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March 16, 1970

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, March 16, 1970, 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: Sunday, March 15, 1970

Next Date: Tuesday, March 17, 1970

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.

    Appointments and Nominations

    Bill Signings

    Acts Approved by the President

    Digest of Other White House Announcements

    Following is a listing of items of general interest which were announced in the press but not made public as formal White House press releases during the period covered by this issue. Appointments requiring Senate approval are not included since they appear in the list of nominations submitted to the Senate, below.

    • Representatives of the National Environmental Health Association met with the President at the White House.
    • Miss Gayle Thornton of Meridian, Miss., this year's "Maid of Cotton," called on the President at the White House. She was accompanied by Representative G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery of Mississippi.

  • 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

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

  • Decided

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. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    • 201. Memorandum of Conversation , Paris, March 16, 1970, 9:40 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Material, NSC Files, Box 852, For the President’s File—Vietnam Negotiations, Sensitive, Camp David, Vol. III. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the source text, but Smyser and Lake sent it to Kissinger for transmittal to the President. The meeting took place at 11 Rue Darthe. Kissinger sent Nixon this memorandum explaining in an attached note that, “the important passages have been sidelined in red. I have not sidelined any of my opening statement.” (Ibid.)

    Vol. XLII, Vietnam: The Kissinger-Le Duc Tho Negotiations

    Attempting the Impossible, August 1969-September 1970

    • 4. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, March 16, 1970, 9:40 a.m.-1:20 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 852, For the President’s File—Vietnam Negotiations, Sensitive, Camp David, Vol. III. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at 11 Rue Darthé. No drafting information appears on the original, but Smyser and Lake sent it to Kissinger for transmittal to the President. Kissinger forwarded it to Nixon, explaining in an attached note that “the important passages have been sidelined in red. I have not sidelined any of my opening statement.”

      In two memoranda drafted for the President before this meeting, Kissinger developed his approach to the meeting and asked the President to approve it. Nixon did so in a handwritten note on the first memorandum that reads: “We need a breakthrough on principle—& substance—Tell them we want to go immediately to the core of the problem.” (Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969–July 1970, Document 192, footnote 5)

      In the first memorandum, dated February 27, Kissinger wrote:

      “There are basically two issues involved in the talks:

      “—mutual withdrawal of non-South Vietnamese military forces [i.e., North Vietnamese, United States, and United States’ allies], which we have raised; and

      “—political settlement in South Vietnam, which they have raised.

      “Agreement with the North Vietnamese on a verifiable mutual withdrawal is in our and the GVN’s fundamental interests, even if there is no political settlement. But the North Vietnamese will almost certainly not wish to withdraw their forces until they have a good idea of the shape of a political settlement, since the GVN seems at the moment to have the upper hand over the VC.

      “As a general line of approach in the next meetings, therefore, I propose that I put forward a precise and fairly attractive proposal for mutual withdrawal, which could be negotiated with regard to timing but would necessarily include absolute reciprocity and devices for verification. I would seek to get from them a counter-proposal on this issue and a new proposal on political settlement.” (Ibid., Document 192)

      In the second memorandum, undated but typed on March 16, Kissinger observed:

      “From our viewpoint, there is one issue to which all others are subordinate—reciprocity in the withdrawal of non-South Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam (and foreign troops from Laos and Cambodia). Our first objective must be to reach agreement on reciprocity in principle or in fact. Once they have done so, they have given up their claim to moral superiority and can no longer argue privately that their forces are in South Vietnam on a different moral and legal basis than ours. This would be a quantum jump in the negotiations.”

      Based on earlier negotiating sessions, Kissinger believed that the North Vietnamese would not accept a straightforward concept of publicly agreed upon mutual withdrawal. Therefore, he devised a complex scheme in which the two sides would develop independent plans for troop withdrawal, but each plan, once implementation began in the wake of a negotiated political settlement, would take place over the same span of time and result in all non-South Vietnamese forces being withdrawn by the same date. Thus, they would be implemented not on a single schedule, Kissinger told the President, but “based on two concurrent schedules.” Kissinger added that this approach “should make it easier for them to agree to withdraw their troops, since they can save face by not having to agree to a single withdrawal schedule.” (Ibid., Document 200)

      Le Duc Tho responded to Kissinger’s plan in the March 16 meeting, saying: “But when speaking about a schedule, your program shows two concurrent programs for the withdrawal of yours and North Vietnamese troops, to be completed in the same period. Therefore, your proposal amounts to mutual withdrawal.” It is worth noting the North Vietnamese translation of Tho’s statement: “However, when you speak about the withdrawal of the troops allegedly belonging to the North, you demand that these troops also be completely pulled out [of South Vietnam] within the same time-limit. In fact it is a demand of simultaneous and complete troop withdrawal.” (Luu and Nguyen, Le Duc Tho-Kissinger Negotiations in Paris, p. 126)

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

    Iran 1970

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

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

    • 54. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 16, 1970

      Kissinger’s memorandum laid out the options for the question of military supply for India and Pakistan, which in practice related largely to Pakistan. Nixon indicated that he favored continuing the policy of selling replacement parts to Pakistan.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 641, Country Files, Middle East, South Asia, Vol. I, 1970. Secret. Sent for action. Attached at Tab A but not published is a January 7 paper, apparently prepared by the NSC staff, entitled, “Issues For Decision.” Attached at Tab B but not published is Secretary Rogers’ February 10 memorandum to the President. Both are ibid. Rather than approving or disapproving the recommendation put forward in the memorandum, Nixon responded with handwritten comments in the margins. The thrust of his comments was that he preferred the course of action outlined as option 4. He highlighted the second paragraph of the discussion of option 4 and wrote “OK” next to it. He underscored the first sentence of the following paragraph and wrote next to it, “I agree we do this by all means.” He began his comments under the approval line as follows: “I believe option 4 is less provocative politically in the U.S.–& for that matter in India.” He considered that option 4 plus an increased economic package constituted a substantial gesture in support of Pakistan that he could more easily support politically than the other options detailed in the memorandum. In a handwritten comment in the margin, Kissinger concurred with the President’s response: “I think option 4 gives Paks most.” He added an instruction to Haig: “Al–Get note from Hal [Saunders] what it means.” He was apparently referring to a more complete discussion of the implications of adopting option 4 as policy.

  • 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-3159 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3159-01, President Nixon's hand and signature on the S. 2107 Bill document, Establishing a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3159-01A-03A, President Nixon's hand and signature on the S. 2107 Bill document, Establishing a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3159-04A-09A, Closeup portrait of President Nixon's face while speaking about the S. 2107 Bill to Establish a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3159-05, Closeup portrait of President Nixon's face while speaking about the S. 2107 Bill to Establish a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-3160 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3160-02-16, President Nixon during the ceremononial signing S. 2107 Bill to Establish a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. Noted Senators standing nearby are John McClellan, Mike Mansfield, Fred Harris, Henry Jackson and Ted Stevens. Noted Congressmen and Congresswomen are Florence Dwyer, John Blatnik, Clarence Brown, Henry Reuss, and John Anderson. Congressional staff members are Phil Carlson, Frank Keenan, Jim Rose and Robert Ruddy. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, John McClellan, Mike Mansfield, Fred Harris, Henry Jackson, Ted Stevens, Florence Dwyer, John Blatnik, Clarence Brown, Henry Reuss, John Anderson, Phil Carlson, Frank Keenan, Jim Rose, Robert Ruddy.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3160-11, President Nixon during the ceremononial signing S. 2107 Bill to Establish a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. Noted Senators standing nearby are John McClellan, Mike Mansfield, Fred Harris, Henry Jackson and Ted Stevens. Noted Con. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, John McClellan, Mike Mansfield, Fred Harris, Henry Jackson, Ted Stevens, Florence Dwyer, John Blatnik, Clarence Brown, Henry Reuss, John Anderson, Phil Carlson, Frank Keenan, Jim Rose, Robert Ruddy.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3160-17-20, President Nixon's signature on the S. 2107 Bill document Establishing a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room.

    Roll WHPO-3161 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3161-02-12, President Nixon signing S. 2107, a Bill to Establish a Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, members of House and Senate.

    Roll WHPO-3162 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3162-02-11, President Nixon meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Kimball. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Mr. and Mrs. Kimball.

    Roll WHPO-3163 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3163-0A- 10A, President Nixon meeting with Ron Ziegler. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Ron Ziegler.

    Roll WHPO-3164 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3164-04A-07A, Family Dining Room, interior and furnishings; yable, chairs, silver, and a man's portrait on the wall. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Family Dining Room.

    Roll WHPO-3165 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3165-04-07, Chair in Lincoln bedroom. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Lincoln Bedroom.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3165-08, Red Room, interior. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Red Room.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3165-09-12, Family Dining Room, interior. Table, chairs, silver, and man's portrait on the wall. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Family Dining Room.

    Roll WHPO-3166 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3166-04-18, Surprise birthday party for Pat Nixon in East Wing, given by staffers. Pat Holding a pink wig joke gift. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, East Wing. Pat Nixon, Julie Nixon, connie Stewart, Col. Jack Brennan.

    Roll WHPO-3167 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3167-02A, President Nixon greeting unidentified persons. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3167-03A-04A, President Nixon greeting crowd. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. President Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3167-05A-08A, Young Republican Leadership. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-3168 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3168-04-21, Heads of State gifts, including a blanket, totems, jewelry, a model boat, a model White House, and a glass compass. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House. none.

    Roll WHPO-3169 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3169-01-03, President Nixon meeting with Senator Gordon Allott and members of the National Environmental Health Association. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Gordon Allott, John T. Thielke, Mark C. Nottingham, Francis J. Goldsmith, Stuart H. Clarke, Nicholas Pohlit.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3169-04-11, President Nixon meeting with Conressman G. V. Montgomery and Gayle Thornton, 1970 National Maid of Cotton and others. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, G.V "Sonny" Montgomery, Gayle Thornton, Dr. and Mrs. William Thornton, Trudye Weats, Kathy Henry.

    Roll WHPO-3170 Photographer: Hodge | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3170-01-08, Brigadier General James Donald Hughes' office wall, with eagle and flag, and autographed portraits of military men. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. unknown.

    Roll WHPO-3171 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3171-02A-36A, Congressional Representatives. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. unknown. unidentified representatives.

    Roll WHPO-3172 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3172-02-08, President Nixon receiving a painting from artist Frank B. Austin with his daughter Arlene Padgett and Congressman Del Clauson. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Del Clauson, Frank B. Austin, Arlene Padgett.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-3172-10-24, President Nixon meeting with Conressman G. V. Montgomery and Gayle Thornton, 1970 National Maid of Cotton and others. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House Oval Office. President Nixon, G.V "Sonny" Montgomery, Gayle Thornton, Dr. and Mrs. William Thornton, Trudye Weats, Kathy Henry.

    Roll WHPO-3173 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3173-0-05, 09, President Nixon meeting with Senator Gordon Allott and members of the National Environmental Health Association. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Gordon Allott, John T. Thielke, Mark C. Nottingham, Francis J. Goldsmith, Stuart H. Clarke, Nicholas Pohlit.

    Roll WHPO-3174 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3174-03A-07A, President Nixon meeting with Glenn S. Demke, Chancellor of California State Colleges. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Mr. Demke.

    Roll WHPO-3186 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3186-02-07, Paintings hanging in the Green Room. 3/16/1970, Washington, D.C. White House, Green Room.

  • 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.

    B - Vice-Presidential (Agnew and Ford)

    • WHCA-SR-B-062
      Remarks in a "Today" Show interview-NSB Studio, Wash., DC. (3/16/1970)

      Runtime: 13:00

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-700315
      Remarks by President Nixon on Signing Bill Establishing the Commission on Population Growth and the American Future (S 2107). (3/16/1970)

      Runtime: 4:03

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

Context (External Sources)