March 18, 1971

The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

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.

• Special Message to the Congress on Special Revenue Sharing for Transportation.

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.

• Federal Register of Thursday, March 18, 1971

The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

• House of Representatives: March 18, 1971
• Extensions of Remarks: March 18, 1971

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.

• Annotated News Summaries, Box 30, News Summaries - March 1971 [1 of 2]
• Annotated News Summaries, Box 30, News Summaries - March 1971 [2 of 2] [During this period, the Staff Secretary only removed pages from the News Summaries which contained President Nixon's handwriting, often leaving the document with no date. In addition to the individual document(s) listed below, you should also consult the full folder for the month.]
  • [3/18/71]
  • Digest of Recent News Comment, March 18, 1971

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, March 18.
  
  After considerable discussion and weighing of alternatives, the President decided to drop his plan for an in-office press conference tomorrow. He felt it would undercut the Howard K. Smith interview Monday night and makes the point that even a one network TV deal is worth a hundred times the writing press all put together. Second, he agreed with Buchanan's feeling that, because we had no good news, this would be a primarily defensive exercise on the economy. And third, it isn't needed for press therapy because we've got so much other action going this week that will carry the press activity. The decision made today a clear day, and he used it to do some general thinking himself.
  
  Had me over for several long periods at the EOB and a session in his Oval Office in the late afternoon. Also had a long session with Henry and a good long meeting with Connally. Actually, it's probably the most useful kind of day he can have. In one session with me, he got into the whole question of scheduling, as he developed some ideas for future planning: he wants to keep moving on our 50 state plan idea; wants to go to an auto race, maybe in California this next time; wants to be sure we're taking a good bunch of sports personalities to the baseball opening game; wants to see how the Stone fundraising dinner comes off, and if it does well, he'll consider doing others. Then we got into the problem of the New York trip tomorrow for the Dewey funeral…
  
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  PRIVACY- Reviewed and released under Deed of Gift, DR, NARA, September 11, 2014
  Audio Cassette 5, Side B.
  Duration: 31 seconds
  
  …and the question of whether the Drowns would be going which led into the whole Drown problem. Which came up later, when he had Rose trying to scout out what their plans were but she was unable to determine it. The whole thing ended up that he kept Ehrlichman and me in the office till after 7:30 as he was stalling to avoid dinner with the Drowns at the residence. He finally gave up and went over to the EOB and had dinner there alone.
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  We talked a little about Colson's plan for bringing John Scali in, and the President is intrigued with that as a good staffing step forward. I had a long meeting, although I was in and out of it, with Malek, Colson, Ziegler, and Chapin to cover their whole communications area and how to solve the Klein problem within that. There was something of a flap this afternoon when Ehrlichman learned from George Romney that he and Hardin, Blount, Stans, Volpe had been meeting with McCracken and Burns on the economy. John thinks this is a maneuver to try and undercut Shultz. The President had me check with McCracken on it, and he says they-- he only had one meeting with this group and that Burns was not present, and that it was to do with the construction wage problem. He denied any knowledge of other meetings with Burns or anyone else, but it appears that there have been such. The President is going to see Arthur tomorrow, alone, and maybe he'll be able to smoke it out.
  
  Henry was in for a while and reported that he had received a long proposal from Dobrynin today on proposed Berlin settlement, which is still not in form to be satisfactory to us, but it's getting much closer apparently, and Henry thinks maybe there's something workable that can be developed from it.
  
  The full House voted on Supersonic Transport [SST] today and defeated it, which is something of a blow, but there's still a chance of saving it in the Senate, where it will now go.
  
  End of March 18.
• 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.

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Nixon Library Holdings

• Text search for March 18, 1971
• Date search for March 18, 1971

All National Archives Units

• Text search for March 18, 1971
• Date search for March 18, 1971

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 18 March 1971

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

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls, 1969-1972

• 372. Memorandum From the Acting Chairman of the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee (Samuels) to President Nixon, Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 81 D 309, NSC-U/SM 94C. Confidential. Transmitted to members of the Under Secretaries Committee under cover of a March 19 memorandum from Staff Director Hartman. Hartman also sent a copy to Peterson (CIEP). Several earlier drafts of the memorandum are ibid.

Vol. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

Chinese Representation in the United Nations

• 339. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China, Washington, March 18, 1971, 1907Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, UN 6 CHICOM. Secret. Drafted by Shoesmith and approved in draft by Assistant Secretary Marshall Green. Repeated to Tokyo, Wellington, Canberra, London, and Hong Kong.

Vol. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

Operational Lam Son 719, February 8-April 7, 1971

• 155. Summary of Conclusions for a Meeting of the Washington Special Actions Group, Washington, March 18, 1971, 5:05-6:07 p.m.

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–115, WSAG Meetings Minutes, Originals, 1971. Top Secret; Nodis; COMINT. The meeting took place in the Situation Room of the White House. Smith informed Kissinger in a March 18 memorandum that the “intelligence community is obsessed with preparing for today’s WSAG and would not accomplish the analytical tasks we set out.” Smith assured Kissinger that the NSC staff and CIA analysts had devised a simple model to assess Lam Son’s effects but that the CIA believed it needed a White House order to gain DIA’s cooperation in doing the calculations. Smith wrote that the underlying problem was that CIA, unlike DIA, believed that the operation did not cut off all enemy supplies. (Ibid, Box H–80, WSAG Meeting File, Intelligence on NVSM 3–18–71)

• 156. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker), Washington, March 18, 1971, 1719Z

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 84, Vietnam Subject Files, Special Operations File, Vol. VI. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. In Ending the Vietnam War, pp. 203–204, Kissinger wrote that this backchannel message was in response to Bunker’s March 12 message, Document 149.

• 157. Conversation Among President Nixon, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the White House Chief of Staff (Haldeman), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation 469–13. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. The conversation was part of a larger conversation that took place between 6:25 and 7:32 p.m.

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

"A Key Point in Our Relationship": Backchannel Talks on SALT, Berlin, and the Summit

• 145. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin), Washington, March 18, 1971, 6:12 p.m.

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Henry Kissinger Telephone Conversation Transcripts, Box 27, Dobrynin File. No classification marking.

• 146. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Conversation 469–13. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portion of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. According to his Daily Diary, Nixon met Kissinger in the Oval Office from 6:30 to 6:50 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) Haldeman, who was also in attendance, recorded the meeting in his diary: “Henry was in for a while and reported that he had received a long proposal from Dobrynin today on the proposed Berlin settlement, which is still not in form to be satisfactory to us, but it’s getting much closer apparently, and Henry thinks maybe there’s something workable that can be developed from it.” (Haldeman, Haldeman Diaries, p. 258)

Vol. XVII, China, 1969-1972

China,January-September 1971

• 109. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 521, Country Files, Far East, China, Vol. VI. Secret. Sent for action.

Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

Poland

• 148. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 698, Country Files—Europe, Poland, Vol. I 1969–1971. Confidential. Urgent; sent for information.

Vol. XXXII, SALT I, 1969-1972

From Stalemate to Breakthrough, August 24, 1970-May 20, 1971

• 142. Letter From President Nixon to Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 880, SALT, SALT talks (Helsinki), Vol. XIV, January 1–April 1971. Top Secret; Eyes Only.

Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

• 201. Letter From the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 491, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, 1971, Vol. 5 [Part 2]. No classification marking. Handwritten notations on the letter and attached draft agreement indicate that both were received from Dobrynin at 1 p.m. on March 18. That afternoon, Kissinger forwarded the documents to Rush with the following special channel message: “The best way to deal with the attached document is to send you the full text together with the note which transmitted it. On Monday [March 22] evening when I see Dobrynin, I should indicate the following: (a) what parts are acceptable, (b) what parts are generally unacceptable and why, and (c) what parts are unacceptable as stated but could perhaps form the basis of a negotiation. In any event details would be shifted into your channel even with respect to point (a). I would appreciate as full talking points as you can prepare. I would not bother you this much without major Presidential interest. Your cooperation has been superb and we are all deeply grateful. Text follows.” (Ibid., Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2])

• 202. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 58, Country Files, Europe, Berlin, Vol. 2 [2 of 2]. Secret; Urgent. Sent for action.

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

The Horn

• 313. Memorandum From the Vice Director, Joint Staff (Freeman) to Secretary of Defense Laird, Washington, March 18, 1971

  The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended that Kagnew Station be retained, consolidation be reconsidered, and an 18-month period be authorized when Diego Garcia was completed in March 1973, to assess the feasibility of moving some Kagnew Station functions to that location.
  
  Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–76–197, Ethiopia 1971, Box 63. Secret. The attachment is not published.

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

Libya

• 72. Memorandum From Harold Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 18, 1971

  Saunders recommended against the sale of F–5s to Libya, arguing that the Libyan Government would be unfriendly no matter what Washington did.
  
  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 739, Country Files, Africa, Libya, Vol. II. Secret. Sent for action. Although Richard Kennedy registered his dissent in an attached memorandum, Kissinger initialed his agreement on March 30.

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.

The White House Tapes are sound recordings of President Richard Nixon's telephone conversations and of meetings held in the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House, the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB), the Lincoln Sitting Room in the residence section of the White House, and several locations at the Presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. These recordings document many of the major events and decisions of the Nixon Administration from February 16, 1971 to July 18, 1973. Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

Oval Office

• 469-1; 4:42 p.m. - 4:46 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary
• 469-2; Unknown between 4:46 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.
• 469-3; Unknown between 4:46 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 469-4; Unknown between 4:46 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Shultz, George P.
• 469-5; Unknown between 5:00 p.m. & 5:03 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 469-6; Unknown between 5:03 p.m. & 5:25 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Walker, Ronald H.; Woods, Rose Mary
• 469-7; Unknown between 5:04 p.m. & 5:25 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.
• 469-8; Unknown between 5:04 p.m. & 5:25 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 469-9; 5:25 p.m. - 6:22 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.; Woods, Rose Mary
• 469-10; 6:22 p.m. - 6:22 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 469-11; 6:22 p.m. - 6:23 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Cox, Tricia Nixon
• 469-12; 6:24 p.m. - 6:25 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Cox, Tricia Nixon
• 469-13; Unknown between 6:25 p.m. & 7:32 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Bull, Stephen B.; Ehrlichman, John D.

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-5891 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5891-04-36, Close-up portrais of Dr. Paul McCracken. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. unknown. Paul McCracken.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5891-16, Close-up portrait of Dr. Paul McCracken. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. unknown. Paul McCracken.

Roll WHPO-5892 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-5892-03A-18A, Pat Nixon attending a birthday reception at the Liberian Embassy. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. Liberian Embassy. Pat Nixon, Adele Rogers, officials, guests.

Roll WHPO-5893 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-5893-03-32, Pat Nixon attending a birthday reception at the Liberian Embassy. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. Liberian Embassy. Pat Nixon, officials, guests.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5893-31, Pat Nixon attending a birthday reception at the Liberian Embassy. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. Liberian Embassy. Pat Nixon, unidentified woman.

Roll WHPO-5894 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5894-04A-08A, Staff briefing and meeting. 3/18/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. unidentified staff members, William Ruckelshaus.

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.

G - Cabinet Officer Briefings

• WHCA-SR-G-092
  Briefing by Secretary of Transportation John Volpe, with Gerald Warren. (3/18/1971, Press Lobby)
  
  Runtime: 24:00:00
  
  Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by WJN (initials of WHCA engineer)
  
  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-4225
  Pat Paulsen Tape. Governor George Wallace and his family.
  Group W Productions, Inc.
  Runtime: 0:30
• WHCA-4226
  Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 1:30
  
  45. Smith/Geer: Supersonic Transport (SST) loses House vote; 218 to 204. Time Code Start: 78:32. Keywords: House of Representatives, Congress, voting, aircraft, speed of sound, subsonic airliners, investigations, reports. Network: ABC.
  
  46. Reasoner/Giggans: Laos. Time Code Start: 81:19. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.
  
  47. Brinkley: Supersonic Transport (SST); House votes 215-204 against funding SST; vote believed final blow, Representative Gerald Ford dismayed. Time Code Start: 84:06. Keywords: Supersonic Transport, SST, aircraft, speed of sound, subsonic airliners, voting. Network: NBC.
  
  48. McGee/Duke/Nesson: Revenue sharing, transportation funding (Secretary of Transportation Volpe), & inoculation program. Time Code Start: 86:40. Keywords: bills, laws, State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, financial aid, vaccinations, serums, vaccines, cabinet, advisors. Network: NBC.
• WHCA-4227
  Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 1:00
  
  1. Brinkley/Brady: Laos Operation accomplishing objectives; Pilot warrant officer Fred Few says South Vietnam forces overrun by enemy attack at Fire Base Lolo. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War,. Network: NBC.
  
  2. Cronkite/Benton: Supersonic Transport (SST) vote. Time Code Start: 03:17. Keywords: Supersonic Transport, SST, aircraft, speed of sound, subsonic airliners, voting. Network: CBS.
  
  3. Cronkite: Laos. Time Code Start: 06:01. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  4. Schorr: Transportation & insurance (Secretary of Transportation Volpe); revenue sharing & mass transportation. Time Code Start: 07:04. Keywords: bills, laws, State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, financial aid, cabinet, advisors. Network: CBS.
  
  5. Sevareid: Commentary on Laos, dissention on the Hill. Time Code Start: 10:01. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
• WHCA-4246
  NBC News Excerpts: Phil Brady's Indochina Reports [Weekly News Summary]. Phil Brady.
  NBC
  Runtime: 00:34:02
  
  5. Brady: Report from Ham Nghi, South Vietnamese headquarters for Laos invasion; Fire base (FSB) Lolo evacuated. Time Code Start: 09:31. Keywords: Vietnam War, Armed Forces, military, air bases, airfields, airports, fire support base, firebases, temporary military encampments, artillery air strike coordination center. Network: NBC.

• New York Times of March 18, 1971

• AP Images photos from March 18, 1971
• Getty Images photos from March 18, 1971

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

• March 1971 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• March 18, 1971