Conversation: 093-001
Prev: 092-001 Next: 093-002Start Date: 29-Feb-1972 12:02 PM
End Date: 29-Feb-1972 1:20 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Cabinet officers; Rogers, William P.; Connally, John B.; Laird, Melvin R.; Mitchell, John N.; Morton, Rogers C. B.; Campbell, J. Philip; Peterson, Peter G.; Hodgson, James D.; Richardson, Elliot L.; Romney, George W.; Volpe, John A.; Kennedy, David M.; Shultz, George P.; Bush, George H. W.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Cabinet officers; Flanigan, Peter M.; MacGregor, Clark; David, Edward E., Jr. (Dr.); Klein, Herbert G.; Price, Raymond K., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Scali, John A.; Malek, Frederic V.; Safire, William L.; Colson, Charles W.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Brown, Robert J.; Chapin, Dwight L.; Knauer, Virginia H.; Woods, Rose Mary; Hannah, John A. (Dr.); Helms, Richard M.; Shakespeare, Frank J.; Stein, Herbert; Weinberger, Caspar W. ("Cap"); Stans, Maurice H.; Sohmer, Arthur J.; White House photographer;Recording Device: Cabinet Room
NARA Description:
On February 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Cabinet officers and staffers, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Philip Campbell, Peter G. Peterson, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Herbert G. Klein, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, John A. Scali, Harry S. Dent, Frederic V. Malek, William L. Safire, Charles W. Colson, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Robert J. Brown, Dwight L. Chapin, Virginia H. Knauer, Rose Mary Woods, John A. Hannah, Richard M. Helms, Frank J. Shakespeare, Herbert Stein, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Maurice H. Stans, Arthur J. Sohmer, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 12:02 pm to 1:20 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 093-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 93-1
Date: February 29, 1972
Time: 12:02 pm - 1:20 pm
Location: Cabinet Room
The President met with William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell,
Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Philip Campbell, Peter G. Peterson, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L.
Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, George
H. W. Bush, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M.
Flanigan, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Herbert G. Klein, Raymond K. Price, Jr.,
Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, John A. Scali, Harry S. Dent, Frederic V. Malek,
William L. Safire, Charles W. Colson, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Robert J. Brown, Dwight
L. Chapin, Virginia H. Knauer, Rose Mary Woods, John A. Hannah, Richard M. Helms, Frank J.
Shakespeare, Herbert Stein, Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, Maurice H. Stans, and Arthur J.
Sohmer; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting
[General conversation/Unintelligible]
[Applause]
Picture of group
Presentation of gifts by President
[General conversation/Unintelligible]
Presentation of gifts by President
Refreshments
People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Expression of appreciation
-Chou En-lai
-President’s February 28th speech
-Communique
-Establishing relations with PRC
-Getting acquainted
-Understanding differences
-Common ground
-Importance of personal contact
-Compared to President
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Mao Tse-tung
-Different points of view
-Chou En-lai
-Time spent together
-Meetings
-Style
-Kissinger
-Compared to other world leaders
-Winston S. Churchill
-Konrad Adenauer
-General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle
-Jawaharlal Nehru
-Knowledge of subjects
-Presidents
-United States
-History
-View of world
-Philosophical
-Meeting compared to other world leaders
-Indian Subcontinent, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Taiwan
-Issues
-Style of discussion
-Private conversations
-Communist view
-World view
-Controversial issues
-Style of speaking
-Relations between PRC and US
-Communique
-Use of force
-Asia
-Trade
-Culture
-Peaceful settlements of disputes
-Past wars involving US and PRC
-Possible statements
-By Peking radio
-By Congressional leaders
-In United Nations
-Communist versus non-Communist nation
-Chinese
-Soviets
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-United States
-Wealth
-Problems
-Leader class
-Compared to
-Chinese and Soviet
-February 28 speech
-Common interests with PRC
-War prevention
-Independence
-Chances for peace in the Pacific
PRC trip
Chinese way of life
-Dedication
-Discipline
-Freedom in United States
-Chinese people
-Leadership
-Chou En-lai
-Journalism
-Way of thinking
-Views on youth
-Questions and Answers during meetings
-Peace
-Success of visit
-Talk sessions
-Compared with Soviets
-Patricia R. (“Pat”) Nixon’s role
PRC and US relations
-Trip
-Content of communique
-Policy of US and China
-Impact of the two societies upon each other
-Contrast between societies
-Compared with Eastern Europe
-Chinese Communists
-The Long March
-Motivation of Communists
-Convictions
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Living for the future
-Judged by different standards
-Peace versus justice
-Compromise versus principal
-Stability versus struggle
-The communique
-Importance
-US view
-Published in PRC
-Chinese view
-Taiwan
-Vietnam, Korea
-Signing with the US
-Five principles
-Trade and cultural exchanges
-Diplomatic exchanges
-Ping-pong players
-Nixon Doctrine
-Chinese ideology
-Separation of US and China over the years
-Meeting and talking
-Plans for the future
-Reliability of US
-Differences
-President’s meeting with Chou En-lai
-Question of trust
-US presence in the Pacific
-Chinese society
-Material status
-Moral status
-Establishment of communication
-Expectations of all involved
United States and PRC
-Wealth, power, and purpose
-Strength of peoples
-Belief in their own systems
-Personal relationships
-Revolutions and accomplishments
-PRC questions about US
Effects of PRC trip
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Political
-Effect on foreign policy
-Nixon Doctrine
-Laird
-Chinese people
-Taiwan compared to PRC
-Russian, Yugoslavian, Hungarian, and Chinese Communism
-[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
-Differences from Americans
-PRC aims
-Russia, India, Japan
-US relations
-Reasons for President’s trip
-Computers
Swearing-in ceremony
[Applause]
[General conversation/Unintelligible]
The President, et al. left at 1:20 pm