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October 1, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, October 1, 1969, 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, September 30, 1969

Next Date: Thursday, October 2, 1969

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.

    Announcements

    • Draft Postponement for Graduate Students (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 1353, October 1, 1969)
      Announcement of National Security Council Memorandum Recommending Postponement of Induction to the End of the Academic Year.

    Appointments and Nominations

    Executive Orders

    Acts Approved by the President

    • H.R. 6508 -- Public Law 91-79
      Disaster Relief Act of 1969.
    • H.R. 9526 -- Public Law 91-80
      An Act to amend the District of Columbia Unemployment Compensation Act to provide that employer contributions do not have to be made under that Act with respect to service performed in the employ of certain public international organizations.

    Nominations Submitted to the Senate

    Does not include promotions of members of the Uniformed Services, nominations to the Service Academies, or nominations of Foreign Service Officers.

    • ROBERT E. WIECZOROWSKI, of Illinois, to be U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of 2 years, vice Covey T. Oliver, resigned.

  • 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

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.

  • The H. R. Haldeman Diaries consists of seven handwritten diaries, 36 dictated diaries recorded as sound recordings, and two handwritten audio cassette tape subject logs. The diaries and logs reflect H. R. Haldeman’s candid personal record and reflections on events, issues, and people encountered during his service in the Nixon White House. As administrative assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Haldeman attended and participated in public events and private meetings covering the entire scope of issues in which the Nixon White House engaged in during the years 1969-1973. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • Transcript of diary entry (PDF)
      Wednesday, October 1.

      Group meeting with President - 8:30, supposed to be for one hour but lasted until after 11:00. President canceled his planned meeting with Kissinger staff to stay with our session. Covered a lot of ground about his priorities and general needs. Got the line and approach pretty well established and I think gave him a feeling of getting things more under control. Then had several staff sessions with Klein, Mollenhoff. Pushed Herb on need for targeting effort against major objectives and skipping all the fringe stuff. Just listened to Clark's tales of horror regarding his investigations.

      In the big meeting in the morning, decided to let October 15 go by without any overt counter effort on our part. Was somewhat annoyed by staff concern that he was following LBJ pattern - especially regarding his Marine speech yesterday. Feels he has to say those things and that his style and approach is so different that it can't be considered an LBJ technique - and refuses to stop just because Johnson did something - if he thinks it is needed. Kissinger and Cliff Miller both felt nothing was right approach. Ehrlichman argued for action, i.e., a day of prayer - but President said no. Did say he had his own idea, but wouldn't tell us now (this is the plan for a press conference which he told me yesterday).

      Harlow concerned regarding Haynsworth, as is Ehrlichman, so they were told to work it out with Mitchell. Bryce recommended to President that the nomination be withdrawn. Mitchell later persuaded him otherwise.

      Other big issue was problem of testimony at Symington hearings - and President agreed to see Senator Symington this afternoon and tell him we would not permit subordinates to testify, will not disclose contingency plans and will not discuss nuclear storage situation. This he did, apparently with some success, although Stu will probably blast us anyway.

      President had several pages of lists on yellow pad that he checked off as we covered the ground. Also has been cleaning out all his old briefcases, etc., because there are piles of stuff in the out box every day - way beyond what goes in - some going clear back to the transition period. Hope it eventually all gets cleaned out.
    • Handwritten diary entry (JPG)

  • 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. XII, Soviet Union, January 1969-October 1970

    Establishment of the Kissinger-Dobrynin Channel; Dialogue on the Middle East; and the Sino-Soviet Dispute, April 23-December 10, 1969

    Vol. XIX, Part 2, Japan, 1969-1972

    January-November 1969: The Decision for Okinawa Reversion

    Vol. XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969-1972

    The Rogers Plan

    Vol. XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969-1972; Jordan, September 1970

    The Two Yemens

    Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969-1972

    Italy

    Vol. E-5, Part 2, Documents on North Africa, 1969-1972

    Libya

    Vol. E-7, Documents on South Asia, 1969-1972

    India and Pakistan: Pre-Crisis, January 1969-February 1971

    • 37. Letter From Pakistani President Yahya to President Nixon, Rawalpindi, October 1, 1969

      Yahya requested urgent approval of the sale of 1.7 million tons of wheat under PL–480 to offset a serious food shortage in East Pakistan.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, AID (US) 15–8 PAK. No classification marking. The Consulate General in Dacca underlined the problem of food shortages in East Pakistan on October 10 in telegram 2855 from Dacca. (Ibid., POL 18 PAK )

    Vol. E-10, Documents on American Republics, 1969-1972

    Soccer War

  • 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 Photo Office collection consists of photographic coverage of President Richard Nixon meeting with prominent social, political, and cultural personalities; speaking engagements and news conferences of the President and various high-ranking members of the White House staff and Cabinet; Presidential domestic and foreign travel, including Presidential vacations; social events and entertainment involving the First Family, including entertainers present; official portraits of the President, First Family, and high-ranking members of the Nixon administration; the 1969 and 1973 Inaugurals; the President’s 1972 Presidential election campaign appearances (including speeches) and other official activities of the White House staff and the President’s Cabinet from January 20, 1969 until August 9, 1974 at the White House and the Old Executive Office Building; other locations in Washington, DC, such as The Mall; and the Presidential retreats in Camp David, Maryland, Key Biscayne, Florida, and San Clemente, California. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    Roll WHPO-2070 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2070-05-12, Unidentified man (Head and shoulders). 10/1/1969, Washington, D.C. unknown. unidentified man.

    Roll WHPO-2071 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2071-02-36, Portrait study of John Whitaker working at his desk. 10/1/1969, Washington, D.C. Whitaker's office. John Whitaker.

  • 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-3442
      "Here's Barbara" with A New Look at the White House (WTTG); Martin Agronsky report on Elliot Richardson and the Vietnam War (WTOP); "Selling of the President," an interview with Joe McGinniss (NBC, WRC). (00:00:00:-00:18:15) "Here's Barbara:" "A New Look at the White House," report on Presidential procedures on hosting guests such as diplomats and heads of state; press access to the White House; living quarters and decorations, Oval Office and bedroom, in
      All networks
      Runtime: 00:40:00
    • WHCA-3443
      Weekly News Summary.
      All networks
      Runtime: 15

      6. Cronkite: White House in Green Beret trial, Colonel Robert Rheault denies Vietnam civilian had been murdered. Time Code Start: 01:84. Keywords: Army, Special Forces, military, troops, trials, murders. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)