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May 23, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, May 23, 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: Tuesday, May 22, 1973

Next Date: Thursday, May 24, 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. XXVII, Iran; Iraq, 1973-1976

    Iran, January-August 1973

    Vol. XXXIII, SALT II, 1972-1980

    SALT II, 1972-1980

    Vol. XXXVIII, Part 2, Organization and Management of Foreign Policy; Public Diplomacy, 1973-1976

    The Intelligence Community: Investigation and Reorganization

    • 7. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Central Intelligence Agency Management Committee (Colby) to All Central Intelligence Agency Employees, Washington, May 23, 1973

      Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Box 18, CIA. Administrative; Internal Use Only. Approved by Schlesinger. In his memoirs, Colby recalled that the memorandum was issued after he was informed that Watergate defendant James McCord had sent letters to the CIA containing “veiled allegations that an attempt was being made in the White House to pin the blame for Watergate on the Agency.” According to Colby, the existence of the letters had been revealed to Schlesingerand himself only after the DCI’s May 9 directive (Document 6) had been issued. (Colby, Honorable Men, p. 339) A timeline of events attached to the memorandum states that Schlesinger was informed of the letters on May 22.

    Vol. XXXIX, European Security

    Opening Negotiations, December 1972-July 1973

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

    Attempting To Implement the Accords, February 1973-December 1973

    • 62. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, May 23, 1973, 10:30 a.m.-5:05 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 La Fontaine au Blanc, St. Nom la Bretèche. All brackets are in the original. The tabs are attached but not printed.

      After this last meeting in the round, Kissinger sent a summary to Nixon. “Yesterday,” he told the President, “I concluded six days of negotiations in Paris with Le Duc Tho. We have agreed to meet again in Paris on June 6 to conclude a signed communiqué, the text of which is now agreed, as well as several private understandings. Ambassador Sullivan has gone to Saigon to explain the draft communiqué to President Thieu and obtain his concurrence, either to signing it as a four-party communiqué, or to our signing it with the DRV and stating in the communiqué that we are doing so with the concurrence of the GVN. The single, outstanding issue between us is Cambodia. I made it clear to Tho that we would not be prepared to sign the communiqué unless we receive a satisfactory understanding on this subject. The time between now and June 6 should permit us to exert pressure on North Vietnam concerning Cambodia through the Soviets and Chinese. The prospect of a final meeting on June 6 should also help us deter rash Congressional action with respect to Cambodia in the interim.”

      On the central issue of Vietnam, as opposed to the important but secondary ones of Laos and Cambodia, the text of the draft communiqué constituted, according to Kissinger, “a clear net gain for our side.” Furthermore, no cost attached to these gains. That is, he continued, “we had to agree to resume compliance with the Paris Agreement in those areas where at the end of April we had cut off compliance to put pressure on North Vietnam—i.e., stop aerial reconnaissance over the North, resume mine clearance, and resume the meetings of the Joint Economic Commission. In other words, we gave up nothing of substance.” (Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. X, Vietnam, January 1973–July 1975, Document 59)

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

    Brazil

    • 86. Memorandum From Richard T. Kennedy of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, May 23, 1973

      Summary: Kennedy recommended that Kissinger approve FMS credits in FY 1974–1975 for Brazil to purchase aircraft even though it would constrain future allocations of FMS credits.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 772, Country Files, Latin America, Brazil, Vol. 4, 1973–1974. Confidential. Sent for urgent action. Kissinger approved the recommendation. Kissinger wrote on the memorandum, “See me. HK.” Attached but not published are Tab A, a chart on FMS credits, undated, and Tab B, a memorandum to the Director of OMB from Tarr, May 1. On August 31, the Brazilian Air Ministry signed a contract with the Lockheed Corporation to purchase the C–130s, and the Ministry intended to sign a contract with the Northrop Corporation not later than September 7 to purchase the F–5s. (Memorandum from Peet to Schlesinger, September 4; ibid., RG 59, ARA/NSC–IG Files: Lot 75D224, DEF 12–5, Sale of F–5s, 1973)

  • 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)