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March 21, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Sunday, March 21, 1971, 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: Saturday, March 20, 1971

Next Date: Monday, March 22, 1971

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 Camp David, Maryland

  • 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.

  • 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

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.

  • 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.

    • Transcript of diary entry (PDF)
      Sunday, March 21.

      The President’s at Camp David.

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PRIVACY- Reviewed and released under Deed of Gift, DR, NARA, September 11, 2014
      Audio Cassette 6, Side A.
      Duration: 34 seconds

      The Drowns managed to work that out so they got up there yesterday afternoon. The President thought that Jack had already gone back to California. And they stayed there last night and all day today forcing the President to come back down this evening rather than staying on through Monday as he had hoped to do. Their total lack of sensitivity is absolutely unbelievable.
      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      He called today several times on some general items. He was pleased to have had a report from Connally that Arthur Burns is floating on the clouds, and he thinks that the double whammy between him and Connally is what did it. Connally apparently really scared him by telling him that he was jeopardizing his relationship with the President, and so he thinks we've got Arthur in pretty good shape, for now at least. On the schedule, he wants to throw a lot of things into California, but then he swings the other way and says he wants to play it according to the Haldeman system of making one news item a day and appearing to be doing something, but don't get overloaded, which is, I think, what we ought to do. He is still thinking of bringing Abrams over for a meeting, but feels it probably won't be possible because of the present situation in Laos, but maybe he'll bring Bunker in instead. He's anxious to load up this week before he goes, and we've got that pretty well worked out, and we'll shift to the one-a-day type schedule when we get to California.

      He got into some general introspection regarding Laos and feels that once we remove the Laotian issue on April 7, when he makes his speech, that we'll then have some strong foreign policy moves in our direction, especially if we have any good breaks. His point is, though, that we'll have eliminated the only thing that gives him much to talk about or to show night after night on television, and that the whole deal will be pretty well neutralized; and then he feels we'll be drawing some good cards in our strong suit on foreign policy, as well as having removed a negative, and that things should swing around pretty well within a few months.

      End of March 21.
    • 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.

    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.

    • No President's Daily Brief delivered on this date

  • 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. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

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

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

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

    • 148. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 21, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 491, President’s Trip Files, Kissinger/Dobrynin, 1971, Vol. 5 [part 2]. Secret; Nodis; Eyes Only. Sonnenfeldt forwarded a draft of the memorandum to Kissinger on March 19. Kissinger wrote “Excellent!” in the margin of the draft and a handwritten note indicates that it was “sent forward” on March 22. (Ibid., Box 880, SALT, SALT Talks (Helsinki), Vol. XIV) A notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.

    Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

  • 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 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-4228
      "Face The Nation", "Meet The Press" AND "Issues And Answers". Richard Nixon.
      NBC, CBS
      Runtime: 01:32:47
    • WHCA-4229
      "Comment!".
      PBS
      Runtime: 1:00
    • WHCA-4230
      (Joseph) "McCaffery At Large".
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 00:29:19
    • WHCA-4231
      "The David Frost Show" inteviews with David Frye and Jack Anderson.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:32:00
    • WHCA-4241
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:44:00

      5. McGee/Brady/Chancellor: Indochina War. Time Code Start: 07:44. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.

      6. Mudd/Rabel: Indochina war. Time Code Start: 14:33. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
    • WHCA-4246
      NBC News Excerpts: Phil Brady's Indochina Reports [Weekly News Summary]. Phil Brady.
      NBC
      Runtime: 00:34:02

      6. Brady: More on evacuation of firebase (FSB) Lolo by U.S. helicopters. Time Code Start: 11:42. Keywords: Vietnam War, Armed Forces, military, air bases, airfields, airports, fire support base, firebases, temporary military encampments, artillery air strike coordination center, troops, withdrawals. Network: NBC.

Context (External Sources)