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March 17, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, March 17, 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: Sunday, March 16, 1969

Next Date: Tuesday, March 18, 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.

    Addresses and Remarks

    • St. Patrick's Day (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 427, March 17, 1969)
      Remarks of the President and Ambassador William Patrick Fay of Ireland at a White House Ceremony, With the President's Announcement of His Nomination of John D. J. Moore as U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.

    Appointments and Nominations

    Letters, Memorandums, Etc.

    • St. Patrick's Day (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 427, March 17, 1969)
      The President's Message to President Eamon de Valera of Ireland.
    • Antiballistic Missile System (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 430, March 17, 1969)
      Letter to the President From Dr. Lee A. DuBridge, Science Advisor to the President, on the President's Proposed Safeguard System.

    Proclamations

    Statements by the President

    • St. Patrick's Day (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 427, March 17, 1969)
      Message of the President

    Statements Other Than Presidential

    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 Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr., USN, Consultant to the President on Physical Fitness and Sports.
    • Press conference of Vice President Agnew, Captain Lovell, and Press Secretary Ziegler.
    • List of members attending the meeting of the President's Science Advisory Committee.

    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.

    • The President has accepted the resignation of William R. Tyler as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, to be effective in June.
    • Dr. S. I. Hayakawa, president of San Francisco State College, met with the President at the White House.
    • British Ambassador John Freeman presented his credentials to the President in the Blue Room at the White House.

  • 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

  • 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.

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 17 March 1969 (Morning) [consult link for visuals and extent of redactions]
      The President's Daily Brief

      17 March 1969
      (Morning)
      19
      Top Secret

      I. MAJOR PROBLEMS

      MIDDLE EAST
      Israeli aircraft attacked terrorist bases in Jordan again today, according to press reports.

      SOVIET AFFAIRS
      There is nothing of significance to report.

      EUROPE
      There is nothing of significance to report.

      VIETNAM
      Soviet Ambassador Zorin shed no new light on the Vietnamese Communist line during his luncheon conversation with Ambassadors Lodge, Shriver, and Walsh last Friday. Zorin seemed mainly bent on giving the US a shove toward moving the talks forward. His new note of urgency is reminiscent of the advice the Soviets were giving last October when they repeatedly told the US to move rapidly on the bombing halt or lose a favorable opportunity for progress in the talks. Their approach at that time clearly reflected basic decisions in Hanoi and was not just another means of pushing the us in the right direction.

      Zorin conveyed somewhat the same impression on Friday by saying the pace in Paris must be accelerated or we would "miss the train." In particular, he said, the Soviet border clash with China on 2 March underscored the "urgent need" for progress toward a settlement in Vietnam.

      Zorin confirmed beyond doubt that the Vietnamese Communists are ready for private talks with the US. His claim that Hanoi and the Front are not prepared to talk to the GVN representatives is party line material and should not be considered the final word from the Vietnamese Communists. The latter recognize they will have to deal with the GVN eventually; they probably expect this to happen sooner rather than later.

      As long as the Soviets show no sign of doing anything more positive than advising unilateral US concessions, Zorin's line that we need to move fast must be treated as primarily an attempt to pressure the US. The new Sino-Soviet border incident, however, and allegations that Peking is again interfering with Soviet rail shipments through China to North Vietnam make it almost certain that we are going to hear more of this theme from Moscow.

      There are too many new cross-currents in Moscow-Peking-Hanoi relations at the moment to determine how North Vietnam is being affected by these developments or how they might influence Communist strategy for the war. Sino-Soviet tensions inevitably have an impact in Hanoi, and they are doubly unsettling when the regime is engaged in military activity which runs high risks of producing US retaliation against the North.

      [redacted]

      * * *

      The Communists conducted mortar and rocket attacks against allied military positions throughout the country and against selected urban centers during the first hours of the weekend, but the results were generally unimpressive. The sharp ground fighting that began east of Saigon on Friday continued throughout the weekend, spreading to other nearby provinces.

      Saigon was hit by four rockets which did little damage on 15 March, the day following the rocket attack on Hue. Da Nang, however, was not hit.

      Communist forces are continuing to make extensive use of the Demilitarized Zone, as activity picked up in that area. On Saturday, some 15 rockets were launched, apparently from positions within the DMZ, against allied installations at Cua Viet, and the Communists launched ground attacks just south of the Zone on 16 March, inflicting heavy casualties on an allied platoon. [redacted]

      Heavy ground action in III Corps included clashes in Tay Ninh, Binh Long, Bien Hoa, and Long Khanh provinces, but the enemy has not yet committed the bulk of his divisions surrounding the capital. [redacted]

      * * *

      Nhan Dan, the Hanoi party daily, took note of President Nixon's press conference of 14 March in an editorial today. The editorial countered the President's comments on Vietnam with a fairly straight reiteration of the Communist demands for a US withdrawal and a settlement based on the Liberation Front's program.

      II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

      SOVIET UNION - COMMUNIST CHINA
      Russian and Chinese versions of the border incident over the weekend differ, but both sides indicate that this second clash was larger than the one on 2 March. This time, artillery was used by both sides. The Soviets evidently had been patrolling the disputed island area heavily since the first encounter, and trouble probably stemmed from a Chinese decision to challenge these patrols.

      The fighting has not spread to other areas, but there may well be more incidents over the disputed island. The Soviet protest note on. Saturday said that Chinese and Soviet border troop representatives had met on 12 March, but apparently resolved nothing.

      [redacted]

      UNITED KINGDOM - NIGERIA

      Prime Minister Wilson will make a three- or four-day visit to Lagos beginning 26 March. [redacted]
    • President's Daily Brief of 17 March 1969 (Afternoon) [consult link for visuals and extent of redactions]
      The President's Daily Brief

      17 March 1969
      (Afternoon)
      19
      Top Secret

      LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
      OF 17 MARCH 1969

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

      I. MAJOR PROBLEMS

      VIETNAM
      Enemy-initiated actions in the capital military district were about double the usual rate last night. These include a terrorist incident in Saigon and five firefights in Gia Dinh Province; casualties were light.

      Elsewhere, the situation was relatively quiet. [redacted]

      SOVIET AFFAIRS
      The story behind the 120-minute Warsaw Pact summit conference in Budapest yesterday has not yet unfolded. The main point in the final communique merely states that the participants approved "new regulations on combined armed forces and combined commands." This suggests that the discussions--at least nominally--succeeded in drawing the member states into closer military cooperation. Rumania's readiness to subscribe to the new arrangements, however, may well mean that little has changed. The Rumanians have long resisted Russian efforts to obtain control over Rumania's armed forces.

      A Washington Post story this morning alleges that the Rumanians vetoed a major Soviet effort to "integrate" Rumania's forces under the Pact. The New York Times claims that disagreement emerged at the meeting over a Soviet attempt to get a resolution condemning the Chinese as "aggressors." There is nothing substantial at this point to back either of these claims.

      The Soviet leaders are already en route back to Moscow by train. The Rumanians, East Germans, and probably others have also left. This means that there was little or no time for bilateral talks after the formal meeting adjourned. [redacted] (Central Intelligence Bulletin, Press, News Ticker)

      EUROPE
      There is nothing significant to report.

      MIDDLE EAST
      Cairo radio says the Israelis shelled Egyptian positions south of the Bitter Lakes area o£ the Suez Canal today. [redacted]

      II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

      SOVIET UNION - COMMUNIST CHINA
      A Pravda military correspondent claims that Chinese forces fired on Russian border troops with mortars and machineguns last night near the disputed island. There was no mention of casualties. [redacted]

      I, MAJOR PROBLEMS

      VIETNAM
      Enemy-initiated actions declined on 16-17 March, following the spate of shellings and ground actions over the weekend. Hue, Da Nang, and Saigon were free of terrorist activity. Sharp new engagements were reported northeast of Saigon, however, and in Kontum Province in the central highlands.

      SOVIET AFFAIRS
      Today's Warsaw Pact summit meeting ended two hours after it began with the participating countries signing a "declaration on Europe" and a final communique. It was the shortest meeting ever held. The start was delayed from morning until afternoon, probably to permit time for bilateral discussions either on the Sino-Soviet border conflict or on the final wording of one or both of the documents.

      The circumstances are most unusual, however, and it is not at all clear what is going on. [redacted]

      EUROPE
      In a public opinion poll earlier this month, 77 percent of those Frenchmen queried thought the recent trip of President Nixon constituted an important element for the evolution of good relations between France and the US (35 percent very
      important and 42 percent rather important). A majority--52 percent--continued to feel that France should neither be on the side of the US nor the USSR. Those who felt that France should be on the side of the US rose from 13 percent in 1967 and 19 percent in 1968 to 24 percent in 1969.

      MIDDLE EAST
      There is nothing significant to report.

      III. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

      KOREA
      Four North Korean infiltrators yesterday attacked a police station on South Korea's east coast about 55 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone. This was the first armed infiltration since approximately 120 guerrillas landed along the east coast last November. The raiders, dressed in South Korean military uniforms, killed one policeman and a civilian and planted a time bomb in the, police station before shooting their way out of the harbor and sailing north. The attack probably was coordinated with current North Korean harassment along the DMZ in connection with the us - South Korean an military exercises.

      [redacted]

      SOVIET UNION - COMMUNIST CHINA
      [redacted] Soviet aircraft have not flown to Hanoi through China for several months. Inauguration of the new route at this time may be connected with recent Soviet-Chinese border incidents.

      In February 1965, after the US began the bombing of North Vietnam, Moscow tried to send 30 AN-12s to Hanoi with military aid. [redacted]

  • 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. III, Foreign Economic Policy; International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    Foreign Economic Policy

    • 10. Paper Prepared in the Department of the Treasury , Washington, March 17, 1969

      Source: Washington National Records Center, Department of the Treasury, Office of the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs: FRC 56 76 108, Studies and Reports, Volume 7, 2/68-11/69. Confidential. The paper, which bears no indication of a drafter, may have been prepared for the President’s meeting with the Economic Quadriad on March 18 (see Document 12) or for Volcker’s European consultations (see footnote 4, Document 8).

    • 11. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs (Petty) to Secretary of the Treasury Kennedy, Washington, March 17, 1969

      Source: Washington National Records Center, Department of the Treasury, Secretary’s Memos/Correspondence, 1966-1970: FRC 56 74 7, Memo to the Secretary, March-April, 1969. Limited Official Use. Drafted by J. C. Colman on March 17. Sent through Volcker. A stamped notation indicates that Volcker initialed the memorandum. It is attached to Volcker’s March 18 handwritten transmittal note to Kennedy: “My only added thought here is that the ‘soundings’ should be coordinated with proposed announcement on controls. This extension should be proposed, in general terms, at time of relaxation.” Kennedy’s handwritten reply on Volcker’s note reads: “I agree. After the extension is proposed begin checking in Congress to determine whether any changes should be made.”

    • 12. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 17, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 309, BOP. Confidential. Drafted by Bergsten who, in his March 17 cover note to Kissinger, wrote: “Pursuant to your instruction, attached is a memo to the President informing him of the major foreign policy implications of the proposed line of action and advising him to adopt a ‘go slow approach’ in implementing it.” There is no indication that the President saw the memorandum; an undated cover note to Colonel Haig reads: “I don’t think you want this to go to the President now—it was being provided for his meeting with the Quadriad on 3/18. If the information is still valid for the President, perhaps the reference to the Quadriad meeting should be deleted.” Haig wrote on the note “OBE—File.”

    International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    • 119. Volcker Group Paper , Washington, March 17, 1969

      Source: Washington National Records Center, Department of the Treasury, Volcker Group Masters: FRC 56 86 30, VG/LIM/31-VG/LIM/50. Confidential; Limdis. The paper is marked “Treasury Draft.” Another copy is ibid., Deputy to the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs: FRC 56 83 26, Contingency Planning 1965-1973. This paper was presumably the result of discussion at the March 11 Volcker Group meeting; see Document 118.

    Vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vol. XX, Southeast Asia, 1969-1972

    Thailand

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

    Czechoslovakia

    • 80. Memorandum for the Record , Washington, March 17, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 672, Country Files—Europe, Czechoslovakia, Vol. I Jan 69–31 Jan 70. Limited Official Use. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum reads: “Mr Kissinger.” Copies were sent to Ash and Walsh.

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

    Spain

    United Kingdom

    • 313. Memorandum of Conversation , Washington, March 17, 1969, 4 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 726, Country Files—Europe, United Kingdom, Vol. I. Confidential; Exdis. Drafted by Hillenbrand. The meeting took place in the Red Room of the White House. Freeman, a former Labour Party member of Parliament and Minister, had been a critic of Nixon. Both Nixon, RN, p. 371, and Kissinger, White House Years, pp. 95–96, touch upon the smoothing of relations between the President and new Ambassador during Nixon’s visit to Europe.

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

    Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee; Seabed Arms Control Treaty

    • 76. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 17, 1969

      Kissinger discussed Director of U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Smith’s formal instructions for the ENDC. He attached a cable with a proposed change to the U.S. position on the fissionable material cutoff for Nixon’s approval.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 319, Subject Files, Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Conference (ENDC). Confidential. Sent for action. Nixon initialed “Approve.” Attached are Documents 75 and 77.

  • 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-0535 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0535-04A-08A, Vice President Agnew and Captain James A. Lovell at press conference concerning the Summer Program on Physical Fitness and Sports. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, James A. Lovell.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0535-10A-34A, President Nixon and Pat Nixon are presented with gifts from the Irish Ambassador William Patrick Fay and Mrs. Fay. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, William Patrick Fay, Mrs. William Fay.

    Roll WHPO-0536 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0536-, President Nixon with H.R. Haldeman and San Francisco State College President Samuel I. Hayakawa. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Haldeman, Samuel I. Hayakawa.

    Roll WHPO-0537 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0537-, President Nixon and Pat Nixon receive gifts from the Irish Ambassador William Fay. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, William Patrick Fay, Mrs. Fay, John Moore, Mrs. Moore, Ron Ziegler, White House Press Corps.

    Roll WHPO-0538 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0538-02A, Vice President Agnew with Apollo VIII (Apollo 8) astronaut Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr.. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. Spiro Agnew, James Lovell.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0538-03A-08A, Irish Ambassador William Patrick Fay pinning a shamrock on President Nixon. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, William Patrick Fay.

    Roll WHPO-0539 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0539-, President Nixon seated informally in the Oval Office during a meeting with S. I. Hayakawa, President of San Francisco State College. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Samuel I. Hayakawa (AKA S.I. Hayakawa).
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0539-14A, President Nixon seated informally in the Oval Office during a meeting with S. I. Hayakawa, President of San Francisco State College. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Samuel I. Hayakawa (AKA S.I. Hayakawa).

    Roll WHPO-0540 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0540-, Robert Odle in his office. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. Robert Odle.

    Roll WHPO-0541 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0541-00-04A, President Nixon and Vice President Agnew attend an Urban Affairs Council Meeting. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. President Nixon, Spiro Agnew, Robert Finch, George Shultz, Robert Mayo, John Mitchell, Arthur Burns, John Volpe, Robert Finch, Spiro Agnew, Clifford Hardin, George Romney, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Maurice Stans.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0541-02A, President Nixon and Vice President Agnew attend an Urban Affairs Council Meeting. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. President Nixon, Spiro Agnew, Robert Finch, George Shultz, Robert Mayo, Arthur Burns, John Volpe, Robert Finch, Clifford Hardin, George Romney, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Maurice Stans.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0541-06A-16A, President Nixon with Readers Digest Editor Hobart Lewis. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Hobart Lewis.

    Roll WHPO-0544 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0544-, President Nixon receiving the credentials of British Ambassador John Freeman. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Blue Room. President Nixon, John Freeman, Emil Mosbacher, Martin Hillenbrand.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0544-15, President Nixon receiving the credentials of British Ambassador John Freeman. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Blue Room.

    Roll WHPO-0545 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0545-, President Nixon receiving the credentials of British Ambassador John Freeman. 3/17/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Blue Room. President Nixon, John Freeman, Martin Hillenbrand.

  • 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-009
      Remarks on a summer youth program-Roosevelt Rm., White House/James Lovell. (3/17/1969)

      Runtime: 10:00

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

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-013
      Remarks of Dr. S.I. Hayakawa, President of San Francisco State College, California to the press. (3/17/1969, Roosevelt Room, White House)

      Runtime: 22:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by NBC; Recorded by LNH (initials of WHCA engineer)

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-690317
      Remarks by President Nixon and William P. Fay, Ambassador to the United States from Ireland, and John D. J. Moore of Short Hills, N.J., president of W. R. Grace and Co., U.S. Ambassador-designate to Ireland. (3/17/1969, Roosevelt Room at the White House)

      Runtime: 1:36

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

Context (External Sources)