Henry A. Kissinger Office Files, National Security Council Files, 1968-1975

Title: Henry A. Kissinger Office Files, National Security Council Files, 1968-1975

Dates: 1968-1975

Collection Number: 1103638

Creator/Collector: Kissinger, Henry, 1923- . Department of State. Office of the Secretary. (09/1789 - ) (Most Recent). President (1969-1974 : Nixon). Office of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. (1969 - 1974) (Predecessor). President (1974-1977 : Ford). Office of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. (1974 - 1977) (Predecessor).

Extent: 65 linear feet, 2 linear inches; 149 boxes

Repository: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Abstract: The Henry A. Kissinger (HAK) Office Files consist of materials documenting the day to day administration of the NSC, the planning of Kissinger’s trips abroad, negotiations with foreign governments, and Kissinger’s office files. These files are Presidential historical materials as defined by the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act.

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.

Henry A. Kissinger Office Files, National Security Council Files, 1968-1975. 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.

The Henry A. Kissinger's (HAK) Office Files series is comprised of the HAK Administrative and Staff Files, HAK Trip Files, Country Files-Africa, Country Files-Europe, Country Files-Europe-U.S.S.R., Country Files-Far East, Country Files-Far East-South Vietnam, Country Files-Far East-Vietnam Negotiations, Country Files-Latin America, Country Files-Middle East, and Agency and Congressional Files subseries. The HAK Administrative and Staff Files subseries contains official correspondence, memoranda of conversation, telegrams, letters, reports and briefing books from 1968 to 1974. This subseries contains material regarding the transition period of the Nixon Administration, 1968-1969, various memoranda dispatched from Kissinger's office in the West Basement of the White House, and texts from Kissinger's confirmation hearings upon his nomination as Secretary of State in 1973. Also included are assorted subject and chronological files from White House personnel such as Peter Rodman, Les Janka, and Bud McFarlane. The HAK Trip Files subseries contains telegrams, cables, and memoranda of conversation, as well as correspondence that Kissinger sent (HAKTO) and received (TOHAK). This material details trips Kissinger took during the time he served as both Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Secretary of State during the Nixon Administration, 1973-1974. Highlights include Kissinger's trips to Moscow, Japan, the Middle East, Cambodia, Vietnam, Paris, and the United Nations. The Country Files-Africa subseries contains reports, memoranda, memoranda of conversation, studies, background material, telegrams, and correspondence. Covering the period 1968-1975, these materials document a wide range of foreign policy issues in which Kissinger took a personal interest. The Country Files-Europe subseries contains material on subjects and organizations pertaining to Europe in general: the European monetary crisis, Mutual Balanced Force Reduction (MBFR) talks, the North Atlantic Council (NAC) Summit, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN). Additionally, this subseries contains files relevant to specific countries: Canada, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain. The Country Files-Europe-U.S.S.R. subseries deals primarily with trade, security, nuclear weapons, missile sites, and other defense issues. Also included is correspondence between Henry A. Kissinger and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko. The series also contains background materials prepared by the National Security Council (NSC), the Departments of State and Defense, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for the Moscow Summits, the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) talks, the visit of General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev to the U.S., and the visits to Moscow of the President and Kissinger. This subseries also contains Volume 17 of the Dobrynin/Kissinger memoranda of conversation and Volume 5 of the Dobrynin/Kissinger exchange of notes. The Country Files-Far East subseries contains materials pertaining to Vice President Spiro Agnew's December 1969-January 1970 trip to Afghanistan, the Republic of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Included are the Vice President's briefing books prepared by the Department of State, the NSC, and the CIA which contain background information, talking points, and the political and economic situations of each host country. This subseries also contains files relevant to specific countries: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and Thailand. The China Materials predominate. There are extensive memoranda of conversation between U.S. and Chinese officials during visits to the People's Republic of China. Participants included the President, Secretary of State William P. Rogers, Henry Kissinger, Chairman Mao Tse-tung, and Premier Chou En-lai. There are also memoranda of conversation between U.S. officials and Chinese representatives in Washington. Also of interest are materials regarding the question of Chinese representation in the United Nations (UN). The Country Files-Far East-South Vietnam subseries contains materials pertaining to U.S. relations with the Republic of Vietnam, military matters and the problems with the Vietnam War. Also included are materials concerning South Vietnamese domestic politics as well as U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the war. There are background materials and memoranda of conversation from both Henry Kissinger's and General Alexander Haig's respective trips to Saigon and cable traffic between Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker and Washington. The Country Files-Far East-Vietnam Negotiations subseries is comprised of drafts, telegrams, and memoranda of conversation concerning Henry Kissinger's secret negotiations in Paris. It contains information related to early U.S. contacts with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) through intermediaries as well as memoranda of conversation and exchange of notes between U.S. and DRV officials. Also included are background materials and drafts of various understandings and what was to become the final agreement to end the war. This subseries also includes files of the Joint U.S.-DRV Economic Commission for the Reconstruction of North Vietnam. Additionally, this subseries contains files of the U.S. representatives at the Paris Peace Talks: Ambassador William Sullivan, Minister Heyward Isham, Ambassador Arthur Watson, Minister Jack Kubisch, and Ambassador William Porter. Also included is correspondence between Washington and the Defense Attache's Office, Paris Mission. The Country Files-Latin America subseries contains material primarily concerning two countries, Chile and Cuba, as well as information about Brazilian President Emilio Medici. The bulk of the Cuba material is related to Cienfuegos and the submarine base episode in 1970-1971. The Country Files-Middle East subseries contains reports, telegrams, and memoranda dealing primarily with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Of note are the many memoranda of conversation between Henry Kissinger and Israeli Ambassador and Prime Minister, Yitzak Rabin. This subseries also contains briefing materials prepared by NSC staff for Kissinger's various trips to the region as well as the President's Middle East trip in June 1974. The Agency and Congressional Files subseries consists of security files, federal agency files, and Congressional files. The security files include information regarding the defense budget, Vietnam, and U.S. security and intelligence. The agency files contain material directly produced by agencies of the U.S. Federal Government including the CIA, Department of Justice, the NSC, and the Department of State. The Congressional files include material regarding the Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey/Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy hearings, Senator Mike Mansfield and other material written on Congressional letterhead.