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January 6, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, January 6, 1971, 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, January 5, 1971

Next Date: Thursday, January 7, 1971

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 San Clemente, California

  • 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.

Archival Holdings

  • 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.

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

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

    • 82. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union, Washington, January 6, 1971, 0427Z

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 USSR. Confidential. Drafted by Steiner (EUR/SOV) on January 4; cleared by Dubs, McCloskey, Curran (S/S), Herz (IO), Taylor (S), and Davies (NEA); and approved by Davies (EUR). Pouched for information to USUN, Paris, Bonn, Tel Aviv, The Hague, London, Ottawa, Brussels, USNATO, Rome, Bern, Stockholm, and Luxembourg. At the request of the White House, Eliot forwarded a copy of the telegram to Kissinger on January 6 and informed him that no memorandum of conversation—either with Rogers or with Nixon—had been prepared. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Staff Member and Office Files, President’s Office Files, Memoranda for the President, Beginning December 27, 1970)

    • 83. Memorandum From William Hyland of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), San Clemente, California, January 6, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 691, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. III. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Printed from an uninitialed copy. Kissinger later incorporated most of Hyland’s analysis in a January 25 memorandum to the President; printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972, Document 166. Kissinger and Hyland were both in San Clemente on January 6, drafting the President’s annual foreign policy report. According to Hyland’s memoirs, during this trip Kissinger “indicated he thought that we had reached a turning point with the Soviets. And he plotted a strategy for his talks with Dobrynin. His plan was to bring matters to a conclusion in the German–Berlin negotiations, which he now took into his private channel with the Soviet Ambassador. Second, he said he would try to negotiate a breakthrough in the SALT talks, which had become bogged down. And he intended to undertake this plan while signaling strongly to China that Washington was ready for a significant move.” (Hyland, Mortal Rivals, pp. 34–35)

    Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    • 159. Note From the Soviet Leadership to President Nixon

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 490, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger 1971, Vol. 4 [part 2]. No classification marking. David Young of the NSC staff sent the note at 12:37 p.m. to Kissinger in San Clemente. (Ibid., Box 714, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XII) In a covering message, Young reported: “I went to the [Soviet] Embassy and picked the note up at 10:50 a.m. When Vorontsov handed the note to me, he said the Ambassador would appreciate your calling him after you had read the note so he could expand on it orally over the phone and that this would probably be helpful for you to have before you discussed the matter with the President.” For further background, see Document 160. Hyland prepared a memorandum analyzing the note for Kissinger; Kissinger later incorporated Hyland’s analysis in a memorandum to the President (Document 166). In his memoirs, Kissinger recalled his response to the Soviet note: “I recommended to Nixon that we return a positive reply which would insist on Soviet guarantees of access and a clearly defined legal status for West Berlin. And I proposed linking the Berlin negotiations to progress in SALT;SALT in turn we would make depend on Soviet willingness to freeze its offensive buildup. Nixon approved.” (White House Years, p. 802)

    Vol. E-4, Documents on Iran and Iraq, 1969-1972

    Iraq 1969-1971

    • 279. Telegram 76 From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State, Tehran, January 6, 1971, 1300Z

      The Embassy alerted the Department to recent Soviet naval visits to the Persian Gulf, including the most recent one to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr where the Soviets were building facilities.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 15 IRAQ-USSR. Secret. Repeated to Dhahran, Jidda, Kuwait, London, Moscow, CINCSTRIKE, and MIDEASTFOR.

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

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

    • 46. Telegram From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State, Santiago, January 6, 1971, 1650Z

      Summary: In this third of four related telegrams titled “The Evident Becomes Obvious,” Korry discussed the nationalization plans of the Allende regime and the attitudes of the other Chilean political parties toward the expropriation of foreign property.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 2–2 CHILE. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to Asunción, Bogotá, Bonn, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Caracas, Guatemala, Kingston, La Paz, Lima, London, Madrid, Managua, Melbourne, Mexico City, Montevideo, Ottawa, Panama, Paris, Port au Prince, Port of Spain, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San José, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. Reference telegrams 43 and 46, Parts I and II, are Documents 44 and 45.

    • 47. Telegram From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State, Santiago, January 6, 1971, 2059Z

      Summary: In this fourth of four related telegrams titled “The Evident Becomes Obvious,” Korry described Allende’s use of populist reforms to build support amongst the majority of the Chilean people and the ways in which Allende was trying to control the media and consolidate power in Chile. The Ambassador concluded by highlighting the UP coalition’s desire to remain unified.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 2–2 Chile. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to Asunción, Bogotá, Bonn, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Caracas, Guatemala, Kingston, La Paz, Lima, London, Madrid, Managua, Melbourne, Mexico City, Montevideo, Ottawa, Panama, Paris, Port au Prince, Port of Spain, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San José, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. Reference telegrams 43, 46, and 52, Parts I–III, are Documents 44–46.

  • 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.

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-5436 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-5436-05A-08A, President Nixon talking with family and dinner guests that include Comedian Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Congressman Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, and golf pro Arnold Palmer and Henry Kissinger at the Western White House. 1/6/1971, San Clemente, California Western White House, La Casa Pacifica residence sitting room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon, Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, Arnold Palmer, Henry Kissinger.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-5436-08, President Nixon, Pat Nixon and Tricia Nixon seated informally in the living room with guests Comedian Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Congressman Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, and golf pro Arnold Palmer and Henry Kissinger at the Western White House. 1/6/1971, San Clemente, California Western White House, La Casa Pacifica residence sitting room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon, Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, Arnold Palmer, Henry Kissinger, Bonsai, Pinjin.

  • 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-4076
      Weekly News Summary Week, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:00

      20. Smith: Secretary of Defense Laird and Vietnam troop pullouts. Time Code Start: 43:03. Keywords: military, cabinet, advisors, travel, trips, Vietnam War. Network: ABC.

      21. Peterson: Vietnam troop pullouts. Time Code Start: 43:40. Keywords: Vietnam War, troops, withdrawals. Network: ABC.

      22. Smith: Romney on housing fraud report. Time Code Start: 44:48. Keywords: buildings, scandals, investigations, reports. Network: ABC.

      23. Smith: Military aid. Time Code Start: 46:18. Keywords: Congress, taxes, expenditures, spending, defense, defence, costs, Armed Forces, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard. Network: ABC.

      24. Smith: President Nixon on Congress. Time Code Start: 46:50. Keywords: Presidents, House of Representatives. Network: ABC.

      25. Smith: Commentary on "President Nixon off camera". Time Code Start: 47:20. Keywords: Presidents, media, newspapers, magazines, the press, television, TV, interviews. Network: ABC.

      26. Brinkley: Secretary of Defense Laird and Vietnam troop pullouts. Time Code Start: 49:00. Keywords: military, cabinet, advisors, travel, trips, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.

      27. Brinkley/Nessen: Housing fraud report (Romney). Time Code Start: 50:00. Keywords: buildings, scandals, investigations, reports. Network: NBC.

      28. Brinkley: Presidential advisor on Consumer Affairs, Virginia Knauer holds press conference; was 38 minute monologue, answered on questions. Time Code Start: 52:54. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, advocates, women, media, press conferences, news conferences, interviews. Network: NBC.

      29. Collingwood: President Nixon on Congress. Time Code Start: 53:18. Keywords: Presidents, House of Representatives. Network: CBS.

      30. Collingwood/Herman: Housing fraud report (Romney). Time Code Start: 53:49. Keywords: buildings, scandals, investigations, reports. Network: CBS.

      31. Sevareid: Commentary on Middle East peace talks. Time Code Start: 56:02. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war, peace, truce, treaties, negotiations. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)