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March 20, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, March 20, 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: Monday, March 19, 1973

Next Date: Wednesday, March 21, 1973

Schedule and Public 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. X, Vietnam, January 1973-July 1975

    Neither War nor Peace, January 27-June 15, 1973

    Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

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

    Vol. XXV, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    Vol. XXXV, National Security Policy, 1973-1976

    National Security Policy

    • 13. Conversation among President Nixon and Republican Congressional Leaders, Washington, March 20, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Cabinet Room, Conversation No. 119–2. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portions of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. The transcript is part of a larger conversation that occurred between 8:38 and 10:26 a.m. Attendees were as follows: Senators Scott, Griffin, Tower, Cotton, Bennett, and Brock, Hansen, Bellmon, Cook, and Bartlett; Representatives Ford, Arends, Anderson, Edwards, Rhodes, Conable, Wilson, Martin, Devine, Clawson, Talcott, Collier, and Johnson; administration officials Stein, Dunlop, Ash, Ehrlichman, Cole, Timmons, Cook, Korologos, and Ziegler; and Chairman of the Republican National Committee George H.W. Bush. Ford left the meeting at 9:15 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)

    Vol. XXXVIII, Part 2, Organization and Management of Foreign Policy; Public Diplomacy, 1973-1976

    International Information Policy, Public Diplomacy, and Cultural Affairs

    • 86. Minutes of a Meeting of the United States Information Agency Executive Committee, Washington, March 20, 1973, 11 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, RG 306, Records of the USIA, Executive Committee, File, 1973, Accession 306–89–0043, Meeting No. 178. No classification marking. Drafted by Executive Secretary Henry A. Dunlap. A list of attachments is attached but not printed. On March 29, Keogh sent a memorandum to the heads of USIA’s offices and services indicating that he intended to use the Committee, created in 1969 by Shakespeare, “as the central decision-making body in the Agency. In addition the Committee is also serving as the main Agency forum for the discussion and development of major policy.” (Ibid., Executive Committee, File, 1973, Accession 306–89–0047, EXCOM Procedures) Keogh, who succeeded Shakespeare as Director on February 8, chaired the Committee, which was composed of Deputy, Associate, and Assistant Directors and other invited officials, and which met regularly over the ensuing 4 years to discuss programmatic and administrative issues as needed.

    Vol. E-9, Part 2, Documents on the Middle East Region, 1973-1976

    Kuwait and the Gulf States

    • 31. Telegram From the Embassy in Kuwait to the Department of State, Kuwait City, March 20, 1973, 1340Z

      Summary: Kuwaiti officials briefed Ambassador Stoltzfus on an Iraqi attack on two border stations. Stoltzfus recommended that the United States not involve itself directly in the dispute.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Jidda, London, Manama, Muscat, Sana’a, Tehran, USCINCEUR, COMIDEASTFOR, and USUN. Telegrams 872 and 873 from Kuwait City, March 20, are ibid. Additional documentation is in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXVII, Iran; Iraq, 1973–1976, Documents 210 and 213.

    Saudi Arabia

    • 82. Telegram From the Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the Departments of State and Defense, Jidda, March 20, 1973, 0820Z

      Summary: Thacher and Prince Abdullah discussed Saudi approval of a program to expand its National Guard.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to CS Army, USCINCEUR, DAEN, DIVENGR MED, and CHUSMTM. Telegram 9 from Jidda was not found. Previous delays alluded to in this telegram reference King Faisal’s reluctance to contract the SANG modernization program to Raytheon, as reported in telegram 467 from Jidda, February 5. (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–82–0274, NEG Saudi Arabia National Guard Modernization)

  • 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)