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September 13, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, September 13, 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: Sunday, September 12, 1971

Next Date: Tuesday, September 14, 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 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.

  • 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.

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. VII, Vietnam, July 1970-January 1972

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

    • 254. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, September 13, 1971, 11:25 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Box 1039, Files for the President, Vietnam Negotiations, HAK II 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at the North Vietnamese Residence in Paris, 11 Rue Darthe. Kissinger noted in a telephone conversation with Nixon, September 8, 3:05 p.m., that Le Duc Tho had not attended the National Day celebration in Hanoi and may have been on his way to Paris. Kissinger told Nixon, “Then it would be clear something will happen.” (Ibid., Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 11, Chronological File)

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

    Between Beijing and Moscow: Summit Announcement, July 19-October 12, 1971

    • 326. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, September 13, 1971, 8:45-10:40 a.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, China Exchanges, July–October 20, 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Although no drafting information appears on the memorandum, Lord forwarded a draft to Kissinger on September 15; Kissinger initialed his approval. The full text of the memorandum of conversation is published in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume E–13, Documents on China, 1969–1972, Document 19.

    Vol. XVII, China, 1969-1972

    China,January-September 1971

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

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

    Vol. XX, Southeast Asia, 1969-1972

    Philippines

    Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

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

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

    Persian Gulf States

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

    Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

    • 58. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon, Washington, September 13, 1971

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, RAD RFE. Confidential. Drafted by Baker on September 4. Cleared by Davies, Skoug, and Okun (SOV) and concurred in by Symmes (H), Coerr, Huffman (H), Alexander (USIA), and Strait (OMB). Attached to the memorandum are a copy of S. 18 as amended by Senator J. William Fulbright, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on July 30; a memorandum from Abshire to Haig, August 16, on Congressional strategy regarding RFE and RL; a memorandum from Hillenbrand to Rogers, September 4; and a letter from Kissinger to Rogers, November 1. None is printed.

    Yugoslavia

    • 230. Response to National Security Study Memorandum 129, Washington, September 13, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–185, National Security Study Memoranda, NSSM 129. Secret. Prepared by the NSC Interdepartmental Ad Hoc Group for Yugoslavia. NSSM 129 is printed as Document 227.

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

    Yugoslavia

    • 231. Memorandum for the Record, Washington, September 13, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 734, Country Files—Europe, Yugoslavia, Vol. III 1 Sep 71. Confidential. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates Kissinger saw it on September 27.

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

    Cyprus

    • 381. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey, Washington, September 13, 1971, 1722Z

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 592, Country Files—Middle East, Cyprus, Vol. I Jan 69–June 30, 1974. Secret; Exdis. Another copy is also ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27 CYP. Drafted by Sisco, cleared by DePalma and Eliot, and approved by Rogers. Repeated to London, USUN, USNATO, USDOCOSOUTH, and EUCOM. In a September 13 memorandum to Kissinger transmitting the telegram to the White House, Eliot stated: “I am attaching for your information a telegram the Secretary today sent to our Embassies in Ankara, Athens, and Nicosia which I thought you would like to see in light of the recent Senior Review Group meetings on the subject.” (Ibid.)

    Vol. XXXII, SALT I, 1969-1972

    From SALT Announcement to Summit Announcement, May 27-October 12, 1971

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

    Discovering the Possible, May 1971-September 1971

    • 13. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, September 13, 1971, 11:25 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1039, Files for the President, Vietnam Negotiations, HAK II 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at the North Vietnamese Residence at 11 Rue Darthé.

      In a September 13 memorandum to Nixon, Kissinger described the discussion as “the shortest meeting on record.” Le Duc Tho did not attend, and they were at an impasse and agreed not to plan another meeting. (Ibid.) Kissinger observed in his memoirs: “The absence of Le Duc Tho could leave no further doubt that we had run out the string on this series of meetings. Xuan Thuy made no effort to say anything new, in effect reading a propaganda speech of the kind put forth repetitively in the plenary sessions of Avenue Kléber. The meeting adjourned after two hours, the shortest secret session ever. We parted with the understanding that either side could reopen the channel if it had something new to say.” (Kissinger, White House Years, p. 1036)

      Xuan Thuy had pushed for the meeting at Politburo direction. In a September 7 cable from Le Duc Tho and Foreign Minister Nguyen Duy Trinh, Thuy was told: “Our strategy for the diplomatic struggle at this time is directly linked to our strategy on the battlefield, so at least for the moment we cannot resolve anything with the Americans and we must instead patiently and steadfastly prolong the [secret] discussions.” (Message from Nguyen Duy Trinh and Le Duc Tho to Xuan Thuy, 7 September 1971, in Doan Duc, et al., compilers, Major Events: The Diplomatic Struggle and International Activities during the Resistance War Against the Americans to Save the Nation, 1954–1975, volume 4, pp. 299–300)

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

    Chemical and Biological Warfare; Geneva Protocol; Biological Weapons Convention

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

    Iran 1971

    • 144. Letter From Secretary of State Rogers to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Douglas-Home), Washington, September 13, 1971

      Rogers encouraged Douglas-Home to urge the sheikhs to accept the tentative islands agreement, which represented the maximum that the Shah could offer.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 33 PERSIAN GULF. Secret. Drafted by Twinam; and cleared by Davies, Burns, Dowell, and Murphy. In Telegram 167813 to London, September 9, Sisco requested that the Ambassador ask Douglas-Home to consult with the United States prior to the Iranians if the sheikhs’ reaction to the plan should be negative, so that Washington itself could approach the disputing parties if need be. (Ibid.) In telegram 175137 to Dhahran, London, Jidda, Kuwait, and Tehran, September 21, the Department transmitted Douglas-Home’s reply, in which he said that “Increasingly he [the Shah] may have anxieties about having his bluff called since he cannot want to use force if he can avoid it, thus jeopardising his relations both with the Gulf States and the whole Arab world… He is, of course, as we all know, a very accomplished brinkman.” (Ibid.)

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

    Afghanistan, 1969-1972

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

    Panama

    • 555. National Security Decision Memorandum 131, Washington, September 13, 1971., Washington, September 13, 1971

      President Nixon stated that Special Representative for Inter-Oceanic Canal Negotiations Anderson would be permitted to inform Panama that the United States would consider the possibility of a termination formula for the Canal Treaties. In addition, Anderson should attempt to obtain a guarantee from the Panamanians that the Canal would be open to all world commerce without discrimination at reasonable toll levels.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–227, NSDM Files, NSDM 131. Secret. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the NSC Under Secretaries Committee, the Secretary of the Army, the Chairman, Joint chiefs of Staff, the DCI, and the Special Representative for Interoceanic Canal Negotiations. Anderson’s August 20 letter to Nixon is referenced in the source note to Document 554.

    Vol. E-13, Documents on China, 1969-1972

    • 19. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, September 13, 1971, 8:45-10:40 a.m., Paris, September 13, 1971, 8:45-10:40 a.m.

      After confirming his upcoming 4-day interim visit to China in October, President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger predicted that Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko would formally invite President Nixon to visit the Soviet Union during his visit to the United States to address the United Nations on September 19.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File—China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Drafted by Lord, who sent it to Kissinger under a covering memorandum. All ellipses in the source text. The meeting was held at the Chinese Embassy. Attached but not published are Tabs B-C. Tab A is published in its entirety as Document 20.

  • 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

Context (External Sources)