Title: John A. Scali Papers, White House Special Files, 1971-1973

Dates: 1971-1973

Collection Number: 3053883

Creator/Collector: Scali, John A.

Extent: 3 linear feet, 6 linear inches; 8 boxes

Repository: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Abstract: John Scali's responsibilities as Special Assistant to the President included advising on communications policy relating to foreign affairs. The files include documentation of campaigns, foreign policy, and defense advice.

Language of Material: English

Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.

Most government records are in the public domain; however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings, that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.

John A. Scali Papers, White House Special Files, 1971-1973. Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

These materials are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations.

These files reflect John A. Scali's activities as Special Consultant to the President from 1971 to 1973. As a White House consultant, Scali advised and reported directly to the President on communications policy relating to foreign affairs. He also briefed small groups of newsmen and Congressmen on foreign policy. In his role as senior advisor to the President, Scali traveled extensively with Nixon, including the Presidential trips to China and the Soviet Union. His tenure as a special consultant ended in 1973, with his appointment as United States Representative to the United Nations. The materials are arranged into one series: Subject Files. The Subject Files series consists of memoranda supplemented by correspondence, congressional testimony, talking papers, press releases, notes, charts, clippings, reports, articles, photographs, and printed matter. The Colson action memos in this series contain communications between Scali and Charles Colson. They concern Scali's role in the daily news planning operation as well as his role in planning the President's schedule. The records concerning the 1972 Campaign relate to the advice Scali gave to Colson's staff on how to gain the maximum impact of the President's foreign policy remarks and activities on the re-election campaign. Other records in the subject files also document Scali's responsibilities as Special Consultant. The Chinese Table Tennis Team records reflect Scali's role as the President's personal representative in escorting the Chinese team around the United States during its 1971 tour. Records pertaining to China, India-Pakistan, Lebanon, Soviet Union, and Vietnam also reflect Scali's duties as an advisor to the President. Unclassified Defense Department photographs of the Soviet weapons systems introduced into South Vietnam were removed from this series and transferred to the Audiovisual Collection of the Nixon Presidential Materials Project. Electrostatic copies of these photographs have been inserted in the files. Names that appear throughout the collection are Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Charles Colson, and H. R. Haldeman. Communications with Daniel Z. Henkin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, with State Department personnel show that Scali worked closely with other agencies.