Introduction
This almanac page for Saturday, May 12, 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: Friday, May 11, 1973
Next Date: Sunday, May 13, 1973
Schedule and Public Documents
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
- News Summaries, Unmarked News Summaries, Box 55, News Summaries - May 1-16, 1973 [6 of 8] [Note: Due to the way News Summary products were compiled, you should also consult nearby days for potentially relevant materials.]
- News Summary, May 12, 1973, (Friday nets, wires)
- News Summaries, Unmarked News Summaries, Box 55, News Summaries - May 1-16, 1973 [6 of 8] [Note: Due to the way News Summary products were compiled, you should also consult nearby days for potentially relevant materials.]
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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
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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.
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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
47. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Acting Ambassador to Vietnam (Whitehouse), Washington, May 12, 1973, 2133Z
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 415, Backchannel Messages, Bunker/Whitehouse, April–July 18, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The message carries the instruction: “Deliver opening of business.”
Vol. XXV, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973
Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973
55. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 12, 1973, 9:50-10:40 a.m.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 135, Country Files, Middle East, Rabin/Dinitz Sensitive Memcons, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office at the White House. All brackets are in the original.
Vol. XXXIX, European Security
Opening Negotiations, December 1972-July 1973
149. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 12, 1973, 12:40-1:45 p.m.
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 26, Geopolitical File, Europe, Year of Europe, Memoranda of Conversation. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The conversation took place in Kissinger’s office at the White House. All brackets, with the exception of those that indicate omitted material, are in the original.
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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
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Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.
Camp David Study Table
- 165-9; Unknown between 10:05 a.m. & 10:11 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-10; 10:11 a.m. - 10:49 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-11; Unknown between 10:49 a.m. & 11:50 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-12; 11:50 a.m. - 11:56 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ash, Roy L.
- 165-13; Unknown between 11:56 a.m. & 11:58 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-14; 11:58 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ash, Roy L.
- 165-15; 12:22 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
- 165-16; Unknown between 12:30 p.m. & 12:31 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-17; 12:31 p.m. - 12:36 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
- 165-18; Unknown between 12:36 p.m. & 12:37 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-19; 12:37 p.m. - 12:54 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-20; Unknown between 12:54 p.m. & 12:59 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-21; 12:59 p.m. - 1:03 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-22; Unknown between 1:03 p.m. & 2:04 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-23; 2:04 p.m. - 2:10 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-24; Unknown between 2:10 p.m. & 2:11 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-25; 2:11 p.m. - 2:13 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-26; Unknown between 2:13 p.m. & 2:17 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-27; 2:17 p.m. - 2:21 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
- 165-28; Unknown between 2:21 p.m. & 2:27 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-29; 2:27 p.m. - 2:35 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
- 165-30; Unknown between 5:15 p.m. & 5:17 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-31; 5:17 p.m. - 5:47 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.
- 165-32; Unknown between 5:47 p.m. & 6:48 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David operator
- 165-33; 6:48 p.m. - 6:56 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
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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.
S - White House Press Office Briefings (continuation of the L-series)
- WHCA-SR-S-105
Press briefing by Henry A. Kissinger and Ronald Ziegler. (5/12/1973, White House Press Lobby)
Runtime: 34:20:00
Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media, press secretary
Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by DB (initials of WHCA engineer)
Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
- WHCA-SR-S-105
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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-6285
Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
ALL NETWORKS
Runtime: 01:29:43
14. Utley: U.S.-USSR summit in June in Washington, D.C. [related terms: Russia, Soviet Union]. Time Code Start: 35:28. Keywords: SALT, S.A.L.T., Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Russia, Soviet Union, USSR, Cold War, détente, summits, meetings,. Network: NBC.
15. Utley/Valeriani/Trotta: Kissinger and Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho to meet in Paris; U.S. Embassy in Cambodia may manage air strikes [Vietnam]. Time Code Start: 37:30. Keywords: travel, trips, meetings, Paris Peace Talks, Cambodia, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, aircraft, bombings. Network: NBC.
16. Utley/Bourgholtzer: L. Patrick Gray said to have warned President Nixon of White House aides interference in FBI Watergate Investigation; Ellsberg and Russo sue government. Time Code Start: 42:18. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals, espionage, spying, hindrances, civil lawsuits, Pentagon Papers, mistrial. Network: NBC.
17. Utley/Reynolds: Peking reaction to Watergate. Time Code Start: 45:20. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals, People's Republic of China, leaders, reactions, public opinions. Network: NBC.
18. Utley/Strithorst: Secretary of State Rogers to visit South America. Time Code Start: 47:02. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, travel, trips, South American. Network: NBC.
19. Mudd/Stahl: Watergate and L. Patrick Gray; McGregor interview over phone. Time Code Start: 50:18. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, officials, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals, media, telephones, statements, interviews. Network: CBS.
20. Mudd/Graham: Ellsberg and Russo celebrating dismissal of Pentagon papers trial on government misconduct. Time Code Start: 52:47. Keywords: Armed Forces, military, classified documents, secrets, Russo, Watergate, courts, hearings, investigations, military, Armed Forces, Vietnam War, Indochina war, Laos, Cambodia, bombings. Network: CBS.
21. Mudd/Shaw: Kissinger at press center in White House. Time Code Start: 55:09. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews. Network: CBS.
22. Mudd/Schieffer: James Schlesinger to be Secretary of Defense. Time Code Start: 57:10. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, Department of Defense, leaders. Network: CBS.
- WHCA-6285
Context (External Sources)
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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.
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Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.