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March 12, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, March 12, 1969, 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: Tuesday, March 11, 1969

Next Date: Thursday, March 13, 1969

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.

    Appointments and Nominations

    • Commission on Civil Rights (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 396, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Designation of the Reverend Theodore Martin Hesburgh as Chairman.
    • Federal Home Loan Bank Board (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 397, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Nomination of Preston Martin as Member and Chairman.
    • United States Information Agency (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 398, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Henry Loomis To Be Deputy Director.
    • Department of Labor (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 398, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Lawrence H. Silberman to Be Solicitor.
    • National Alliance of Businessmen (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 399, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Naming of Lynn Townsend as Vice Chairman and Paul W. Kayser as Executive Vice Chairman.

    Congress, Communications to

    Resignations and Retirements

    • Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 397, March 12, 1969)
      Announcement of Forthcoming Retirement of Gen. Lyman Lemnitzer, To Be Succeeded by Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster.

    Acts Approved by the President

    • S. 17 -- Public Law 91-3
      An Act to amend the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 with respect to the election of the board of directors of the Communications Satellite Corporation.

    Checklist of White House Press Releases

    The releases listed below, made public by the Office of the White House Press Secretary during the period covered by this issue, are not included in the issue.

    • Biography of Rev. Theodore Martin Hesburgh.
    • Biography of Preston Martin.
    • Biography of Lawrence H. Silbernman.
    • Biography of Henry Loomis.

    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.

    • Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, including former Governor Allan Shivers of Texas, met with the President at the White House to discuss urban problems.
    • The room previously known as the Fish Room, in the West Wing of the White House, will in the future be referred to as the Roosevelt Room. The West Wing was added during the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt.

  • 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.

  • 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)
      Wednesday, March 12.

      President spent most of the day resolving the ABM decision. He's going to go with limited deployment, which will raise huge opposition. He recognizes the problem and is ready to fight for passage and for public opinion. Announcement will be by press conference Friday noon. He had long sessions with Kissinger, Ziegler, Harlow, Packard, etc., going over all ramifications. Canceled most of today's planned schedule - including the NSC - and he liked having the day more or less free to use as he wanted. Wasted a lot of time though, with several long "odds and ends" sessions.

      Planning to go to California to see property. He's very anxious to move on it. Also has strong desire to get out into the country, meet people, get some cheers, etc. Thinking of possible stops in Midwest en route, i.e., visit Harry Truman.

      Big flap regarding proposed Ambassador to Canada. Turned out to be a guy President had met in '67 in Argentina. He was Ambassador there, and Nixon stayed at Residence, he left anti-Nixon literature and Herblock cartoons on bedstand. So now President has blocked this appointment - and any for this guy. Shows how things can come back to haunt you.

      I spent lot of time - other than Presidential sessions - with staff on routine. Got the Ehrlichman plan finalized. Met with White House staff managers - Secret Service, police, aides, etc. - to finalize their plans for shaping things up. Should be productive.

      Another Congressional reception tonight. Rough social week - on top of the ABM, et al.

      I had dinner and long talk into the night with Higby regarding his role, our operation, etc.
    • 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.

    • President's Daily Brief of 12 March 1969 [consult link for visuals and extent of redactions]
      The President's Daily Brief

      12 March 1969
      19
      Top Secret

      13 March 1969

      LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF OF
      12 MARCH 1969

      I. MAJOR PROBLEMS

      VIETNAM
      Intercepts indicate that a minimum of eleven North Vietnamese MIGs flew to Communist China on 13 March. [redacted]

      EUROPE
      There is nothing significant to report.

      SOVIET AFFAIRS
      Reports from the US Embassies in Warsaw and Budapest indicate that a Warsaw Pact summit is to be held, apparently in Budapest, before the end of March. One source says the meeting will convene next Monday. [redacted]

      MIDDLE EAST
      There is nothing significant to report.

      II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

      PAKISTAN
      Ayub announced today that Pakistan's round table conference has reached "broad agreement" that direct adult suffrage should be introduced and that the country should have a parliamentary system of government. He indicated that several issues, including the extent to which East and West Pakistan should be autonomous, were still unresolved. (FBIS 24, 13 Mar 69)

      JAMAICA
      Violence against foreigners (as well as prominent Jamaicans) has been building up. Two Americans have been shot by unknown assailants in the past few weeks, and a telephone caller recently threatened Ambassador Tobriner. The Jamaican Government has stepped up police and military raids in an effort to halt the violence, and the US Embassy is taking precautions. [redacted]

      I. MAJOR PROBLEMS

      VIETNAM
      Military action throughout South Vietnam was relatively light during the past 24 hours. [redacted]

      * * *

      Recently intercepted North Vietnamese air defense communications suggest that Hanoi has fully examined the possibility of US military responses to its offensive in the South. Conversations intercepted on 7 and 8 March reflected an urgent concern with preparations for anticipated US retaliatory strikes) even as far north as the airfields near Hanoi. There was some indication that communication procedures were being established so that, if necessary, North Vietnamese jets could be flown to Chinese airfields. This occurred following US bombing of Phuc Yen Airfield near Hanoi in December 1967.

      Some of this concern over retaliation no doubt stems from the recent northward deployment of US naval units in the Gulf of Tonkin and their taking station just outside Hanoi's territorial waters. On 9 and 10 March, North Vietnamese naval radar stations maintained unusually close surveillance of two US destroyers, reporting their locations at two to four minute intervals.

      * * *

      The North Vietnamese are not sitting back to await the outcome of new or anticipated military actions in the field. Their interest in getting down to private talks came through loud and clear in language used by Xuan Thuy, by the Soviets, and by the Poles in the past few days. All three parties made a special effort to convince US officials that the talks ought to begin soon, and they left plenty of room for including Saigon.

      In Xuan Thuy's first private meeting with Ambassador Lodge, he strongly implied that four-way talks to discuss de-escalation should be the first step, and he confirmed that the Communists wanted to focus on troop withdrawal as the initial major substantive issue.

      Soviet diplomat Oberemko told a Paris Embassy officer that the US should begin talks with the Front. Like a few others pressing Hanoi's case, he left a strong impression that the Communists were eventually going to accept a change in the Saigon government's "attitude" ,rather than a change in its composition as a condition for progress in the talks.

      Polish diplomat Lewandowski, in his conversation with Ambassador Lodge, also urged that the US should quickly move into private talks. Lewandowski's line that the US cannot expect to achieve a "position of strength" while the talks are under way is becoming a more and more prominent, Communist theme. Hanoi is steadily hitting hard on this subject and doubtless will carry it on at the formal talks tomorrow. [redacted]

      [redacted] a story in the US press [redacted] quotes Ambassador Harriman as saying that the Communist offensive was a response to allied military operations rather than a deliberate attempt to torpedo the talks. Hanoi radio used the quote in a broadcast on 12 March about Secretary Laird's trip, and it is a safe bet that it will be heard again in Paris tomorrow.

      * * *

      [redacted]

      EUROPE

      Chancellor Kiesinger and President De Gaulle will hold their semiannual summit meeting in Paris tomorrow and Friday, with no significant results expected. [redacted]

      SOVIET AFFAIRS
      There is nothing significant to report.

      MIDDLE EAST
      There is nothing significant to report.

      II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

      LAOS
      While there is a good deal of military activity, we still see no firm evidence of a major c;1ttempt by the Communists to expand into areas traditionally controlled by the government. North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao troops are pressuring some of the remaining government positions in Samneua Province, but they have failed. to drive friendly guerrillas from any important base since capturing Houei Hinsa on 3 March. A Communist attack against Houei Thong Ko, a transit point for thousands of Meo refugees fleeing southward, was recently repulsed with the help of tactical air support. The Meo guerrillas have for tactical reasons evacuated a number of smaller positions west and north of Na Khang.

      The enemy's raid against Luang Prabang Airfield early today was the third in as many years. The Communists also increased pressure in the vicinity of the Mekong River town of Pak Beng. In addition, the Communists are moving fresh troops and supplies into the Thateng area in southern Laos, possibly signaling a new assault against the base there. These moves will add to Vientiane's apprehensions. In fact, the most immediate danger is one of some ill-advised move by a rattled government leadership.

      PAKISTAN
      [redacted]

      CHILE
      Last week's legislative elections have depressed President Frei. He regards the results, which showed both left and right increasing their vote totals at the expense of his Christian Democrats, as a grave defeat for both his party and himself. He does not believe the Christian Democrats can win the presidential election in 1970 without allies, and he thinks the party is so isolated after last week's vote that it has no hope of linking up with any other party. Nor does he see any attractive presidential candidates among his Christian Democratic colleagues. Even though the Chilean right made the most noteworthy gains last week, Frei thinks a candidate backed by the Communists and Socialists will have a better than even chance of winning the three-way presidential race which most observers believe will develop in 1970.

      Frei's analysis on the whole does not differ too drastically from our own conclusions. In a sense the Christian Democrats had nowhere to go but down from the unprecedented majorities they rolled up in recent years. The vote they received last week--30 percent of the total--probably is close to a fair measure of their basic strength, and we do not expect it to drop much further.

      We suspect that Frei will recover from his depression before long and will continue to push his legislative programs. He may be less interested in involving himself in partisan political affairs, however, believing that his party is on the road to disaster and hoping to
      keep clear.

  • 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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Foreign Economic Policy

    • 350. Memorandum of Conversation , Washington, March 12, 1969

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, PER 1. No classification marking. Drafted by Richardson on March 14. Copies were sent to Rogers, Pedersen, Samuels, Greenwald, Rimestad, and Hastings.

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

    International Development Policy, 1969-1972

    • 107. Letter From Secretary of Commerce Stans to Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, March 12, 1969

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, FN 6-1. No classification marking. Attached to an April 3 letter from Rogers to Stans stating that many of the Commerce Department’s reactions were similar to those in the Department of State/AID analysis. Rogers enclosed a copy of Richardson’s March 25 memorandum to the President and its attachments (Document 108).

    Vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vol. XIX, Part 2, Japan, 1969-1972

    January-November 1969: The Decision for Okinawa Reversion

    • 4. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 12, 1969

      Source: Library of Congress, Kissinger Papers, RD drawer 1, Memoranda to the President, 1969–72. Top Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. On March 18, Kissinger sent this memorandum to the President under a memorandum that read: “Although Okinawa will be considered by the National Security Council shortly, I thought you would be interested in this think-piece which outlines the essential elements of the Okinawan problem.”

    Vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969-1972

    United Kingdom

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

    Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee; Seabed Arms Control Treaty

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

    Peru

  • 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-0482 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0482-, John Davies performing his duties at White House. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. John Davies, unidentified persons.

    Roll WHPO-0483 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0483-, John Davies performing his duties at White House. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. John Davies, unidentified persons.

    Roll WHPO-0484 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0484-, John Davies and unidentified man holding a crystal bowl filled with flowers. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. John Davies, unidentified man.

    Roll WHPO-0485 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0485-, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural gown. Oval portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale hangs in wall display. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon, unidentified woman.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0485-07A, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural gown. An oval portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale hangs over the fireplace. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0485-09A, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural gown. An oval portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale hangs over the fireplace. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0493 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0493-, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0493-01, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural gown. An oval portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale hangs over the fireplace. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0494 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0494-, Pat Nixon standing, in her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0495 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0495-, Pat Nixon standing, in her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0496 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0496-, Pat Nixon seated, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0497 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0497-, Pat Nixon seated, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0498 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0498-, Pat Nixon in her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0499 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0499-, Pat Nixon standing, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0500 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0500-, Pat Nixon in her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0501 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0501-, Pat Nixon in her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0502 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0502-, Pat Nixon seated, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0503 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0503-, Pat Nixon seated, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0504 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0504-, Pat Nixon standing, wearing her Inaugural Ball gown. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-1464 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-1464-, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural Ball gown and jeweled jacket while standing in front of the Yellow Oval Room fireplace. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-1464-01, Pat Nixon posing for portraits while wearing her 1969 Inaugural Ball gown and jeweled jacket. An oval portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale hangs over the fireplace. 3/12/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Yellow Oval Room. Pat Nixon.

Context (External Sources)