Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972

8. Memorandum From President-Elect Nixon to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs-Designate (Kissinger)¹

January 13, 1969.

I have considered the paper furnished by Elliott Richardson,² as well as the documents you have provided me at Key Biscayne and here³ to implement my plan for national security organization and operations.

I do not accept the changes proposed in the paper of Elliott Richardson, other than those reflected in the implementating documents you have submitted, which I have today approved and initialed.⁴

Please inform all concerned that I adhere to my plan as previously provided and as set forth in the implementing documents; that this is my firm and definite decision and that I want all necessary preparatory action taken immediately to put this organization and system into effect on January 20.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–209, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 1. Confidential.
2. Document 4.
3. See Document 1.
4. Attached but not printed are NSDMs 1, 2, 3, and 4, all dated January 11 and initialed by Nixon. All four were issued on January 20 (Documents 10, 11, 12, and 13). NSDM 1 was issued with identical wording while NSDMs 2–4 were issued with revisions. The revisions made in NSDMs 2 and 3 are noted on the attached NSDMs.