Conversation: 314-013
Prev:  314-012 Next: 314-014Start Date: 13-Jan-1972 4:15 PM
End Date: 13-Jan-1972 5:00 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.; [Unknown person(s)]; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.; [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:32:12
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:15:21
NARA Description:
On January 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, William L. Safire, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 314-013 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 314-13 Date: January 18, 1972 Time: 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with William L. Safire. Draft for Vietnam speech of January 25, 1972 -Foreign policy -[National Security Council [NSC]] -Henry A. Kissinger -Personality -Drafts -Construction -Theme -State of the World -Negotiations -Kissinger -May 31, 1971 -Troop withdrawal deadline -Prisoners of war [POWs], ceasefire -August 1971 -Nine month deadline -October 1971 -June 1971 -Kissinger’s draft -Phrasing -Last paragraph 23 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 314-13 (cont.) -Possible audience -Negotiations -Peace offer -Opening paragraph -Troop withdrawal deadline -POWs -The President’s draft -The President’s pledge -Negotiations -Kissinger -William P. Rogers -Ellsworth F. Bunker -David K.E. Bruce -William J. Porter -Henry Cabot Lodge -Bruce -Bunker -Rogers -Kissinger -Page seven -Public concern over the peace issue -The President’s memorandum -Peace plan -Deadline -Troop withdrawal -Ceasefire -October 1971 proposals -Deadline -Ceasefire, POWs -Proposals -Kissinger -Deadline -Troop withdrawal, return of POWs -Ceasefire -The President’s proposal -Nguyen Van Thieu -Possible resignation -Reference to North Vietnamese -State Department -Page eight -Congress 24 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 314-13 (cont.) -Kissinger -Page eleven -Nine month proposal [The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:15 pm and 5:00 pm.] [Conversation No. 314-13A] Schedule [End of telephone conversation] Speech draft -Negotiations -Secrecy -Deadlock -Thieu's offer to resign -Free elections -Communists -Exchange of POWs -New South Vietnamese elections -Agreement on principles -Kissinger’s draft -Troop withdrawal, return of POWs -Paris negotiations -Safire’s possible talk with Kissinger -US relations with South Vietnam -Public opinion Vietnam -Possible military action -The President’s 1966 proposal -Mining Haiphong Harbor -Bombing railroads, dykes -Blockade -World Wars I and II -Civil War -Robert E. Lee Speech draft 25 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 314-13 (cont.) -Cuts -Public trust -Support -Ending of wars -Tone -Negotiation record -Troop withdrawal Kissinger -Safire’s meeting with the President -Call from the President -References to in speech -Le Duc Tho -Work with Safire on draft -The President’s schedule -State of the Union speech -Record of negotiations -Publication of proposals -Speech draft -Thieu -Submission to Rogers -Possible briefing of Thieu Final draft -Submission to the President -Date -Dinner -Study by the President -Florida -Meeting with Safire and Kissinger -Trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC] Forthcoming Vietnam speech -Resolutions by Senators in Congress -John Sherman Cooper, Frank F. Church,, Michael J. Mansfield amendments -Impact on negotiating position -Possible public reaction -Secret negotiations -Thieu -POWs -Secret negotiations 26 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 314-13 (cont.) -Kissinger’s draft -Vietnamization -Effectiveness -Withdrawals -Peace in Vietnam, Southeast Asia Final draft -Rogers -Kissinger -Thieu -Rogers -References to Kissinger -Consultation -Timing -Kissinger and Safire -Thieu, Bunker -Winston Lord -Draft preparation Cabinets -Conflict -Kissinger, Rogers -Cordell Hull, Harry Hopkins -Abraham Lincoln -Winston S. Churchill -Lord Melbourne, Benjamin Disraeli -Rogers and Kissinger -Opinions -State Department -Rogers -Qualities -Tactical skills -Public relations -Deficiencies -Kissinger -Self-confidence, knowledge -Compared with Rogers Kissinger -Visit by Safire -Draft 27 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 314-13 (cont.) -Congress -Thieu -Rogers Rogers-Kissinger conflict -The President’s relationships with others -Melbourne and Disraeli -Lack of conflict Safire left at 5:00 pm.