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September 13, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, September 13, 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: Wednesday, September 12, 1973

Next Date: Friday, September 14, 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.

  • 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 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, September 1973-November 1974

    Vol. E-11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973-1976

    Guatemala and Belize

    • 171. Telegram 4458 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State, Guatemala City, September 13, 1973, 1840Z

      Summary: The Embassy reported that the Christian Democratic Party (DCG) had selected General Efraín Ríos Montt as its Presidential candidate. Characterizing Ríos Montt as left-of-center, the Embassy concluded that he would offer voters a clear alternative to the policies followed by the Arana administration and its candidate General Laugerud, but that neither candidate would threaten vital U.S. interests.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Managua, San José, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, Panama, and USCINCSO. According to telegram 185435 to Guatemala City, September 18, Clare and Pezzullo of ARA/CEN reported on a meeting with Ríos Montt, commenting that they “were struck by Ríos’s apparent political naivete” in making requests that “revealed a lack of political acumen.” (Ibid.)

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

    Brazil

    • 90. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, September 13, 1973

      Summary: Jorden informed Kissinger that with discreet coordination, Washington and Brasília could rationalize the process of distributing assistance to the new Chilean Government. The Department instructed Crimmins to meet with Foreign Minister Gibson Barboza to discuss the matter.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 772, Country Files, Latin America, Brazil, Vol. 4, 1973–1974. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Completely Outside the System. Sent for action. The attached memorandum, entitled [title not declassified] is not published. Scowcroft approved the recommendation for Kissinger. On September 14, Kissinger, [text not declassified] stated, “We appreciated very much the message conveyed through him from Foreign Minister Gibson Barboza. Our Ambassador will be discussing this matter with the Foreign Minister and indeed may already have done so. We believe the Minister and the Ambassador should determine the manner and level of further contacts on this subject.” The message was to be cleared by Crimmins before it was relayed to Cortés. (Ibid.)

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

    • 13. Information Memorandum From the Department of State Deputy Legal Adviser (Aldrich) to Acting Secretary of State Rush, Washington, September 13, 1973

      Summary: Aldrich informed Rush that the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs planned to submit a recommendation on the question of U.S. chemical weapons policy as stated in the NSSM 157 study. Aldrich indicated that the Office of the Legal Adviser concurred in PM’s recommendation and offered several conclusions drawn from the PM analysis.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27–10. Secret. Drafted by Steven C. Nelson (L/UNA) on September 11. The date on the memorandum is stamped. Rush served as Acting Secretary from September 3 until September 22 after Rogers tendered his resignation on September 3. The memorandum prepared in the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs is Document 14. For the text of the “Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare (26 UST 571),” commonly known as the Geneva Protocol of 1925, see Arms Control and Disarmament Agreements: Texts and History of Negotiations, pp. 14–17. In November 1969, Nixon indicated that he would resubmit the Geneva Protocol to the Senate for ratification. (NSDM 35; Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume E–2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969–1972, Document 165)

    • 14. Action Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs (Sloss) to Acting Secretary of State Rush, Washington, September 13, 1973

      Summary: Sloss submitted to Rush the Department’s proposed approach to chemical weapons limitations, as requested by the National Security Council.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27–10. Secret. Drafted by Ramee. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text that remains classified. Attached as Tab D to Document 23. Tab A, the memorandum from Rush to Kissinger, is not attached; the final version of that memorandum is Document 25. Laird’s July 12, 1972, letter to Rogers and Rogers’s July 19 letter to Laird are published in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume E–2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969–1972, as Documents 259 and 261.

    Vol. E-16, Documents on Chile, 1969-1973

    "That Chilean Guy May Have Some Problems": The Downfall of Salvador Allende, January-September 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

  • 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-E1465 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E1465-, Vice President Agnew with Miss International. 9/13/1973, Washington, D.C. White House.

    Roll WHPO-E1466 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E1466-, President Nixon with Herman Scheebeli, Al Ullman, Ambassador Pearce, Melvin Laird and Bill Timmons. 9/13/1973, Washington, D.C. White House.

  • 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.

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-730909
      Photo opportunity with Representatives Herman Schneebeli, Al Ullman, W. Pearce, ML, HAK, WT. (9/13/1973)

      Runtime: 2:57

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

    S - White House Press Office Briefings (continuation of the L-series)

    • WHCA-SR-S-291
      Press briefing by Melvin Laird. (9/13/1973, White House Press Lobby)

      Runtime: 32:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

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

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-S-292
      Press briefing by Gerald Warren. (9/13/1973, White House Press Lobby)

      Runtime: 36:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by ABC (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-6552
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      16. Smith/Jarriel: Tax proposal with Secretary of Defense Laird, R. Long, and Senator George McGovern. Time Code Start: 45:25. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, military, Cambodia, Vietnam War, speeches, statements, taxes, taxation, revenue, income tax, frauds. Network: ABC.

      17. Smith/Shoumacher: White House tapes case with Senator Ted Kennedy. Time Code Start: 49:05. Keywords: bugging, bugs, wiretapping, wire taps, surveillance, spying, recordings, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, scandals. Network: ABC.

      18. Smith/Murphy/Matney: Chile and U.S. knowledge of revolt. Time Code Start: 51:29. Keywords: South American, coup d’etat, putsch, military takeovers, military junta, civil wars, General Augusto Pinochet. Network: ABC.

      19. Smith/Peterson: Fuel oil shortage with Senator Ribbicoff, John Love, and Speaker Carl Albert. Time Code Start: 54:29. Keywords: energy crisis, oil crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, allocations, Presidents, speeches, House of Representatives, Congressmen, Speaker. Network: ABC.

      20. Chancellor/Brokaw/Levine: Tax surcharge with Secretary of Defense Laird; Congressional reaction with Representative Ullman and Senator Long. Time Code Start: 57:06. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, military, speeches, statements, taxes, taxation, revenue, surcharges. Network: NBC.

      21. Chancellor/Stern: White House tapes case. Time Code Start: 61:22. Keywords: bugging, bugs, wiretapping, wire taps, surveillance, spying, recordings, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, scandals. Network: NBC.

      22. Chancellor: Chilean revolt. Time Code Start: 64:34. Keywords: South American, coup d’etat, putsch, military takeovers, military junta, civil wars, General Augusto Pinochet. Network: NBC.

      23. Chancellor/Duke: Fuel oil shortage with Senator Jackson and John Love. Time Code Start: 66:46. Keywords: energy crisis, oil crisis, petroleum, oil supply, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, allocations. Network: NBC.

      24. Chancellor/Hager: Hot lunch program and the federal government. Time Code Start: 69:30. Keywords: schools, student lunches, food, federally funded, financial aid. Network: NBC.

      25. Cronkite/Pierpoint: Tax surcharge with Secretary of Defense Laird, Representative Reuss and Senator Long. Time Code Start: 71:33. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, military, speeches, statements, taxes, taxation, revenue, surcharges. Network: CBS.

      26. Cronkite/Manitzas: Chilean revolt and U.S. knowledge of it. Time Code Start: 74:24. Keywords: South American, coup d’etat, putsch, military takeovers, military junta, civil wars, General Augusto Pinochet. Network: CBS.

      27. Cronkite/Graham: White House tapes case; Mitchell wanted tapes for conspiracy trial defense. Time Code Start: 77:38. Keywords: law officials, attorneys, lawyers, bugging, bugs, wiretapping, wire taps, surveillance, spying, recordings, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, scandals. Network: CBS.

      28. Cronkite/Herman: Gasoline dealers protest Phase IV with Carl Albert. Time Code Start: 79:36. Keywords: energy, petroleum, oil supply, oil crisis, gasoline, fuel, shortages, rationing, businesses, protests, wage and price controls, freezes, prices, costs, increases, decreases, economy, economics, budgets, Congressmen, Speaker. Network: CBS.

      29. Sevareid: U.S. aid to Chile within last year. Time Code Start: 82:58. Keywords: South American, coup d’etat, putsch, military takeovers, military junta, civil wars, General Augusto Pinochet. Network: CBS.

      30. Cronkite/Crane: Situation in Chile. Time Code Start: 86:02. Keywords: South American, coup d’etat, putsch, military takeovers, military junta, civil wars, General Augusto Pinochet. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)