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May 15, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, May 15, 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: Friday, May 14, 1971

Next Date: Sunday, May 16, 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 Key Biscayne, Florida

  • 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

    "One of Two Routes": Soviet-American Relations and Kissinger's Secret Trip to China, April 23-July 18, 1971

    Vol. XVII, China, 1969-1972

    China,January-September 1971

    Vol. XXXII, SALT I, 1969-1972

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

    • 156. Minutes of a Verification Panel Meeting, Washington, May 15, 1971, 10:10-11:50 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box H–107, Verification Panel Minutes Originals 1969–3/8/72. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

    Vol. XXXIX, European Security

    MBFR and the Conference on European Security, December 1970-December 1971

    • 49. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, May 15, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 715, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XIII. Secret. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum reads: “The President has seen.” Sonnenfeldt drafted the memorandum and forwarded it to Kissinger under a covering memorandum of May 14. (Ibid., NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–057, SRG Meeting, NSSM 121, NATO, 5/14/71)

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

    Western Europe Region and NATO

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

    Nuclear Test Ban Issues; Peaceful Nuclear Explosions

    • 300. Telegram 85171 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union, Washington, May 15, 1971

      The Department reported on Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Springsteen’s May 14 meeting with Soviet Acting DCM Vorontsov. At this meeting the two men discussed the Soviet demarche over the venting of radioactive material from the December 18, 1970, Baneberry underground nuclear test.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, DEF 18–8 US. Confidential. It was repeated to USMission Geneva, Vienna, and AEC. Drafted on May 14 by Okun (EUR/SOV); cleared by Van Doren (ACDA); and approved by Springsteen (EUR).

    • 301. Memorandum From the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Smith) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, May 15, 1971

      In light of the growing domestic and international opposition to nuclear testing, Smith recommended an interagency review of U.S. nuclear test ban policy and attached a draft NSSM detailing various viable proposals.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–184, NSSM 128. Secret; Noforn. Under cover of a May 24 memorandum, Behr, Smith, and Sonnenfeldt forwarded Smith’s memorandum and draft NSSM to Kissinger together with their own draft NSSM, noting that they had changed Smith’s “approach of looking at alternative ways to have a ban and adopted the approach used for SALT: that is, studying verification and strategic implications alone.” (Ibid.)

  • 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 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-4379
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      16. McGee/Oliver/Delaney/Nolan: Parades and demonstrations for Armed Forces Day. Time Code Start: 32:54. Keywords: military, holidays, demonstrations, rally, protests, protesters, demonstraters, demonstrators, Vietnam War, anti-war. Network: NBC.

      17. Chancellor: Senator Mansfield's troop strength cut opposed. Time Code Start: 36:38. Keywords: Vietnam War, Armed Forces, mlitary, troops, decreases, withdrawals. Network: NBC.

      18. Mudd/Pierpoint/Walker: Senator Mansfield's troop strength cut. Time Code Start: 37:24. Keywords: Vietnam War, Armed Forces, mlitary, troops, decreases, withdrawals. Network: CBS.

      19. Mudd/Kurtis/Henderson: Parades and demonstrations for Armed Forces Day. Time Code Start: 42:47. Keywords: military, holidays, demonstrations, rally, protests, protesters, demonstraters, demonstrators, Vietnam War, anti-war. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)