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May 18, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Friday, May 18, 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: Thursday, May 17, 1973

Next Date: Saturday, May 19, 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.

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. X, Vietnam, January 1973-July 1975

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

    Vol. XVIII, China, 1973-1976

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

    • 33. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, May 18, 1973

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 527, Country Files, Far East, People’s Republic of China, Vol. 7, May, 1973–Jul 9, 1973. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of People. The USLO sent this memorandum of conversation as an attachment to airgram 9 from Beijing, May 21. The USLO also sent a cable reporting the substance of this conversation. (Telegram 121 from Beijing, May 19, 0500Z; ibid.)

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

    Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

    Vol. XXXI, Foreign Economic Policy, 1973-1976

    Negotiating the New Rules, May 1973-June 1975

    • 38. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, May 18, 1973, 11 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 56, Country Files, Europe, French Memcons (originals) January–May 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place in President Pompidou’s office at the Elysée Palace. Kissinger was in Paris to discuss the implementation of the January 1973 Paris Peace Accord with DRV representatives. He also met with Egyptian National Security Adviser Hafez Ismail.

    Vol. XXXV, National Security Policy, 1973-1976

    National Security Policy

    • 15. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 18, 1973, 8:30 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, NixonPresidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1026, Presidential/HAK MemCons, MemCons—Presidential/HAK, January–March 1973. Secret; Nodis. All brackets, except for those added by the editor to indicate omissions in the text, are in the original. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room of the White House. The memorandum of conversation incorrectly lists the date of the meeting as March 18. It was actually held on May 18, according to the President’s Daily Diary. (Ibid., White House Central Files)

    Vol. XXXVIII, Part 1, Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1973-1976

    Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1973-1976

    • 11. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 18, 1973, 8:30 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1026, Presidential/HAK MemCons, MemCons—Jan.–Mar. 1973 Presidential/HAK. Secret; Nodis. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting took place in the Cabinet Room at the White House from 8:38 until 10:11 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) The memorandum is mistakenly dated March 18. Scowcroft transmitted a summary of the meeting to Kissinger in Paris, who was engaged in discussions with Pompidou prior to Nixon’s meeting with the French leader in late May. (WH31298/Tohak 81, May 18; ibid., Kissinger Office Files, Box 35, HAK Trip Files, Paris Trip May 17, 1973—Tohak 1–100 [1 of 2])

    Vol. XLII, Vietnam: The Kissinger-Le Duc Tho Negotiations

    Attempting To Implement the Accords, February 1973-December 1973

    • 58. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, May 18, 1973, 3-6:45 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 114, Country Files, Far East, Vietnam, Paris Memcons, May 17–23, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting was held at 108 Avenue du Général Leclerc, Gif-sur-Yvette. All brackets are in the original. Tab A is attached but not printed.

      Kissinger reported to the President later the same day, addressing both the tone and substance of the meeting. Regarding tone, he wrote:

      “Although outwardly pleasant in his general demeanor towards us today, Le Duc Tho turned tough and insolent in his presentation of DRV proposals for remedial measures for implementation of Paris Agreement. His proposals amounted to a renegotiation of significant portions of the Agreement and protocols and were reminiscent of attitudes he displayed last December.”

      Regarding substance, several topics were discussed, prominently among them the U.S. role in, to use a frequent phrase of Le Duc Tho, “healing the wounds of war,” which Kissinger called “economic aid.” On this he told Nixon that “it is quite clear that they want it badly, but as yet unclear what, if anything, they are prepared to pay for it. This would seem to be major card we have to play. However, I did, once again, warn of serious military consequences if they fail to reach satisfactory understandings with us.”

      The cease-fire, which was supposed to have gone into effect immediately after the Accords were signed, had yet to be achieved. On this, Kissinger told the President that Le Duc Tho had “suggested new ceasefire arrangement, which would result in GVN withdrawal from all areas it reclaimed after Communist land-grab immediately following signature of Agreement last January.” (Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. X, Vietnam, January 1973–July 1975, Document 51)

    Vol. E-11, Part 2, Documents on South America, 1973-1976

    Brazil

    • 85. Telegram 95947 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Brazil, Washington, May 18, 1973, 2137Z

      Summary: The Department informed the Embassy that, given the rapid economic development of Brazil and con
      [Page 242]
      gressional hostility to indefinitely continuing assistance programs, bilateral assistance (with the exception of narcotics and family-planning assistance) would be phased out.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 1 BRAZ–US. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to Rio de Janeiro. Drafted by Lippincott, cleared by Low and Kleine, approved by Crimmins. The FY 1974–1975 CASP submission, February 17, is ibid. On May 10, the Embassy reported that it had “learned informally” that the IG was planning on phasing out U.S. Government economic assistance to Brazil and wanted confirmation from the Department. (Telegram 2757 from Brasília, ibid.) The final version of the CASP has not been found.

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

    Thailand and Burma

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

    United Nations Affairs

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

    Yugoslavia

  • 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)