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May 17, 1974

Introduction

This almanac page for Friday, May 17, 1974, 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: Thursday, May 16, 1974

Next Date: Saturday, May 18, 1974

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 Key Biscayne, Florida

  • 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.

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.

    • Annotated and Unmarked News Summaries [Note: Although there was no News Summary on this date, due to the way News Summary products were compiled, you should also consult nearby days for potentially relevant materials.]

  • 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. XXVI, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1974-1976

    Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement, January-May 1974

    Vol. E-14, Part 1, Documents on the United Nations, 1973-1976

    United Nations Affairs

    • 14. Telegram 104050 From the Department of State to All Diplomatic Posts, May 17, 1974, 2304Z., May 17, 1974, 2304Z

      The Department alerted posts to “steamroller tactics” employed by non-aligned countries at the United Nations and indicated that démarches should be made to governments indicating U.S. concerns.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files. Confidential. Repeated to Beijing. Drafted by Washburn and Vunovic; cleared in D and by Stull, McDonald, Neidle, Searing, McNutt, Schwebel, Goott, Monsma, Walker, and Blake; and approved by Buffum. Telegram 99106 is published as Document 13.

    Vol. E-14, Part 2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1973-1976

    • 46. Memorandum From Michael Guhin of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft), Washington, May 17, 1974

      Summary: Guhin described various bureaucratic, international, and congressional activities regarding chemical weapons issues, including NSSM 192, NSSM 157, the Geneva Protocol, and the Biological Weapons Convention.

      Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 23, NSDM 192 (Chemical Weapons Policy) 1974. Secret. Sent for information. Copies were sent to Kennedy and Huberman. NSSM 192 is Document 29. Concerning Kissinger’s meetings with Soviet officials, see Document 37. NSSM 157 is published as Document 263 in Foreign Affairs, 1969–1976, volume E–2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969–1972. Guhin’s May 15 memorandum to Scowcroft has not been found.

  • 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 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-601
      Press conference by Fred Buzhardt. (5/17/1974, EOB 160)

      Runtime: 45:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by __ (initials of WHCA engineer)

      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-6948
      "Panorama". James McCord.
      ABC
      Runtime: 0:30
    • WHCA-6953
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:28:47

      25. Reasoner/Jennings: Israeli-Lebanon raids. Time Code Start: 58:58. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, Israeli, war, Lebanon, Lebanese. Network: ABC.

      26. Reasoner/Bell: Impeachment committee leaks with Buzhardt. Time Code Start: 61:01. Keywords: Presidents, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, impeachment. Network: ABC.

      27. Reasoner/Gill: Watergate committee report. Time Code Start: 62:49. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals, impeachment, resignations. Network: ABC.

      28. Reasoner: Commentary on school desegregation. Time Code Start: 64:54. Keywords: desegregation, racism, racial profiling, racial discrimination, civil rights, African Americans, schools, students. Network: ABC.

      29. Brokaw/Levine: Inflation rate; prime rate. Time Code Start: 66:46. Keywords: credit rates, APR, borrowing, lending, mortgages, banks, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, prices, reports. Network: NBC.

      30. Brokaw/Stern: Executive privilege story with Ziegler statement in Judiciary Committee. Time Code Start: 69:22. Keywords: Senate committee hearings, Watergate, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: NBC.

      31. Brokaw/Goralski: Buzhardt news conference with Buzhardt. Time Code Start: 71:47. Keywords: media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews. Network: NBC.

      32. Cronkite/Walker: Executive privilege; Ziegler and McLaughlin statements on impeachment hearings. Time Code Start: 73:13. Keywords: Presidents, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, impeachment. Network: CBS.

      33. Cronkite/jones: Vice President Gerald Ford's comments on President Nixon with Ford. Time Code Start: 76:15. Keywords: Vice Presidents, speeches, statements, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals, impeachment, resignations. Network: CBS.

      34. Cronkite/Schorr: Buzhardt; milk fund. Time Code Start: 77:13. Keywords: food, dairy products, organizations, lobbys, Presidential campaigns, contributions, funding, finances, donations, investigations. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)