't do; that no agreements were reached, we have no secret deals, no promises, no concessions, we have to reassure them of that, and assure Congress that we will cooperate with them in making the plans. Bill's concerned because he'll be called to testify and wants to be able to cover this. He thinks that we should not use Henry's idea of saying that, because of the delicacy of the situation, we will have no comment, because we are changing our basic policy and we need to reassure our Pacific allies that we are not changing our policy regarding them; that we don't deal with our friends behind their backs, etcetera.

      The President made the point with Henry and me that the Libs will try to knock this down as an election year gimmick, and that we've got to, the point that this is, that we have consulted with Congress; that we are consistent in our policy; and, if they jump on us, we've got to say that they've unmasked themselves, because they're not against what we're doing, they're against the fact that we are the ones that are doing it.

      We, the President then, as he's always done on every speech, read the final draft to me. Then a little later, he called Henry in and again read it to him. He seems to be quite satisfied that it's the way he wants it. So we headed on up by helicopter to Burbank, where we originated at the NBC studio. The speech went well. Afterwards, we actually it was on arrival at Burbank, there was quite a large crowd outside the parking lot, with a surprisingly enthusiastic reception for the President, which of course, pleased him greatly. We then afterwards went and drove over to Perino's for dinner: the President, Ehrlichman, Kissinger, Scali, Ziegler, and me. Had a delicious dinner. The President thoroughly enjoyed himself. We went through a lot of the background discussion on how it had come about, Henry telling some of his stories, which we'd already covered in some detail. The main highlight of the evening for the President was a long lecture on wine selection that he gave to Scali as he ordered up a magnum of Lafitte Rothschild 1961, which turned out to cost $250.

      With preparation this afternoon for the speech and all that he had on his mind, the President called me from his house to say he'd been reading the San Diego paper and saw all the discussion about the convention site, and felt that we were missing a bet by not making a big thing out of the announcement of the San Diego selection and thought we should do something about that.

      The other big thing this afternoon was a call I had from Connally, who was furious, because he had been told that we had hired a new Treasurer of the US and that this had been done without consulting him. And he'd called Mo Marumoto to check it out, and Mo confirmed that we had hired this Mexican woman. And this got Connally extremely upset. And he said that he, as a result of this, and other things, was going to check out—in other words, resign. He wanted to talk to me about it, and we'd work out when and on what basis, but that he was fed up with this whole thing. I called him later from the studio to try and simmer the thing down after I had checked it out, and gave him the story on what had happened there, but he didn't buy it. He said that he just wasn't going to tolerate this kind of thing; that obviously it's forecasting what's to come; that these things build up; and he can see it coming; that, at his press conference this morning, a reporter said to him that the word, he had word from the White House that Connally was forced to have the press conference; and went into the point that he was not a peon and was not going to function as a slave to the White House staff; and that he knows when he's got, he knows he's got a problem when Rogers is out here knifing him with the President, referring to him as a "gunboat diplomat", etcetera. There wasn't much I could do about it today, so, and I did not tell the President, and told Connally that I was not going to until tomorrow.

      He called me at home after midnight to make the point that we'll have a delicate problem with Rogers tomorrow regarding Kissinger doing the briefing. And he wanted me, in notifying Rogers of it, to emphasize the shift to the President, shift of the focus to the President, as Kissinger did with the SALT briefings, and so on. So, once again, I get to do the dirty work.

      [Unintelligible] July 15th.
    • 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. I, Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    • 92. Remarks by President Nixon to the Nation

      Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard Nixon, 1971, pp. 819-820. Nixon’s remarks were broadcast live on radio and television at 7:31 p.m. from the NBC studios in Burbank, California.

    Vol. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

    Chinese Representation in the United Nations

    Vol. XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971

    South Asia Crisis, 1971

    Vol. XIII, Soviet Union, October 1970-October 1971

    "One of Two Routes": Soviet-American Relations and Kissinger's Secret Trip to China, April 23-July 18, 1971

    • 284. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin), July 15, 1971, 9:45 p.m., PDT

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversation Transcripts, Box 27, Dobrynin File. No classification marking. Kissinger was in San Clemente; Dobrynin was in Washington at the White House. For their memoir accounts, see Kissinger, White House Years, p. 835, and Dobrynin, In Confidence, pp. 226–227.

    • 285. Oral Note From President Nixon to the Soviet Leadership, Washington, July 15, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 492, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, 1971, Vol. 7 [part 2]. No classification marking. Kissinger made several handwritten corrections on a draft of the note (ibid.); substantive changes are noted below. According to Kissinger: “On July 15, about forty-five minutes before the announcement [at 10 p.m.] of my trip to Peking, we sent a message to the Soviet leaders through Vorontsov.” (Kissinger, White House Years, p. 835) Marginalia on the original, however, indicate that it was “handed to Amb D by Col Kennedy 9:45 p.m., 7/15/71.” See also Document 284.

    Vol. XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969-1972; Jordan, September 1970

    Saudi Arabia

    Vol. E-2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969-1972

    Conferences on Nuclear and World Disarmament and Soviet UN Initiative on Non-Use of Force

    • 329. Study Prepared by Ad Hoc Interagency Group, Washington, July 15, 1971

      Prepared in response to NSSM 132, the study examined background information, the national positions, advantages and disadvantages, possible topics for discussion, and six alternative approaches to the Soviet proposal for a five-power nuclear disarmament conference.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–11, Verification Panel Meeting 7/30/72, Soviet Proposal for 5-Power Nuclear Conference. Secret.

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

    The Horn

    • 321. Telegram 1424 From the Embassy in Somalia to the Department of State, Mogadiscio, July 15, 1971, 1545Z

      Hadsel transmitted a diplomatic note stating that the vessels would be released on payment of the fine, plus expenses or damages claimed by port authority, and warning that further violations would have grave consequences. All concerned parties were satisfied with result and the ships should depart on July 18.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 33–4, Somali-US. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Addis Ababa, Jidda, Bonn, London, Nairobi, Panama, Paris, Rome, USUN, CINCSTRIKE and COMIDEASTFOR.

    Vol. E-5, Part 2, Documents on North Africa, 1969-1972

    Morocco

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

    Argentina

    • 70. Special National Intelligence Estimate 91–71, Washington, July 15, 1971., Washington, July 15, 1971

      During President Lanusse’s administration, Argentina would experience significant economic and political problems. Although Argentine-United States relations were troubled in some respects, these relations would probably deteriorate under any successor government in the country.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 768, Country Files, Latin America, Argentina 1969–1971. Secret; Controlled Dissem. According to a note on the cover sheet, the CIA and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense and the NSA participated in the preparation of the estimate. All members of the intelligence board concurred in the estimate on February 13 with the exception of the FBI and the Atomic Energy Commission, on the grounds that the subject was outside their jurisdiction. A July 28 covering memorandum from Hewitt to Kissinger that summarized the estimate bears the notation, “HAK has seen.”

  • 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-6818 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-6818-03-05, Henry Kissinger, John Scali, and Ronald Ziegler walking together. 7/15/1971, California unknown. Henry Kissinger, John Scali, Ronald Ziegler, reporters, photographers.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6818-06-23, Henry Kissinger, John Scali, and Ronald Ziegler at a press conference. 7/15/1971, California unknown. Henry Kissinger, John Scali, Ronald Ziegler, reporters, photographers.

    Roll WHPO-6819 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-6819-03-05, President Nixon arriving by helicopter. 7/15/1971, Burbank, California NBC Studio helipad. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Harry Robbins Haldeman, Ronald Ziegler, Bull, Los Angeles policemen and officials.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6819-06-11, President Nixon announcing his acceptance of an invitation by Premier Chou En-Lai, on behalf of the government of the People's Republic of China, for the President to visit that country at an appropriate date before May, 1972. 7/15/1971, Burbank, Los Angeles, California NBC Studio, broadcasting room. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Harry Robbins Haldeman, Ronald Ziegler, Bull, Los Angeles policemen and officials.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6819-12-23, President Nixon shakes hands with policemen and officials after dining at Perino's Restaurant. 7/15/1971, Los Angeles, California city street. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Harry Robbins Haldeman, Ronald Ziegler, Bull, Los Angeles policemen and officials.

    Roll WHPO-6820 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-6820-03A-18A, President Nixon announcing his acceptance of an invitation by Premier Chou En-Lai, on behalf of the government of the People's Republic of China, for the President to visit that country at an appropriate date before May, 1972. 7/15/1971, Burbank, Los Angeles, California NBC broadcasting room, city street. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6820-19A-26, President Nixon standing with Henry Kissinger and Alexander Perino. 7/15/1971, Los Angeles, California city street. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Alexander Perino.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6820-27-35A, President Nixon greets a crowd outside Perino's Restaurant. 7/15/1971, Los Angeles, California city street. President Nixon, crowd.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-6820-36A, President Nixon shaking hands with policemen. 7/15/1971, Burbank, Los Angeles, California NBC broadcasting room, city street. President Nixon, policemen.

    Roll WHPO-6822 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-6822-03A-14A, President Nixon walking to the NBC broadcasting room. 7/15/1971, Burbank, California NBC Studio street. President Nixon, crowd, aides, media personnel.

  • 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-185
      Remarks in an address to the American Community-Nairobi Hilton Hotel, Kenya. (7/15/1971)

      Runtime: 4:05

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-B-186
      Arrival remarks-Airport Kinshasha, Congo. (7/15/1971)

      Runtime: 0:46

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

    K - Informal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-K-223
      NBC Studio, Parinos Restaurant, police at chopper pad; Burbank & L.A., CA. (7/15/1971)

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-710706
      Televised remarks from NBC studio in Burbank regarding forthcoming visit to the People's Republic of China. (7/15/1971)

      Runtime: 3:21

      Keywords: People's Republic of China, Trips

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

  • 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-4523
      "Washington: Week in Review". Dean Rusk, former Secretary of State for President Johnson.
      NBC
      Runtime: 00:29:28
    • WHCA-4525
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      8. Smith/Gill: Announcement of President Nixon's evening address on foreign policy. Time Code Start: 12:12. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, statements, aris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, Indochina War, treaty, treaties, negotiations. Network: ABC.

      9. Smith/Rolfson: Ambassador Bruce's status in Paris Peace Talks. Time Code Start: 13:44. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, Indochina War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, Ambassadors. Network: ABC.

      10. Smith: Federal Reserve Board raises interest rates 5%; strikes by telephone and copper workers across the country shut down three railroads. Time Code Start: 16:02. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, credit, loans, strikes, labor, employees, trains, mining, miners, unemployment,. Network: ABC.

      11. Smith/Geer: Ellsberg is indicted by a Grand Jury in Los Angeles, California Elsberg requests to have case heard in Boston where original arrest occurred. Time Code Start: 17:12. Keywords: Watergate, Pentagon Papers, secrets, Russo, Watergate, courts, hearings, investigations, military, Armed Forces, Vietnam War, Indochina war, Laos, Cambodia, bombings. Network: ABC.

      12. Smith/Jackson: Drug abuse of troops returning from Vietnam to Fort Benning, Georgia; American Medical Associaiton endorses Nixon's plan to combat drug addiction, availability of Amphetamine drugs. Time Code Start: 19:50. Keywords: Vietnam War, veterans, military, Armed Forces, pharmaceuticals, medicines, drugs, drug abuse, narcotics, morphine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, alcoholism, addicts, addiction, prevention, programs. Network: ABC.

      13. Smith/Zimmerman: Resistance of drug companies to put restrictions of a diet pill called Eskatrol. Time Code Start: 23:28. Keywords: pharmaceuticals, medicines, drugs, drug abuse, stimulants, weight loss medications, amphetamines. Network: ABC.

      14. Smith: Response of the Soviet Union to Pentagon Papers release. Time Code Start: 25:28. Keywords: Armed Forces, military, classified documents, secrets, Ellsberg, Russo, Watergate, courts, trials, Supreme Court, Vietnam War, Indochina War, bombings. Network: ABC.

      15. Brinkley/Saarinen: Announcement of President Nixon's address on foreign policy; speculation on topics in address include Paris Peace Talks (Ambassador Bruce on film). Time Code Start: 27:13. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, aris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, Indochina War, treaty, treaties, negotiations. Network: NBC.

      16. Brinkley/Brady: Issue of heroin trafficking pinned on Saigon government in South Vietnam, South Vietnamese General Ngo Dzu speaks in defense of allegations ( General Dzu on film). Time Code Start: 30:57. Keywords: Vietnam War, military, leaders, accusations, drugs, narcotics, heroin, sales, drug abuse. Network: NBC.

      17. Brinkley/Levine: Conference held by Secretary of Treasury Connally on economic status of the U.S.. Time Code Start: 36:03. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, conferences, meetings, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices. Network: NBC.

      18. Cronkite/Rabel: Paris Peace Talks update; previous week's death toll in Vietnam War. Time Code Start: 37:31. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, Indochina War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, military, troops, killed in action, KIA, fatalities. Network: CBS.

      19. Cronkite: Secretary of Treasury Connally on the recovery of the U.S. economy. Time Code Start: 42:08. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, conferences, meetings, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices. Network: CBS.

      20. Cronkite/Sevareid: Ellsberg under decision for extradited charges by Boston Judge for being put on trial in California under the grounds that Ellsberg obtained Pentagon Paper information through wire tapping. Time Code Start: 42:43. Keywords: Pentagon Papers, trials, espionage, military, analysis, reports, publishing, secrets, Laos, Cambodia, Indochina War, Vietnam War, Anthony Russo, Watergate, break-ins, burglary, plumbers. Network: CBS.
    • WHCA-4526
      "Nixon Announcement to Visit Red China", with ABC & NBC commentary. President Nixon announces his intention to visit the People's Republic of China in February 1972
      CBS
      Runtime: 01:03:15
    • WHCA-4527
      "Nixon Announcement to Visit Red China", with CBS commentary. President Nixon announces his intention to visit the People's Republic of China in February 1972 (may also have "Washington Week in Review" - 3/4" copy says this on the label) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Warren Burger.
      ABC
      Runtime: 00:34:40
    • WHCA-4528
      PBS China Announcement & PBS Commentary. President Nixon announces his intention to visit the People's Republic of China in February 1972 Rose Kennedy.
      Group W Productions
      Runtime: 00:32:42
    • WHCA-4529
      "The Dick Cavett Show" : Jacques Barzun, Rex Reed. psychologist Ernest van den Haag, actor Geraldine Fitzgerald, singer Kate Taylor.
      Daphne Productions and Roland & Jaffee Productions
      Runtime: 01:29:36
    • WHCA-4530
      "A Journey For Peace". On President Nixon's Pending Trip to Red China (People's Republic of China) psychologist Ernest van den Haag, actor Geraldine Fitzgerald, singer Kate Taylor.
      Daphne Productions and Roland & Jaffee Productions
      Runtime: 01:06:05

Context (External Sources)