April 17, 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.

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 Saturday, April 17, 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 April 17, 1971
• Date search for April 17, 1971

All National Archives Units

• Text search for April 17, 1971
• Date search for April 17, 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 17 April 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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

Managing the Department of State

• 334. Action Memorandum From the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration (Macomber) to Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Management, Management Subject Files: Lot 76 D 235, 7th Floor Organization. No classification marking. Sent through U. Alexis Johnson.

Vol. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

Chinese Representation in the United Nations

• 346. Letter From the Representative to the United Nations (Bush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), New York, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 301, Agency Files, USUN 1, June–30 September 1971, Vol. VII. No classification marking.

Vol. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

The Consequences of Operation Lan Som 719 and the Search for a Settlement, April 8-October 6, 1971

• 183. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 154, Vietnam Country Files, Viet 9 Apr 71–30 Apr 71. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads, “The President has seen.” Smyser forwarded it to Kissinger under an April 16 covering memorandum, indicating that he had prepared it at Kissinger’s request.

• 184. Backchannel Message From the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Saigon, April 17, 1971, 1210Z

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 85, Vietnam Subject Files, Special Operations March 70 on. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only.

• 185. Conversation Among President Nixon, his Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the White House Chief of Staff (Haldeman), Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation 481-7. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portions of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. The exchange is part of a larger conversation, 1-3:30 p.m. According to the Nixon tapes log, Butterfield was present during part of the conversation.

Vol. XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971

South Asia Crisis, 1971

• 29. Letter From Pakistani President Yahya to President Nixon, Rawalpindi, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 755, Presidential Correspondence File, India (1971). Mistakenly filed under India. No classification marking. The letter was presented to President Nixon on May 10 by M. M. Ahmad, President Yahyaʼs Adviser for Economic Affairs; see Document 44.

• 30. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India, Washington, April 17, 1971, 0128Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23–9 PAK. Confidential. Drafted by R. Grant Smith (NEA/INC) on April 16, cleared by Schneider (NEA/INC) and Alexander S.C. Fuller (NEA/PAF), and approved by Van Hollen. Repeated to Islamabad and Dacca.

• 31. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Pakistan, Washington, April 17, 1971, 2102Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15 PAK. Confidential. Drafted and approved by Van Hollen and cleared by Spengler (NEA/PAF). Also sent to London and Dacca and repeated to New Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Lahore, and Karachi.

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

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

• 184. Conversation Among President Nixon, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the White House Chief of Staff (Haldeman), Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Conversation 481–7. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portion of the the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Nixon met Kissinger and Haldeman in the Oval Office from 2:36 to 3:30 p.m. on April 17. (Ibid., White House Central Files)

Vol. XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969-1972

Republic of Korea Troops in Vietnam and Force Modernization, April 1971-December 1972

• 91. Conversation Among President Nixon, Secretary of the Treasury Connally, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson), and Others, Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Cabinet Room, Presidential Recordings, Conversation 53–2. No classification marking. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the conversation was held in the Cabinet Room between 9:34 and 10:45 a.m. Also attending were Kissinger, Stans, David Kennedy, Peterson, Shultz, and Flanigan. (Ibid., White House Central Files) The editors transcribed the portions of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume.

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

Indian Ocean

• 56. Memorandum From the Chief of Naval Operations (Zumwalt) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer), Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Records of Admiral Thomas Moorer, Box 113, Work File (Indian Ocean). Secret.

Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

Cyprus

• 365. Telegram From Department of State to Embassy in Greece, Washington, April 17, 1971, 2207Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27 CYP. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Davis; cleared by Cash, Churchill, and Curran (S/S); and approved by Davies. Repeated to Nicosia and Ankara.

Vol. XXXII, SALT I, 1969-1972

From Stalemate to Breakthrough, August 24, 1970-May 20, 1971

• 148. Conversation Among President Nixon, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the Assistant to the President (Haldeman), Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation No. 481–7. No classification marking. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Nixon met with Kissinger and Haldeman from 2:36 to 3:30 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume.

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

United Kingdom

• 340. National Security Study Memorandum 123, Washington, April 17, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box H–182, National Security Study Memoranda, NSSM 123. Top Secret; Sensitive. A copy was sent to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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.

Cabinet Room

• 53-2; Unknown between 9:34 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Peterson, Peter G.; Shultz, George P.; Connally, John B.; Stans, Maurice H.; Kennedy, David M.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Flanigan, Peter M.; Johnson, U. Alexis

Oval Office

• 481-1; Unknown between 8:54 a.m. & 8:56 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 481-2; 8:56 a.m. - 8:57 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Lukash, William M.
• 481-3; 8:56 a.m. - 9:13 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 481-4; 9:15 a.m. - 9:34 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Shultz, George P.; Peterson, Peter G.
• 481-5; Unknown between 10:46 a.m. & 11:24 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator; Hoover, J. Edgar; Mansfield, Michael J. ("Mike"); Kissinger, Henry A.
• 481-6; 11:24 a.m. - 11:49 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Lukash, William M.; Ziegler, Ronald L.
• 481-7; Unknown between 1:00 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; White House operator; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Hodgson, James D.; Ehrlichman, Jeanne; Denny, Bertha; Kissinger, Henry A.
• 481-8; Unknown between 11:49 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.; Bull, Stephen B.; Sanchez, Manolo
• 481-9; 9:34 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); United States Secret Service agents

White House Telephone

• 1-121; Unknown between 8:54 a.m. & 8:56 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-122; 8:56 a.m. - 8:57 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Lukash, William M.
• 1-123; 10:45 a.m. - 10:52 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator; Hoover, J. Edgar; Kissinger, Henry A.
• 1-124; Unknown between 10:52 a.m. & 11:02 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; White House operator
• 1-125; Unknown between 11:02 a.m. & 11:24 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator
• 1-126; 11:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Lukash, William M.
• 1-127; Unknown between 2:23 p.m. & 2:36 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator
• 1-128; Unknown between 2:26 p.m. & 2:51 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; White House operator
• 1-129; 2:51 p.m. - 2:53 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Eisenhower, Julie Nixon
• 1-130; Unknown between 4:10 p.m. & 4:19 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-131; Unknown between 4:10 p.m. & 4:19 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-132; 4:19 p.m. - 4:21 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 1-133; 4:21 p.m. - 4:22 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-134; 4:22 p.m. - 4:24 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 1-135; Unknown between 4:24 p.m. & 4:35 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-136; 4:35 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Buchanan, Patrick J.
• 1-137; 4:41 p.m. - 4:41 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 1-138; 4:41 p.m. - 4:42 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Buchanan, Patrick J.
• 1-154; Unknown between 2:36 p.m. & 2:51 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator

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-6064 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6064-03A-12A, A group of Italian visitors in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. 4/17/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. Italian visitors.

Roll WHPO-6065 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6065-02A-05A, John Ehrlichman standing with his wife and his mother. 4/17/1971, Washington, D.C. unknown. John D. Ehrlichman, Mrs. John Ehrlichman, Mrs. Ehrlichman.

Roll WHPO-6066 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6066-01-06, President Nixon standing with John Ehrlichman, his wife and his mother. 4/17/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Ehrlichman, Mrs. John Ehrlichman, Mrs. Ehrlichman.

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-4300
  Weekly News Summary, Tape I. John Kerry.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 01:34:02
  
  1. McGee/Streithorst: Indochina. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  2. Chancellor: President Nixon speaking to newspaper editors. Time Code Start: 02:30. Keywords: Presidents, meetings, media, newspapers, magazines, the press, leaders, executives. Network: NBC.
  
  3. McGee: U.S. and People's Republic of China. Time Code Start: 05:28. Keywords: People's Republic of China. Network: NBC.
  
  4. McGee/Rich: People's Republic of China. Time Code Start: 06:24. Keywords: People's Republic of China. Network: NBC.
  
  5. Mudd/Pierpoint: White House tries for better relations with People's Republic of China. Time Code Start: 08:02. Keywords: People's Republic of China. Network: CBS.
  
  6. Mudd: Vietnam report. Time Code Start: 09:13. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  7. Mudd: Senator Jackson calls for an end to the Vietnam war. Time Code Start: 10:02. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

• New York Times of April 17, 1971

• AP Images photos from April 17, 1971
• Getty Images photos from April 17, 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.

• April 1971 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• April 17, 1971