March 5, 1971

The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

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.

• Special Message to the Congress on Special Revenue Sharing for Urban Community Development.

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.

• Federal Register of Friday, March 5, 1971

The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

• Senate: March 5, 1971
• Extensions of Remarks: March 5, 1971

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)
• Original audio recording (MP3)

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

• Text search for March 5, 1971
• Date search for March 5, 1971

All National Archives Units

• Text search for March 5, 1971
• Date search for March 5, 1971

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.

• President's Daily Brief of 05 March 1971

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. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

Chinese Representation in the United Nations

• 334. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom, Washington, March 5, 1971, 2121Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, UN 6 CHICOM. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Long; cleared by Armitage, James A. Williams, Robert T. Curran, Shoesmith, McNutt, Robert T. Burns, and Winthrop G. Brown; and approved by Assistant Secretary Mr. De Palma. Repeated to USUN, Geneva for Herz, Taipei for Brown, and Hong Kong.

Vol. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

Operational Lam Son 719, February 8-April 7, 1971

• 146. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 5, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 512, Country Files, Far East, Cambodia, Vol. XII. Top Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads, “The President has seen.” Smyser sent it to Kissinger under a covering memorandum, March 2, recommending that he forward it to Nixon. Haig approved for Kissinger.

Vol. XIII, Soviet Union, October 1970-October 1971

"A Key Point in Our Relationship": Backchannel Talks on SALT, Berlin, and the Summit

• 133. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, March 5, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 490, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, 1971, Vol. 4 [part 1]. No classification marking. Kissinger forwarded this memorandum of conversation and a memorandum summarizing it (as well as the memorandum of his conversation with Dobrynin on February 26) to Nixon on March 16. A note on the summary memorandum indicates that the President saw it. The meeting was held in the Map Room at the White House. According to Kissinger’s Record of Schedule, the meeting lasted from 5:38 to 6:12 p.m. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76)

Vol. XVII, China, 1969-1972

China,January-September 1971

• 107. Memorandum From Frank Chapin of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 5, 1971

  [Source: National Security Council, Nixon Intelligence Files, Subject Files, China. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. 1 page of source text not declassified.]

Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

Cool and Correct: The U.S. Response to the Allende Administration, November 5, 1970-December 31, 1972

• 211. Memorandum From Arnold Nachmanoff of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 5, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 774, Country Files, Latin America, Chile, Vol. IV. Secret; Nodis. Sent for action.

Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

Greece

• 305. Telegram From the Embassy in Greece to the Department of State, Athens, March 5, 1971, 1628Z

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 594, Country Files—Middle East, Greece, Vol. II 1 Nov 1970–31 Dec 1971. Secret; Exdis.

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

United Kingdom

• 338. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 5, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 728, Country Files—Europe, United Kingdom, Vol. V. Confidential. Sent for action. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads: “The President has seen.”

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

American Republics Regional

• 36. Conversation Among President Nixon, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), the President’s Assistant (Haldeman), the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), and Director of Central Intelligence Helms, Washington, March 5, 1971., Washington, March 5, 1971

  The participants discussed the Catholic Church in Latin America, and individual countries in the region in general terms.
  
  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation No. 462–5, Oval Office. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portions of the tape recording printed specifically for this volume. The transcript is part of a larger conversation that took place between 8:30–10:15 a.m. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Haig joined the meeting at 9:15 a.m. and Helms joined the meeting at 9:29 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)

Guyana

• 373. Information Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Regional Economic Policy (Rogers) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Meyer), Washington, March 5, 1971., Washington, March 5, 1971

  Director of the Office of Regional Economic Affairs (ARA/ECP) Rogers outlined the important aspects of Guyana’s nationalization of ALCAN (DEMBRA). He concluded that the reaction to the nationalization in Guyana was mixed.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, ARA Deputy Assistant Secretary Subject and Country Files: Lot 74 D 343, Economic Policy Plans, Coordination, Guyana, 1970, 1971. Confidential. Sent for information. Drafted by King and Bittner; and cleared by Moser (ARA/ECP). Copies sent to Hurwitch, Szabo, Broderick, Freeman, Heller, Feldman, and Richardson (INR/RAR). The memorandum is an unsigned copy.

Panama

• 546. Memorandum From Ashley C. Hewitt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 5, 1971., Washington, March 5, 1971

  National Security Council staff member Hewitt summarized five studies and reports about the Panamanian Government leadership as well as the Canal negotiations. Hewitt predicted that President Torrijos would demand major concessions in the areas of legal jurisdiction in the Canal Zone and a greater share of the economic benefits.
  
  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 792, Country Files, Latin America, Panama, Atlantic-Pacific International Ocean Canal Study Commission, Vol. 1, 1971. Secret. Sent for information. Kissinger initialed the first page of the document. Attached but not published at Tab A is a January 29 CIA Working Paper, “Panama Canal Negotiations: Torrijos vs. the US.” Tab B is published as Document 545. Attached but not published at Tab C is a report on Torrijos and at Tab D, telegram 1473, February 26, from the Canal Zone. Tab E, telegram 1020 from Panama, March 4, is not attached.

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 of many of these transcripts can be found on the Yale University Library website.

The White House Tapes are sound recordings of President Richard Nixon's telephone conversations and of meetings held in the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House, the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB), the Lincoln Sitting Room in the residence section of the White House, and several locations at the Presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. These recordings document many of the major events and decisions of the Nixon Administration from February 16, 1971 to July 18, 1973. Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

Oval Office

• 462-1; Unknown between 8:00 a.m. & 8:07 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]
• 462-2; Unknown between 8:00 a.m. & 8:30 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]
• 462-3; Unknown between 8:08 a.m. & 8:30 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]
• 462-4; Unknown between 8:08 a.m. & 8:30 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 462-5; 8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; White House operator; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Rogers, William P.; Laird, Melvin R.; Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.); Helms, Richard M.
• 462-6; Unknown between 10:15 a.m. & 10:20 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
• 462-7; Unknown between 10:15 a.m. & 10:40 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Woods, Rose Mary; White House operator; Stennis, John C.
• 462-8; Unknown between 10:40 a.m. & 10:41 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 462-9; 10:41 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Garment, Leonard
• 462-10; 10:45 a.m. - 10:46 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 462-11; 10:46 a.m. - 10:49 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
• 462-12; 10:49 a.m. - 11:06 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Sanchez, Manolo; Ziegler, Ronald L.
• 462-13; 11:06 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.; Burns, Arthur F.; Shultz, George P.; McCracken, Paul W.; Woods, Rose Mary; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Butterfield, Alexander P.
• 462-14; Unknown between 1:06 p.m. & 1:17 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; Tkach, Walter R.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 462-15; 1:17 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Mulcahy, John A. ("Jack"); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Bull, Stephen B.; Connally, John B.; Sanchez, Manolo; Carruthers, William H.
• 462-16; 2:20 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Sanchez, Manolo
• 462-17; Unknown between 2:20 p.m. & 4:20 p.m.; United States Secret Service agents
• 462-18; Unknown between 4:20 p.m. & 4:28 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Finch, Robert H.
• 462-19; 4:29 p.m. - 4:29 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]
• 462-20; 4:29 p.m. - 4:29 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 462-21; Unknown between 4:30 p.m. & 4:40 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Colson, Charles W.; Kissinger, Henry A.

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-5816 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5816-, President Nixon meeting with Administration officials and Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. 3/5/1971, Washington, D.C. Presidential Office, Executive Office Building. President Nixon, Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, George Shultz, Robert Finch, Edward Morgan, John Ehrlichman.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5816-12A, President Nixon meeting with Administration officials and Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. 3/5/1971, Washington, D.C. Presidential Office, Executive Office Building. President Nixon, Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, George Shultz, Robert Finch, Edward Morgan, John Ehrlichman.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5816-19, President Nixon seated during a meeting with Administration officials and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. 3/5/1971, Washington, D.C. Presidential Office, Executive Office Building. President Nixon, Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, George Shultz, Robert Finch, Edward Morgan.

Roll WHPO-5821 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5821-02-03, President Nixon seated informally in the Oval Office with members of the QUADRIAD. John Connally, Arthur Burns, George Shultz, and Paul McCracken. 3/5/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, George P. Shultz, Arthur Burns, Paul McCracken, John Connally.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5821-03, President Nixon seated informally in the Oval Office with members of the QUADRIAD. John Connally, Arthur Burns, George Shultz, and Paul McCracken. 3/5/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, George P. Shultz, Arthur Burns, Paul McCracken, John Connally.

Roll WHPO-5821 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-5821-06-10, President Nixon attends the National Security Council (NSC) meeting. 3/8/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. President Nixon, Spiro Agnew, Melvin Laird, Henry Kissinger, John Mitchell, unidentified officials.
• Frame(s): WHPO-5821-08, National Security Council (NSC) meeting with President Nixon and other attendees. 3/8/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. Clockwise from the President: President Nixon, Melvin Laird, David Packard, [unidentified man], [unidentified man], Henry Kissinger, [unidentified man], George A. Lincoln, Sprio Agnew, John Mitchell, John Connelly, [unidentified man], Richard Helms, Gerard Smith, William Rogers.

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.

G - Cabinet Officer Briefings

• WHCA-SR-G-087
  Press Briefing by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development George Romney, with Ronald Ziegler. (3/5/1971, Press Center)
  
  Runtime: 54:00:00
  
  Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by JMC (initials of WHCA engineer)
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-G-088
  Press briefing by Sec. Of Treasury John Connally, with Ronald Ziegler. (3/5/1971, Press Center)
  
  Runtime: 12:25
  
  Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by RSM (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-4210
  Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
  ALL NETWORKS
  
  11. Smith/Donaldson/Gill: Indochina War (Secretary of Defense Laird). Time Code Start: 25:24. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, military, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.
  
  12. Reasoner/Tuckner: South Vietnamese Vice President Ky interviewed. Time Code Start: 29:20. Keywords: South Vietnam, Vice Presidents, statements, speeches, Vietnam War, media, interviews. Network: ABC.
  
  13. Reasoner: 15,000 pound bombs being used in Laos. Time Code Start: 35:20. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.
  
  14. Smith/Jarriel: Revenue Sharing bill sent to Congress (President Nixon and advisors on film). Time Code Start: 35:44. Keywords: bills, laws, State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, financial aid, Presidents, House of Representatives, voting. Network: ABC.
  
  15. Brinkley: February unemployment down from 6% to 5.8%, Treasury Secretary Connally hopeful, and inflation, February wholesale prices up .9%. Time Code Start: 37:27. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices, cabinet, advisors. Network: NBC.
  
  16. Brinkley: Four U.S. Air Force Airmen kidnapped in Ankara, Turkey, threatening to kill hostages if $400,000 ransom not paid by tonight. Time Code Start: 38:48. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, Turkish, plots, conspiracy, conspiracies, kidnappings, terrorism, military, troops, ransoms. Network: NBC.
  
  17. Chancellor: Indochina War. Time Code Start: 40:50. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  18. Chancellor/Lewis: Cambodia. Time Code Start: 41:33. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  19. Chancellor: POWs in North Vietnam prisons. Time Code Start: 43:10. Keywords: Vietnam War, Vietnam Prisoner of War. Network: NBC.
  
  20. Cronkite: Indochina War; with Laos (Secretary of Defense Laird). Time Code Start: 43:38. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, military, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  21. Cronkite/Quint: Communist HQ for Pathet Lao, Vientiean, Laos. Time Code Start: 46:20. Keywords: Laos, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  22. Cronkite/Kalb: Secretary of State Rogers in Congress. Time Code Start: 48:34. Keywords: House of Representatives, cabinet, advisors, speeches. Network: CBS.
  
  23. Cronkite/Rather: Unemployment and inflation (Connally). Time Code Start: 50:50. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices. Network: CBS.
  
  24. Cronkite: More money for sharing. Time Code Start: 53:44. Keywords: economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, credit, loans. Network: CBS.
• WHCA-4212
  Excerpts From the "NBC Nightly News" Indochina War Coverage, Tape II (Weekly News Summary).
  NBC
  Runtime: 00:22:40
  
  11. Chancellor: War action in Tchepone [Vietnam]. Time Code Start: 10:54. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  12. Lewis: U.S. demolition team at Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Time Code Start: 11:40. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War, cities. Network: NBC.
  
  13. Chancellor: Clarification of numbers of POWs & MIAs (Vietnam Missing in Action). Time Code Start: 13:13. Keywords: Vietnam War, Vietnam Prisoner of War/Missing in Action. Network: NBC.
  
  14. Brinkley: Paris Peace Talks North Vietnamese negotiator Xuan Thuy talks to Americans. Time Code Start: 13:40. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, officials, diplomats. Network: NBC.

• LIFE magazine of March 5, 1971

• New York Times of March 5, 1971

• AP Images photos from March 5, 1971
• Getty Images photos from March 5, 1971

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

• March 1971 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• March 5, 1971