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March 18, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, March 18, 1969, 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: Monday, March 17, 1969

Next Date: Wednesday, March 19, 1969

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.

    Addresses and Remarks

    • Medal of Honor (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 433, March 18, 1969)
      The President's Remarks Upon Presenting the Award Posthumously to Pfc. Melvin E. Newlin, USMC.

    Appointments and Nominations

    • Internal Revenue Service (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 434, March 18, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Randolph W. Thrower as Commissioner.
    • Export-Import Bank of the United States (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 434, March 18, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention to Nominate Walter C. Sauer for Reappointment as First Vice President.
    • Peace Corps (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 435, March 18, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Joseph H. Blatchford as Director.

    News Conferences

    • Meeting With the Minority Leadership (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 431, March 18, 1969)
      Press Briefing by Senator Everett M. Dirksen and Representative Gerald R. Ford Following a Meeting With the President.

    Proclamations

    Checklist of White House Press Releases

    The releases listed below, made public by the Office of the White House Press Secretary during the period covered by this issue, are not included in the issue.

    • Biography of Carl C. Turner.
    • Biography of James Elliott Williams.

    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.

    • Ambassador Cyrus Vance met with the President at the White House.
    • Attorney General John N. Mitchell, Maj. Gen. Carl C. Turner, USA, ret., and James Elliot Williams, U.S. marshal from South Carolina met with the President at the White House. Mr. Williams is the first U.S. marshal to be appointed by President Nixon.

  • 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.

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

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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Foreign Economic Policy

    Vol. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

    Chinese Representation in the United Nations

    • 275. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations, Washington, March 18, 1969, 1053Z

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, UN 6 CHICOM. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Jay H. Long; cleared by Richard H. Donald, Harry E. T. Thayer, Thomas P. Shoe-smith, William H. Gleysteen, Nicholas Platt, and William S. Shepard; and approved by Assistant Secretary De Palma. Repeated to Taipei and Hong Kong.

    Vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vol. XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969-1972

    The Rogers Plan

    Vol. E-1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969-1972

    Oceans Policy

    • 334. Memorandum From the Deputy Legal Adviser (Belman) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) , Washington, March 18, 1969

      Belman reviewed the 2 years of interactions with the Soviet Union, concerning Law of the Sea issues, and recommended consultations with NATO allies. Johnson approved the recommendation.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, L/OA Files: Lot 72 D 505, Box 2, Law of the Sea NATO. Confidential. Sent for action. Sent through S/S. Drafted in L/SPA by Carter and Belman; cleared by McKernan and Springsteen; and approved by U. Alexis Johnson on March 20. Johnson added the following handwritten suggestion below his initials: “Suggest we consider whether we should not make simultaneous approaches to other selected countries such as Japan and some ARA state.” Tab A is published as the enclosure to Document 333. Attached but not published at Tab B was an unsigned and undated report, which recounted the results of talks between U.S. and Soviet experts and surveyed the current status of international opinion on the limits of territorial waters, free passage through straits, and fisheries. Tab C is published as Document 333. Attached but not published at Tab D was an unsigned and undated memorandum, which listed amendments to the draft article III on fisheries proposed by the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. response to the Soviet proposals. Attached but not published at Tab E was a March 11 information memorandum from McKernan to Meeker that indicated that S/FW believed consultations through NATO channels would steer the fisheries negotiations away from provisions acceptable to developing countries, therefore making widespread agreement impossible.

    Vol. E-2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969-1972

    Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee; Seabed Arms Control Treaty

    • 77. Telegram 41598 From the Department of State to the Mission in Geneva, Washington, March 18, 1969

      Secretary of State Rogers cabled detailed instructions to Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Director Smith during the ENDC conference. Rogers confirmed that the U.S. supported a CTB providing the on-site inspections were sufficiently verified and to restrict production of fissionable weapons materials. Moreover, the U.S. favored a seabed arms treaty, providing a list of four questions were satisfactorily discussed.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–1969, DEF 18–3. Confidential; Immediate. It was repeated to USNATO, USUN, all NATO capitals, Tokyo, and Moscow. Drafted by Kranich (ACDA/IR) and Scoville (ACDA/ST); cleared in ACDA, AEC, DOD, J/PM, and the White House; and approved by Rogers.

    • 78. Soviet Draft Treaty , Geneva, March 18, 1969

      The Soviets submitted a draft seabed arms control treaty at the opening session of the ENDC. This proposed treaty banned nuclear weapons and those of mass destruction from the seabed and the ocean floor outside of the twelve-mile territorial zone and opened those former ocean testing sites for inspection and verification.

      Source: Documents on Disarmament, 1969, pp. 112–113. No classification marking.

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

    Iraq 1969-1971

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

    Brazil

    • 119. Memorandum From the Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, March 18, 1969. , Washington, March 18, 1969

      President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger recommended that the U.S. Government proceed with previous aid commitments to Brazil, but hold in abeyance a decision to build two destroyer escorts.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 771, Country Files, Latin America, Brazil through August 1970. Confidential. Sent for action. A handwritten note on the first page reads: “Note: President saw this, but did not indicate approval or disapproval.—A.” A handwritten notation by Haig on the second page of the memorandum reads: “No Action. —We assumed approval. AH.” Attached but not published is a March 17 memorandum from Richardson to the President, entitled “Brazil: Economic and Military Assistance.”

  • 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-0542 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0542-01A-03A, President Nixon greeting Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Newlin. 3/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Newlin, John Chafee, others.

    Roll WHPO-0543 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0543-, President Nixon with the family of Marine Private First Class Melvin Newlin. 3/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Newlin family members, Maj. John V. Brennan (AKA) Jack Brennan.

    Roll WHPO-0546 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0546-, President Nixon speaking with John Mitchell. 3/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, John Mitchell.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0546-05A, President Nixon speaking with John Mitchell. 3/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, John Mitchell.

    Roll WHPO-0547 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0547-, President Nixon with John Mitchell, Chief U.S. Marshall Carl C. Turner, and U.S. Marshall J. Elliott Williams. 3/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, John Mitchell, Carl C. Turner, J. Elliott Williams.

Context (External Sources)