Conversation: 332-022
Prev: 332-021 Next: 332-023Start Date: 25-Apr-1972 8:53 AM
End Date: 25-Apr-1972 10:05 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Woods, Rose Mary; Andrews, John K., Jr.; Lord, Winston; Bull, Stephen B.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:34:16
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:52:09
NARA Description:
On April 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Rose Mary Woods, John K. Andrews, Jr., Winston Lord, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:53 am to 10:05 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 332-022 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 332-22
Date: April 25, 1972
Time: 8:53 am - 10:05 am
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Alexander P.
Butterfield. The recording appears to have begun while the meeting was in progress.
The President's schedule
-Dinner for retiring Senators and Congressmen
-Guest list
-Release to press
-Fred R. Harris
-Toast
-Senior Republicans
-Clark MacGregor
-Selection
-John Sherman Cooper
-Carl T. Curtis
-John W. Byrnes
-William M. Colmer
-Cooper
-Remarks
-Marine Corps Band
-Col. Albert Shoepper, leader
-Tribute
-The President's recognition
-Army Chorus
-Coffee
-Starting time
-Attire
-Number
-Tables
-Shape
-Seating
-Seniority
-Cooper
-Colmer
-Retirees
-The President's table
-George H. Mahon
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Butterfield left at 8:59 am.
Pentagon Papers
-Leaks
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Preparation
-Departments of State and Defense
-Conclusions
Vietnam
-Situation in 1969
The President talked with H. R. Haldeman at an unknown time between 8:59 and 9:01 am.
[Conversation No. 332-22A]
Meeting in Old Executive Office Building [EOB] office
[End of telephone conversation]
Vietnam
-Winston Lord
-Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-The President's remarks
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-William L. Safire
-Strengths
-Work with Kissinger
-Andrews
-Lord
-Miller [first name unknown]
-Work with Kissinger
Speeches and speechwriters
-Safire
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 8:59 and 9:01 am.
[Conversation No. 332-22B]
Meeting in Old Executive Office Building [EOB]office
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
[End of telephone conversation]
Speeches and speechwriters
-Safire
-Independence
-Andrews
-Haldeman
Pentagon Papers
-Leaks
-Ellsberg
-Secretary of Defense
Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 8:59 am.
Meeting with Andrews and Lord
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 9:02 am.
Andrews
Washington Post
-Story
Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 8:59 am.
Vietnam
-US bombing
-Effectiveness
-Post story
-Distortions
-Soviets
Rose Mary Woods entered at 9:02 am.
Taped messages and letters
-Typing
-Instructions
-Return to the President
-Format
-Instructions
Memorandum to Safire
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Delivery to Andrews
-Rough outline
-Revisions for Andrews
-Work with Lord
-Completion
Kissinger
-Location over weekend
-Soviet Union
-Arrival
-Sergei Antonov, State Security Head
-Offers to Kissinger
-Joseph W. Alsop
-Schedule
-State security
-Masseuses
Woods left at 9:05 am.
-Antonov
-Security
-The President's forthcoming trip
-Moscow film studio
-American actresses
-Soviet women
-Meeting with First Deputy Foreign Minister,
Vasily V. Kuznetsov
-Andrei A. Gromyko's schedule
Andrews entered at an unknown time after 9:05 am.
Meeting with the President
-Lord's arrival
Andrews left at an unknown time before 9:06 am.
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's previous trip
-Kuznetsov's parting remarks
-Antonov's remarks
-KGB
-The President's forthcoming trip
-Translators
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Comments to Kissinger
-Earl L. Butz
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 9:05 am.
Andrews and Lord
-Meeting with the President
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 9:06 am.
Soviet Union
-Visit by Butz
-Butz's comments
Stephen B. Bull and Andrews entered at 9:06 am.
Greetings
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:07 am.
Speech by the President
-Work by Andrews and Lord
-Haig's assistance
US-Soviet relations
-Kissinger's trip
-Announcement
Lord entered at 9:07 am.
-Time
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-Time
-Current appraisal of situation
-The President's outline/rough draft
-Revisions by Andrews and Lord
-The President's guidelines
-Rhythm
-Phrases
-Order
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Suggestions
-Considerations
-Vignettes
-Lord's suggestions
-Andrews's suggestions
US-Soviet Relations
-Kissinger's trip
-Accommodations
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-US military role
-Conclusion
-Situations in 1969 and present
-Conciseness
-Losses
-Helicopter
-The President's speech
-Peace offers
-Generalities
-Cease fire
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-The President's guidelines
-North Vietnamese build-up
-US restraints
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Figures
-Number of troops
-US response
-The President's report
-South Vietnamese performance
-Report from Abrams
-Casualties
-US air strikes
-Necessity
-Future trials and eventual victory
-Wording
-Caution
-The President's morning report
-An Loc
-Washington Post
-Abrams's report
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Advice from Ellsworth F. Bunker, William J. Porter and senior advisors
-Future actions
-Reduction of troops
-Number
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Negotiations
-Porter
-Air and naval strikes
-Prevention of takeover
-Length
-Phrasing
-Soviet interpretations
-Conclusions
-Wording
-Completion of draft
-Speed
-Woods
-Andrews's and Lord's review
-Kissinger and Haig
-Deadline for the President
-Woods
-Drafts
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Laos and Cambodia
-Figures
-US bombing
-Continuation
-Conditions for cessation
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Wording
-Simplification
-Directness
-Revisions
-Importance
-The President's style
-Time limit
-Deletions from draft
-An Loc
-Sanctuaries
-Wording
-Description of North Vietnam
-Revisions
-Time element
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Andrews and Lord left at 9:25 am.
Pentagon Papers
-Tactics
-Public opinion
-Indifference
-Ronald L. Ziegler's statements
-Washington Post
Vietnam
-Abrams
-Defense Information Office [DIO]
-Report to the President
-Laos operations
-Problems
-Benefits
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Reaction of American public
-George H. Gallup poll
-US bombing
-Poll results
-Deployment of forces
-Initial successes
-Instructions to Haig
-World War I
-German victories over Russians
-South Vietnamese failures
-Abrams
-Coordinations of strategy
-An Loc
-South Vietnamese retreats
-B-52 strikes
-Mistakes
-South Vietnamese defensive line
-Kontum
-Initial losses
-News reports
-Kissinger's briefing
-Highlands
-Lon Tien [Sp?]
-Initial successes
-III Corps
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Kontum
-Pleiku
-Hue
-Pessimism
-South Vietnamese withdrawals
-South Vietnamese refusal
-Kissinger's conversations with Moorer
-US military
-William C. Westmoreland
-Abrams
-Advice to South Vietnam
-Thieu
-Political problems
-Defensive line
-US air strikes
-Location
-II Corps
-North Vietnamese armor
-Bridge
-Destruction
-Reports
-News reports
-Henry Bradsher
-Retaliation
-Military Press Information Officers [PIOs]
-Abrams
-Handling of press
-Reporters
-Abrams, Bunker, and Melvin R. Laird
-Thieu's stance
-Hostility to administration
-Photograph
-Caption
-North Vietnamese invasion
-South Vietnamese strength
-Capabilities
-Reports
-Horror stories
-Haldeman's efforts
-John A. Scali and Herbert G. Klein
-North Vietnamese atrocities
-Need for publicity
-Publicity for US side
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Pentagon
-State Department press office
-Pentagon
-Size of Public Information Office
-Mobilization
US foreign policy
-Execution
-Kissinger and Rogers
-Lack of public relations
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-"Open Skies" proposal
-Charles D. Jackson
-Public relations efforts
-Success
-Public relations efforts
-Safire
-Richard A. Moore
-Scali
-Press corps
-Hostility
-Bias for John F. Kennedy
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Significance
-Press black-out
-Public relations efforts
-Lack of effort
-Kissinger's briefing
-Arrangements
-Rogers
-Announcement
-Rogers
-Public relations efforts
-Meeting with unknown Ambassador
-Kissinger's briefing
-Ziegler's statement
-Timing
-Briefing of Congress
-Notification
-Kissinger
-Rogers and Laird
-Role
-Formality of briefing
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-J. William Fulbright
-George D. Aiken
-Congressional opposition
-Supporters
-Leslie C. Arends
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mahon
-F. Edward Hebert
-Charles M. Teague
-Barry M. Goldwater
-John G. Tower
-John C. Stennis
-MacGregor
-Edward J. Gurney
-Aiken
-Encouragement
-Opponents
-Fulbright
-Rogers's briefing
-Hiram L. Fong
-Time
-Television news
-Kissinger’s announcement
-Rogers's briefing
-Foreign Relations Committee
-Bob Morgan
-Attendees
-Fulbright
-Exclusion
-Supporters
-Leaks
-Briefing of Laird, the Vice President, John B. Connally,
-Ronald W. Reagan and Nelson A. Rockefeller
Vietnam
-Peace talks
-Negotiations
-Aleksei N. Kosygin
-Conditions
-End of North Vietnamese invasion
-US bombing
-Conditions for cessation
-Ziegler's briefing
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Kissinger's views
-Time
-Call to the President
-The President's speech
-Announcement
-News programs
-Timing
Haldeman and Haig left at 9:50 am.
-Public relations efforts
-Intensification of efforts
-Cambodia
-Haldeman, Haig and Scali
-SALT agreement
-Deficiencies
-Secretary of State
-Attack on Edmund S. Muskie
-D. Kenneth Rush's [?] statement
-US bombing
-Gallup poll
-Support
-The President's speech
-Increase in support
-Soviet response
-The President's speech
-Rough Draft
-Kissinger's meeting with Brezhnev
US-Soviet relations
-Summit
-Brezhnev
-US value
-Vietnam
-Results of US defeat
-Left-wing contrasted to right-wing factions
-Necessity of victory
-Kontum
Rose Mary Woods entered at 9:52 am.
Typed document
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Completion
-Time
Woods left at 9:54 am.
Vietnam
-US strategy
-All-out attack
-Conditions for cessation
-Targets
-Dikes
-Railroads
-Docks
-Use of massive force
-Soviet Summit
-Need for credibility
-Brezhnev
-US conditions
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Conversation with Kissinger
-North Vietnamese assessments
-Chance of breakthrough
-Negotiations
-Conditions for resumption
-Cease-fire
-US responses
-Gromyko
-Comments to Kissinger
-Soviet Summit
-Compared with People's Republic of China [PRC] Trip
-North Vietnamese invasion
-US retaliation
-Power plant
-Dock area
-Dobrynin
-Brezhnev
-Report to Kissinger
-Kissinger's response
-Kissinger's forthcoming conversation with Yuli M. Vorontsov
-Hanoi and Haiphong
US-Soviet relations
-Kissinger's meeting with Brezhnev
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Soviet Summit
-Conditions
-Cessation of North Vietnamese offensive
-US ships in Vietnam
-Blockade
-Soviet Summit
-Cancellation
-Dobrynin and Brezhnev
-Influence in Central Committee
-Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles [SLBMs]
-Announcement
-Kissinger's conversation with Gromyko
-Dobrynin's role
-US air strikes
-Impact
-Possible cancellation
-Laird
Vietnam
-Laird's statement
-Troop levels
-US successes
-Necessity
-The President's trip to Moscow
-Risks
-Chou En-Lai
-US determination
-1972 election
-Negotiations
-Cease-fire
-William J. Porter's line
-Porter
-Abilities as negotiator
-Soviets
Kissinger left at 10:05 am.