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Conversation: 245-006

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Start Date: 6-Apr-1971 10:05 AM

End Date: 6-Apr-1971 11:03 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.Bull, Stephen B.Mansfield, Michael J. ("Mike")

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:53:11

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:49:43

245a.mp3

245b.mp3

NARA Description:

On April 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:05 am to 11:03 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 245-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 245-6

Date: April 6, 1971
Time: 10:05 am - 11:03 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger
                                         7

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)




Laos
       -Casualty figures
       -Military operations
       -Comparison

Vietnam
     -North Vietnamese                                          Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)
     -President’s forthcoming statement on Prisoners of War [POWs]
     -President’s options
     -Possible statement
     -Warning
     -Credibility
     -Kissinger’s statement on POWs

Laos
       -Casualties
       -South Vietnamese casualties
       -Air sorties
             -George S. McGovern’s statements
       -Kissinger’s possible statement

President’s speech on Vietnam, April 7, 1971
     -Draft
     -President’s presentation
     -Press
     -Release
     -Air sorties
     -South Vietnamese casualties
     -Warning
     -Statement
     -Warning
     -Staff

Vietnam
     -Withdrawal
     -”Blockbusters”
     -John D. Ehrlichman
     -US proposals
     -Negotiations
     -Kissinger and Clark MacGregor
     -Press
                                            8

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



        -Proposals
        -”Doves”
        -Congress
        -Withdrawal date
        -Military aid
        -General Nguyen Van Thieu and Nguyen Cao Ky
        -Communist victory
        -Kissinger’s relations with MacGregor               Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)
        -Troop announcements
        -Date for United States’ withdrawal
              -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
        -President’s meeting with Thieu
        -United States’ position
        -President’s policy
        -North Vietnamese
        -Lyndon B. Johnson
        -Date for Withdrawal
        -POWs
        -Cease fire
        -Negotiations
        -Cease fire
        -United States’ proposals
        -Kissinger’s role
        -Paris talks

Chile
        -Elections
        -Salvador Allende Gossens
              -Control of media
        -Eduardo Frei Montalva
              -Christian Democrats
        -Allende
        -State Department
              -Charles A. Meyer
              -Allende
        -United States’ policy
        -Jorge Alessandri
                                           9

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 13s ]


    FOREIGN AFFAIRS                                          Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************


         -Edward M. Korry


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 26s ]


    FOREIGN AFFAIRS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

******************************************************************************


         -Korry
              -Peter M. Flanigan
         -Kenneth B. Keating
              -Pakistan
              -India

    Kissinger’s relations with MacGregor
         -Melvin R. Laird
         -Ehrlichman
                                               10

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. 9/08)




     Vietnam
          -Ehrlichman
          -Public opinion
          -Johnson

     Cambodia
         -United States’ involvement                              Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)
         -Public opinion

     Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr.
          -Impact on administration
          -Background

     President’s speech on Vietnam
          -Possible question to Kissinger
          -President’s policy

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:05 am

     Arrival of Mansfield

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:35 am

     President’s speech on Vietnam
          -Success of policy
          -Possible wording on Vietnamization policy
          -Relation to troop withdrawals

Mansfield entered at 10:35 am

     Greetings

Kissinger left at 10:36 am

     Vietnam
          -President’s forthcoming call to Ellsworth F. Bunker
          -Military situation
          -Withdrawal date
          -South Vietnamese leaders
          -Withdrawal of United States’ troops
                -Rate
                                      11

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 9/08)



          -Numbers
          -Ceiling
          -Level
          -Announcement
          -Dates
          -Level
          -Future announcements
          -President’s options                                 Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)
    -Negotiations
          -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                -Attitude
          -United States’ position
                -President’s options
          -Soviet Union
          -President’s options
          -Deadline
          -President’s plans
          -Troop withdrawals
          -Chance of a breakthrough
          -Announcements
          -Withdrawal of troops
          -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin’s mission
          -United States’ offer
          -Date
          -United States’ plans
          -Cease fire
    -President’s speech, April 7, 1971
    -Negotiations
          -President’s forthcoming conversations with Dobrynin
          -Possible topics
          -North Vietnamese
                -Madame Nguyen Thi Binh and Long Di [sp?]
                -Date
          -United States’ position
          -Troop withdrawals
          -Laos
          -President’s policy

Arms control negotiations
    -Leonid I. Brezhnev and Andrei A. Gromyko
    -Communist Party Congress
          -Fight
                                               12

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 9/08)



               -Military people
               -Arms limitation issue
               -Political people
                     -Aleksei N. Kosygin
               -Brezhnev’s role
               -Detente
           -Arms limitation
               -Date                                              Conv. No. 245-6 (cont.)
               -President’s options

     Berlin
          -United States-Soviet Union negotiations

     Middle East
         -United States’ policy
         -Israel
               -Support
               -United States’ policy
               -Other nations
               -Cease fire
         -Anwar el-Sadat
         -Soviet Union

     Vietnam and Laos
          -Mansfield’s support for President
          -Troop withdrawal
               -Announcement
          -South Vietnamese
               -Military operations
                     -Location
          -Negotiations
               -Prospects

     President’s trip to Montana
          -Timing
          -Labor Day
          -Announcement

     President’s briefing on Vietnam
          -Value

Mansfield left at 11:03 am
                                              13

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)