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May 15, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, May 15, 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, May 14, 1973

Next Date: Wednesday, May 16, 1973

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 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.

  • 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.

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

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 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. XVIII, China, 1973-1976

    Kissinger's Visits to Beijing and the Establishment of the Liaison Offices, January 1973-May 1973

    • 32. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 15, 1973, 10:20-11:00 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, April 15-May 15, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place in the MAP Room of the White House. All brackets are in the original.

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

    Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    • 57. Minutes of Senior Washington Special Actions Group Meeting, Washington, May 15, 1973, 3:20-4:09 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Insititutional Files (H–Files), Box H–117, Minutes Files (1969–1974), WSAG Minutes, Originals, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Codeword. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

    Vol. XXXIII, SALT II, 1972-1980

    SALT II, 1972-1980

    Vol. E-6, Documents on Africa, 1973-1976

    Burundi

    Horn of Africa

    • 88. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 15, 1973, 11:03-12:13 p.m.

      Nixon and Haile Selassie discussed the threat to Ethiopia and the prospect for U.S. assistance.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1027, Presidential/HAK Memcons, April-November 1973. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Oval Office of the White House. In a separate meeting later that day, Acting Secretary of State Kenneth Rush informed the Emperor that the future of Kagnew Station was under review, although this reflected no change in U.S. relations with Ethiopia. (Memorandum of Conversation, May 15; ibid., RG 59, Central Files, 1970–73, POL 7 ETH)

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

    Middle East Region

    • 4. Summary of Conclusions of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting, Washington, May 15, 1973, 3:20-4:09 p.m.

      Summary: WSAG considered new arms sales to Saudi Arabia as part of a broader bilateral relationship.

      Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box SCI 21, National Security Council, Committees and Panels, WSAG, April 1972–August 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; [handling restriction not declassified]. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. King Faisal’s meeting with the President of Aramco is reported in telegram 1891 from Jidda, May 8, 1973. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]).

    Vol. E-12, Documents on East and Southeast Asia, 1973-1976

    Indonesia and the East Timor Crisis

    • 97. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 15, 1973, 4:30 p.m., Washington, May 15, 1973, 4:30 p.m.

      Scowcroft and Hasnan Habib discussed intergovernmental communication, military assistance, Indochina, the Sino-Soviet conflict, and Watergate.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files, Far East, Box 533, Indonesia, Volume 4, 1 January 1973–. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in Scowcroft’s office. John Froebe gave Scowcroft’s talking points, May 15, which began, “You have agreed to meet with General Hasnan Habib, aide to General Sumitro(the number three man in Indonesia), today at 4:30 p.m. As you know, General Sumitro maintains contact with Dr. Kissinger as the special channel of communication between President Suharto and the President.” (Ibid.)

    Vol. E-15, Part 1, Documents on Eastern Europe, 1973-1976

    Romania

    • 27. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, May 15, 1973.

      Kissinger suggested that Nixon respond to President Ceausescu’s note verbale with assurances of the “high priority” for future U.S. cooperation with Romania and an invitation for Ceausescu to visit the United States later in that year. Nixon approved the recommendations.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 761, Country Files—Europe—Rumania. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent for action. Attached but not published at Tab B is the full text of Ceausescu’s note. Counselor Pungan’s reading of this note to Kissinger is published as Document 26. Kissinger postponed Polish First Secretary Gierek’s planned state visit in favor of Ceausescu’s visit in a handwritten note on an August 7 Action Memorandum from Clift to Kissinger, which read “No for Poland. Ceausescu must come first.” (Ibid., Box 699, Country Files—Europe—Poland) Attached but not published at Tab A is the signed May 16 letter from Nixon to Ceausescu.

  • 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)