Video: 'Nixon at the Lincoln Memorial - The Real Story | This is the President'

(Saturday, May 9, 1970, 4:58-5:55 a.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Hours before a large anti-war protest began at Washington, D.C., U.S. President Nixon surprised most of his Secret Service bodyguards and about eight demonstrators by walking in to the Lincoln Memorial this morning.

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The Associated Press described it as a “strange encounter, unique in recent political annals,” which began after Nixon woke up his valet, Manolo Sanchez and asked him to come along on a visit.

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As word got around that the President was chatting with students, the group had increased to 50 by the time he left, and his parting words were “Go shout your slogans on the Ellipse. Just keep it peaceful.”

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Later in the day, a crowd of about 100,000 demonstrated peacefully in the event organized by the New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam in one of many anti-war protests that took place across the nation that day, prompted by May 1, 1970, invasion of Cambodia and the May 4, 1970, Kent State massacre.