Conversation: 157-016
Prev: 157-015 Next: 157-017Start Date: 6-Dec-1972 4:40 PM
End Date: 6-Dec-1972 5:31 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kennedy, Richard T. (Col.);Recording Device: Camp David Study Table
NARA Description:
On December 6, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone at Camp David from 4:40 pm to 5:31 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 157-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 157-16 Date: December 6, 1972 Time: 4:40 pm - 5:31 pm Location: Camp David Study Table The President talked with Col. Richard T. Kennedy. [See Conversation No. 233-21] -20- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) Kennedy’s schedule -Sleep Vietnam negotiations -Meetings -Timing -Henry A. Kissinger’s message on settlement agreement -Location -Laurel Lodge -Summary -Session -Tone -Review of positions -Settlement agreement -Changes -South Vietnam -October 8, 1972 agreement -Concessions -Acceptability -US conditions -Le Duc Tho’s position -Changes -Details -Changes -Maintenance -Substance -Previous agreement -Translation of “administrative structure” [re. National Committee of National Reconciliation and Concord [NCNRC] -Demobilization provisions -Timing -Nguyen Van Thieu -Political leverage -North Vietnam-South Vietnam relations -Renunciation of force -Thieu -Prisoners of War [POWs] -October 1972 agreement -North Vietnamese prisoners in South Vietnam -21- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Linkage to US POWs -Section 8C -Kissinger’s conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Cease-fire -Timing -International Commission of Control and Supervision [ICCS] -Preamble -Compromise -US and Provisional Revolutionary Government [PRG] signing -Government of South Vietnam [GVN] signing -US concessions -Tho -Withdrawal of US civilians -Language -Kennedy’s work with U. Alexis Johnson and Barry J. Shillito -Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] -Discussion of modalities -Changes -Maintenance -Difficulty -South Vietnam agreement -US option -Military action -Statement -Dobrynin -December 5, 1972 call to Kennedy -Note on conditions -Tone -Soviet Union-North Vietnam relations -US military action -Effect -Tactics -Stalemate -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam -October 8, 1972 agreement -Acceptability to South Vietnam, US -22- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Kissinger’s view -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam -Stalemate -US options -Breakdown in talks -US bombing and mining -Cessation -Return of POWs -Compared to settlement agreement -South Vietnam’s refusal -POWs -Effect on South Vietnam’s survival -Kissinger’s view -The President’s message to Kissinger -US-Soviet Union summit -Cancellation -US bombing and mining -Announcement -Return of POWs -US withdrawal -Cessation of bombing and mining -POWs for military disengagement deal -Timing -Summer 1973 -Congressional relations -Cut off of funds -Bombing -Compared to settlement agreement -Timing -October 8, 1972 -Kissinger’s view -North Vietnam -Kissinger’s talks with Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC] -1972 election -Twelve changes -Return of POWs -Timing -Summer 1973 -Congressional relations -23- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -North Vietnam -Blame -POWs -South Vietnam -Congressional relations -Cut off of aid to South Vietnam -US public opinion -Press relations -Duration -Summer 1973 -Effect -US-Soviet Union and US-PRC relations -US-Soviet Union summit -Congressional relations -Budget -Aid to South Vietnam -Bombing and mining -POWs -Emotion of issue -Compared to settlement agreement -POWs for withdrawal and cut off of aid to South Vietnam -Return of POWs -Duration -Summer 1973 -Compared to continuation of talks -Instructions for Kissinger -Ultimatum -US conditions -Kissinger’s return from Paris -US bombing -US bombing -Announcement -Announcement -North Vietnam’s possible reply -POWs -Cease-fire -US reply -Coalition government -US bombing, mining for POWs -Kissinger’s December 5, 1972 message -24- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Congressional relations -Compared to settlement agreement -Acceptability to South Vietnam, US -Bilateral deal -Effect on South Vietnam’s survival -POWs for withdrawal, cessation of bombing, mining -Thieu’s position -North Vietnam’s position -Kissinger’s view -Cut off of military and economic aid to South Vietnam -Bilateral deal -Thieu’s position -The President’s meetings [with Nguyen Phu Duc and Tran Kim Phuong] -US aid to South Vietnam -Ultimatum -Kissinger’s balance -Recap of arguments -Tho -Breakdown in talks -Reasons -North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam -Translation of “administrative structure” re NCNRC -Kissinger’s backgrounder -US-Soviet Union relations -Berlin -Coalition government -Compared to administrative structure to run elections -Compared to settlement agreement -October 26, 1972 agreement -Tho -GVN -October 8, 1972 agreement -GVN’s survival -North Vietnam, Vietcong [VC] -Stalemate -Blame on North Vietnam -US public opinion -25- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Withdrawal -Kissinger’s view -Settlement agreement -Contingency planning -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Timing -Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Tactics -The President’s recommendations for settlement agreement -South Vietnam -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam -Breakdown in talks -Conditions -Record -South Vietnam -Bilateral deal -US aid -Congressional relations -Breakdown in talks -Kissinger’s view -US option -Bombing -Congressional relations -Aid to South Vietnam -Military costs -Dobrynin -Hanoi -Kissinger -Continuation of meetings -Settlement agreement -Conditions -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam -Kissinger’s press relations -Breakdown in talks -US bombing -Rate -Announcement -Necessity -Mining -Cambodia -26- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Public relations [PR] -Announcement -Presidential speech on TV -Continuation of meetings -Bilateral deal -US bombing and mining -Cessation -POWs -Cut off of aid to South Vietnam -Effect on South Vietnam’s survival -Breakdown in talks -Kissinger’s proposed actions -Return from Paris -Announcement -Presidential speech on TV -US bombing -Rate -POWs -Advisability -Goal -US bombing -Funding -Duration -Air Force -South Vietnam’s survival -US aid -Congressional relations -South Vietnam’s rejection of October 8, 1972 agreement -Publicity -Compared to settlement agreement -Thieu’s rejection -Bilateral deal -Cut off of aid to South Vietnam -Congressional relations -POWs -US relations with PRC, Soviet Union, Congress -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam -Continuation of meetings -US options -27- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d) -Consultation with Kissinger -Announcement -Advisability -US bombing -Rate -US bombing -Escalation -Effect -Congressional relations -PR -South Vietnam’s survival -Thieu’s army -US dependence -Thieu -Draft cable to Kissinger -Kissinger’s message -Delivery -December 7, 1972 meeting -The President’s reading -Future editing -Settlement agreement