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March 16, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Friday, March 16, 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: Thursday, March 15, 1973

Next Date: Saturday, March 17, 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.

  • 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.

Archival Holdings

  • 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.

  • 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

    Summit Preparations; Jackson-Vanik Amendment; Non-Use of Nuclear Weapons, December 1972-April 1973

    Vol. XVIII, China, 1973-1976

    Kissinger's Visits to Beijing and the Establishment of the Liaison Offices, January 1973-May 1973

    • 21. Letter From President Nixon to Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, January 1–April 14, 1973. No classification marking. The President received this letter for his approval and signature under a March 8 covering memorandum from Kissinger. (Ibid.) Lord gave it to Chuang Yen, Deputy PRC Representative to the United Nations, on March 17, during a meeting at the PRC Mission to the United Nations. (Ibid.)

    • 22. Letter From President Nixon to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, January 1–April 14, 1973. No classification marking. The President received this letter for his approval and signature under a March 8 covering letter from Kissinger. (Ibid.) Lord gave it to Chuang Yen, Deputy PRC Representative to the United Nations during a March 17 meeting at the PRC Mission to the United Nations. (Ibid.)

    • 23. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 526, Country Files, Far East, People’s Republic of China, Vol. 6, Jan–Apr 1973. Secret; Noforn Attachment. Sent for information. Holdridge sent this memorandum to Kissinger on January 29; Kissinger initialed it and passed it on to Nixon. (Ibid.) According to the attached correspondence profile, Nixon saw it on March 29.

    Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

    "That Chilean Guy May Have Some Problems": The Downfall of Salvador Allende, January-September 1973

    Vol. XXXI, Foreign Economic Policy, 1973-1976

    The End of Fixed Exchange Rates, January-March 1973

    Vol. XXXV, National Security Policy, 1973-1976

    National Security Policy

    • 10. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Malek) to President Nixon, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, President’s Office Files, Box 21, President’s Handwriting Files, March 11–31, 1973. No classification marking. Sent for action. A note on the memorandum reads, “The President has seen.” Nixon decided during a March 9 meeting, held in the Oval Office to discuss the previous day’s announcement of an increase in the WPI and mounting criticism of the administration’s economic policies, that “stockpile sales should be vigorously pushed” and that Malek be “placed in charge of doing it.” His decision was prompted by Stein, Simon, and Ehrlichman’s shared view that there had been a “failure as yet to implement a policy of more rapid sales of stockpiled industrial materials, which seemed especially important in view of the big increase of industrial prices just reported.” The record of the meeting is ibid., Box 91, Memoranda for the President—Beginning March 4 [1973].

    • 11. National Security Decision Memorandum 208, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, NSDMs 145–264. Confidential.

    • 12. National Security Study Memorandum 177, Washington, March 16, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, NSSMs Nos. 104–206. Secret. A copy was sent to Moorer.

    Vol. E-8, Documents on South Asia, 1973-1976

    India-Pakistan 1

    • 117. Telegram 48647 From the Department of State to the Embassy in India, Washington, March 16, 1973, 0032Z

      Assistant Secretary of State of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Sisco reported on a meeting with Indian Ambassador L. K. Jha to discuss tensions in Indo-U.S. relations, especially regarding the U.S. decision to resume arms sales to Pakistan.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL INDIA-US. Secret; Immediate. It was drafted on March 15 by Hawes; cleared by NEA/INS; and approved by Sisco.

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

    Australia, New Zealand, ANZUS, Papua New Guinea

    Philippines

    • 317. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 16, 1973., Washington, March 16, 1973

      Kissinger described for Nixon the consensus that resulted from an SRG meeting regarding the Philippines and urged him to approve a NSDM to be released at a later date.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–192, NSSM 155 [2 of 2]. Secret. Sent for action. Tab A, an undated proposed NSDM on U.S. policy toward the Philippines, is attached but not published. The President initialed his approval of the draft NSDM, which was subsequently released. See Document 318. The Laurel-Langley Agreement, which governed U.S. tariffs on Philippine exports and the privileges of U.S. investors, expired on July 4, 1974.

  • 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)