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July 18, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, July 18, 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: Monday, July 17, 1972

Next Date: Wednesday, July 19, 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 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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. XV, Soviet Union, June 1972-August 1974

    Post-Moscow Summit Discussions and Issues, June-August 1972

    • 10. Letter From President Nixon to Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev, San Clemente, July 18, 1972

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 494, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, Vol. 12. Top Secret. A handwritten note at the top of the letter reads: “Delivered by hand to Sov. Embassy 1:45 pm, July 19, 1972.” Haig, who drafted the letter, wrote in a July 13 note to Kissinger: “Henry: I have included the items you asked for in a new redraft: (a) moved the European issues to the smorgasbord portion at the beginning of the letter, (b) made special reference to your Moscow visit and included reference to the Middle East and the nuclear field in conjunction with that visit, and (c) made special reference to Dobrynin’s discussion with the President and the special channel.” (Ibid.)

    • 11. National Security Decision Memorandum 179, Washington, July 18, 1972

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–235, NSDM 179. Secret; Exdis. Copies were sent to the Secretary of Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Attorney General, and the Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs.

    Vol. E-1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969-1972

    Oceans Policy

    • 434. National Security Decision Memorandum 177, Washington, July 18, 1972

      The President amended the instructions for the U.S. delegation to the July-August meeting of the UN Seabeds Committee (acting as the Preparatory Committee for the 1973 Law of the Sea Conference). He amplified the importance of gaining international support for U.S. positions on exploitation of marine resources, determining territorial sea boundaries, and free transit in international straits.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda, Nos. 145-264. Secret. Copies were sent to the Secretary of Transportation and the Director of Central Intelligence. Section A, Recommendation 3 of the June 20 report (see Document 433) stated: “Propose that the LOS treaty provide that state aircraft, exercising the right of free transit provided for in the U.S. straits proposal, (a) will respect International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, recommended practices and procedures as they apply to civil aircraft over the high seas, provided that they shall not be required to do so in special circumstances of operational necessity, and (b) will at all times operate with due regard for the safety of navigation of civil aircraft.

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

    The Horn

    • 330. Memorandum From Fred Rondon of the National Security Council Staff to Richard Kennedy of the National Security Council Staff, Washington, July 18, 1972

      Rondon recommended killing the NSSM 115 study as the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) had quieted down, Kagnew had been reduced from 1,500 to 900 personnel, and arms modernization had proceeded despite Military Assistance Program (MAP) cuts.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-files), Box H–181, NSSM 115. Secret. Attached, but not published, was a July 18 memorandum to Jeanne Davis from Rondon and Kennedy, initialed by both, asking her to inform the agencies that NSSM 115 and NSSM 142 were no longer active.

  • 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

  • Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

    White House Telephone

  • 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-9586 Photographer: Schumaker, Byron | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9586-, Pat Price with a group of men and young men. 7/18/1972, Washington, D.C. Diplomatic Entrance steps, White House, South Lawn. Pat Price, unidentified men and young men.

    Roll WHPO-9587 Photographer: Grove, Andrew | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9587-, Vice President Agnew meeting injured Detroit policeman Eugene Ryrek and his family. 7/18/1972, Washington, D.C. Vice Presidential Office, Executive Office Building. Spiro Agnew, Eugene Ryrek, Ryrek family members.

    Roll WHPO-9593 Photographer: Grove, Andrew | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9593-, Closeup portrait of Carlos Conde. 7/18/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Carlos Conde.

    Roll WHPO-9597 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9597-28-29, President Nixon walking to his plane and waving from its doorway prior to leaving for Washington. 7/18/1972, El Toro MCAS, California tarmac. President Nixon, military personnel, aides.

    Roll WHPO-9602 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9602-, Ziegler standing in front of the Spirit of '76 with Mr. Cancellara. 7/18/1972, El Toro MCAS tarmac. Ziegler, Mr. Cancellara.

  • 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-5601
      Weekly News Summary, Tape III.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      35. Reasoner/Kaplow: Middle East; Sudat kicks out the Russians. Time Code Start: 75:10. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war, Soviet Union, USSR. Network: ABC.

      36. Smith/Geer: McGovern tries to get labor support. Time Code Start: 77:31. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.

      37. Reasoner/Reynolds: McGovern in South Dakota. Time Code Start: 80:00. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.

      38. Smith: Vice President Agnew's future. Time Code Start: 82:04. Keywords: Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.

      39. Smith: Commentary on Middle East expels Russians. Time Code Start: 82:38. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war, Soviet Union, USSR. Network: ABC.

      40. Chancellor/North/Goralski: Middle East expels Russians. Time Code Start: 84:11. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war. Network: NBC.

      41. Chancellor/Erikson: Kissinger goes to Paris; Swedish film of Vietnam. Time Code Start: 87:21. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, government, officials, travel, trips. Network: NBC.

      42. Chancellor/Dancy: Decision '72, McGovern. Time Code Start: 91:27. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: NBC.

      43. Duke: Senator Eagleton tries to get labor support. Time Code Start: 94:17. Keywords: Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, candidates. Network: NBC.
    • WHCA-5602
      Weekly News Summary, Tape IV.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:33:00

      1. Levine: Jerry Wurf is for McGovern, Philadelphia Mayor Rizzo will vote for President Nixon. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates, voting, Mayors, support. Network: NBC.

      2. Chancellor: Javits wants new VP in '72. Time Code Start: 02:08. Keywords: Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: NBC.

      3. Brinkley: Ways tax payer money is wasted by Federal Government; American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) goes to court in California on invasion of privacy. Time Code Start: 02:42. Keywords: taxes, taxation, funds, payments, spending, costs, audits, Treasury Department, microfilming, lawsuits. Network: NBC.

      4. Mudd/Kalb: Middle East and Russia. Time Code Start: 04:45. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war, Soviet Union, USSR. Network: CBS.

      5. Mudd/Schorr: AFL-CIO President George Meany to decide who to support. Time Code Start: 07:09. Keywords: leaders, labor, unions, American Federation of Labor, Congress of Industrial Organizations. Network: CBS.

      6. Culhain: McGovern talks about Mayor Daley. Time Code Start: 10:07. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates, Mayors. Network: CBS.

      7. Mudd: Philadelphia Mayor Rizzo to vote President Nixon; Javits says to dump Vice President Agnew. Time Code Start: 12:56. Keywords: Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates, voting, Mayors, support. Network: CBS.

      8. Mudd: Civil rights to ask Chief Justice Rhenquist to exempt himself from Pentagon Papers. Time Code Start: 16:03. Keywords: Armed Forces, military, classified documents, secrets, Ellsberg, Russo, Watergate, courts, trials, Supreme Court, Vietnam War, Indochina War, bombings. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)