March 2, 1969

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 Paris, France

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.

European Trip

• Paris, France (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 353, March 2, 1969)
  The President's Remarks to Personnel of the American Embassy.
• Paris, France (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 354, March 2, 1969)
  Remarks of President Nixon and President de Gaulle Upon President Nixon's Departure at Orly Airport.
• The Vatican (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 355, March 2, 1969)
  The President's Remarks to American Priests, Nuns, and Students.
• Andrews Air Force Base (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 356, March 2, 1969)
  Remarks of the President and the Vice President Following the President's Return to Washington From Europe.
• The President's Visit to the Vatican (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 410, March 2, 1969)
  Remarks of the President and His Holiness Pope Paul VI Following Their Meeting.

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.

• Remarks at the American Embassy in Paris.
• Remarks at Orly Airport on Departure From France.
• Remarks at a Meeting With Pope Paul VI.
• Remarks to American Priests and Students at the Vatican.
• Remarks at Andrews Air Force Base on Returning From Europe.

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 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)
• Handwritten diary entry (JPG) - part 1
• Handwritten diary entry (JPG) - part 2

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

• Text search for March 2, 1969
• Date search for March 2, 1969

All National Archives Units

• Text search for March 2, 1969
• Date search for March 2, 1969

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 02 March 1969

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

The NSC System

• 30. Memorandum From the President’s Military Assistant (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) , Washington, March 2, 1969

  Source: Johnson Library, Halperin Papers, NSC/RG. No classification marking. Kissinger wrote “OK, HK” at the top of the page.

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

Foreign Economic Policy

• 7. Memorandum of Conversation , Paris, March 2, 1969, 12:41-1:49 p.m.

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Box 1023, De Gaulle 2/28-3/2/69. Secret. The meeting was held at the Elysee Palace; the time is taken from the Daily Diary. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) The two Presidents also met on February 28. Their discussion touched on economic issues, and President Nixon told De Gaulle that he thought “it was clear that both the USSR and the US would like to reduce the financial burden [of defense expenditures] on themselves. He wished to make clear that on this matter he would not make the decision in this matter on a financial basis, the US had to be able to afford whatever security required.” (Ibid., NSC Files, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Box 1023, De Gaulle 2/28-3/2/69) The two also met on March 1; a record of that meeting is ibid. President Nixon traveled to Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, and France February 23-March 2.

Vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

• 27. Notes by President Nixon of a Meeting , Paris, March 2, 1969

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, President’s Personal File, Box 57, Security Classified (3), Speech File, February–March 1969, RN Notes–European Trip. No classification marking. These are handwritten notes by Nixon apparently on the meeting with the U.S. Delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. At 8:38 a.m. on March 2 the President met privately with Lodge for 15 minutes at the American Embassy in Paris. They were then joined by Rogers, Kissinger, Walsh, Green, and Habib. The meeting with the U.S. Delegation was followed by a 15 minute private meeting with Ky and then a longer meeting with Ky and the Chief Republic of Vietnam negotiator, Pham Dang Lam, as well as most of the U.S. officials from the earlier meeting. The four sessions lasted until 12:39 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, Daily Diary) An account of the meeting with Ky is in Document 28. According to Marshall Green, the initial meeting between Nixon and the U.S. Delegation lasted for 2½ hours and was held in the Embassy’s special security room. (Marshall Green, Indonesia: Crisis and Transformation, 1965–1968 (Compass Press: Washington, 1990), p. 144)

• 28. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State, Paris, March 2, 1969, 1550Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, EAP/ACA Files: Lot 70 D 47. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Paris Meetings; Plus. A stamped notation reads: “Mr. Bundy has seen”; a handwritten note reads: “3/4 W[illiam]PB[undy] had repeated to Saigon with revision in septel.”

Vol. XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969-1972

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Readiness Test

• 58. Memorandum From the Senior Military Assistant, National Security Council Staff (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) , Washington, March 2, 1969

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1023, Presidential/HAK Memcons, The President and General DeGaulle, Feb. 28–March 2, 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive. Printed from an uninitialed copy.

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 of many of these transcripts can be found on the Yale University Library website.

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-0420 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-0420-11A-15A, President Nixon, Henry Cabot Lodge, Sargent Shriver, and others leaving after talks with South Vietnamese officials. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, Prime Minister, Maurice Couve de Murville, William Rogers, Sargent Shriver, unidentified officials, possibly an interpreter.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0420-16A-20A, President Nixon and his party from a distance walking on the tarmac prior to departure. President Nixon and President Charles de Gaulle shaking hands. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Orly Field. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, Prime Minister, Maurice Couve de Murville, William Rogers, Sargent Shriver, unidentified officials, possibly an interpreter.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0420-19, President Nixon, President Charles de Gaulle, Secretary of State William Rogers, Sargent Shriver, Maurice Couve de Murville, possibly agent Robert Taylor, and officials walking along a red carpet. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Orly Field. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, Prime Minister, Maurice Couve de Murville, William Rogers, Sargent Shriver, possibly Robert Taylor, unidentified officials, possibly an interpreter.

Roll WHPO-0421 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-0421-, President Nixon arriving at the American Embassy. President Nixon standing outside with Henry Cabot Lodge and others. Informal seated shots of Nixon with South Vietnam's Vice-President and chief peace negotiator. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. President Nixon, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Rogers, Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky, negotiator Pham Dang Lam, other officials.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0421-08, President Nixon seated with William Rogers, Henry Cabot Lodge, Nguyen Cao Ky and Pham Dang during negotiations for the Vietnam Peace talks. An unidentified official stands in the shadows behind them. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. L-R: Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky of South Vietnam, President Nixon, William Rogers, Henry Cabot Lodge, negotiator Pham Dang Lam, unidentified official.

Roll WHPO-0422 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-0422-04A-14A, President Nixon seated informally with American and South Vietnamese officials, reporters looking on. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. President Nixon, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Rogers, South Vietnam Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky, South Vietnam chief peace negotiator Pham Dang Lam, press corps.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0422-15A-17A, President Nixon standing at a microphone addressing Embassy employees. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. President Nixon, Sargent Shriver, William Rogers, Embassy employees.

Roll WHPO-0423 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-0423-02-05, Vietnamese officials leaving the American Embassy in Paris, after their talks with President Nixon. 3/2/1969, Paris, France American Embassy. Unidentified Vietnamese officials, press corps reporters.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0423-06-12, A portrait study of unidentified men standing out of doors in Paris, France. 3/2/1969, Paris, France unknown, possibly support staff and journalists.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0423-13-28, President Nixon inside the Grand Salon, trading farewell comments at a microphone with Charles de Gaulle. The Nixon Presidential party walking to Air Force One. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Orly Field. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, Kissinger, William Rogers, Ehrlichman, Haldeman, other officials.

Roll WHPO-0424 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-0424-, President Nixon's departure ceremony, both inside and outside. Informal photos of Henry Cabot Lodge, Henry Kissinger and William Rogers talking while seated. President Nixon and Charles de Gaulle standing at a microphone. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Grand Salon and tarmac, Orly Field. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, William Rogers, Henry Kissinger, Henry Cabot Lodge, H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, other officials.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0424-06A, Departure ceremony, Henry Cabot Lodge, Henry Kissinger, and William Rogers talking while seated. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Grand Salon and tarmac, Orly Field. Henry Cabot Lodge, Henry Kissinger, William Rogers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-0424-17A, President Nixon and Charles de Gaulle standing at a microphone during Nixon's departure ceremony. Behind them stand H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Henry Kissinger, and Secretary of State William Rogers. 3/2/1969, Paris, France Grand Salon and tarmac, Orly Field. President Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, William Rogers, Henry Kissinger, H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman.

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.

P - Formal Presidential Remarks

• WHCA-SR-P-690302
  Remarks by President Nixon at the American Embassy in Paris, with Ambassador R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (3/2/1969, American Embassy in Paris)
  
  Runtime: 10:25
  
  Keywords: 1969 trip to Europe
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-P-690303
  Remarks by President Nixon at Orly Airport on Departure From France, with Remarks by President DeGaulle. (3/2/1969, Orly Airport near Paris)
  
  Runtime: 0:50
  
  Keywords: 1969 trip to Europe
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-P-690304
  Remarks by President Nixon and Pope Paul VI in the Vatican. (3/2/1969, Papal Salon at the Vatican)
  
  Runtime: 2:10
  
  Keywords: 1969 trip to Europe
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-P-690305
  Remarks by President Nixon to American Priests and Students at the Vatican. (3/2/1969, Salla Clementine at the Vatican)
  
  Runtime: 7:09
  
  Keywords: 1969 trip to Europe
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-P-690306
  Remarks by President Nixon at Andrews Air Force Base on Returning From Europe, with welcoming remarks by Vice President Agnew. (3/2/1969, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland)
  
  Runtime: 3:06
  
  Keywords: 1969 trip to Europe
  
  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-3239
  The President in Rome, Part One.
  NBC, CBS
  Runtime: 1:00
• WHCA-3240
  The President in Rome, Part Two AND The President in Europe.
  ABC, CBS
  Runtime: 1:00
• WHCA-3241
  The President in Europe (ABC) AND The President in Europe (CBS).
  NBC
  Runtime: 1:00
• WHCA-3242
  "A Time of Consultation". President Richard Nixon, (with excerpt of Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern unidentified footage).
  CBS
  Runtime: 00:59:52

• New York Times of March 2, 1969

• AP Images photos from March 2, 1969
• Getty Images photos from March 2, 1969

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 1969 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• March 2, 1969