Conversation: 334-010
Prev: 334-009 Next: 334-011Start Date: 2-May-1972 9:28 AM
End Date: 2-May-1972 10:00 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:09:10
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:40:31
NARA Description:
On May 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:28 am to 10:00 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 334-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 334-10
Date: May 2, 1972
Time: 9:28 am - 10:00 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
J. Edgar Hoover
-Death
-Call from Richard G. Kleindienst
-Announcement
-The President
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Kleindienst
-Statement
-Timing
-State funeral
-Plans
-John N. Mitchell
-Knowledge
-Compared to Kleindienst
-Conversation with Haldeman
-The President’s schedule
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Statement by the President
-Length
-Draft
-Flags
-The President's order
-Press
-Haldeman's arrangements
-Return call
-Mitchell
Haig entered at 9:29 am.
Haldeman left at 9:30 am.
-Time
-Recent criticism
-Pressures of job
-The President's support
-Criticism
-State Department
-Arthur K. Watson
Watson
-State Department
Vietnam
-Negotiations
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Message to Haig
-Time in Paris
-Future call to Haig
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-10 (cont.)
-Meeting
-The President's memorandum
-Quang Tri
-Bin Dinh province
-South Vietnamese army
-Regiment
-Location
-Pacified area
-Memorandum
-Quang Tri
-Capture
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] division
Commander Gen. Vu Van Giai
-North Vietnamese assault
-South Vietnamese units
-Escape
-Contact with North Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-US air strikes
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s request
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 3s ]
INTELLIGENCE
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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-Wounded
-Number to North Vietnam
-Deaths
-Significance of figures
-North Vietnamese invasion
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-10 (cont.)
-Abrams's report
-Tone
-ARVN
-US training program
-ARVN response
-US advisors
-Relations with South Vietnamese counterparts
-Compared with Cambodia
US military
-Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
-Recent policies
-Impact on navy
-Discipline
Vietnam
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Wounded
-Air strikes
-Number
-TACAIR
-Military region [MR] one
-Impact
-Quang Tri
-Capture
-Reasons
-South Vietnamese leadership
-Significance
-Hue
-South Vietnamese Commander, General Phu [sp?] [Forename unknown]
-South Vietnamese units
-Marines
-Rangers
-South Vietnamese tanks
-Losses
-Latest report
-Errors
-Capabilities
-Tanks
-West Europe
-Shipment by air
-Problems
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-10 (cont.)
-Okinawa
-Missiles
-Effectiveness
-Helicopters
-Tanks
-Tests
-Use by South Vietnamese and US helicopter crews
-North Vietnamese invasion
-MR Two
-Battles
-Kissinger's report on pause in fighting
-Paris negotiations
-Kontum
-Possible loss
-Timing
-Retreat
-Execution
-South Vietnamese performance
-Possible loss
-Air strikes
-Importance
-MR Three
-Saigon
-Scare stories
-Abrams
-North Vietnamese losses
-Route One in Cambodia
-Opening
-MR Four
-Abrams
-ARVN success
-An loc
-Patrols
-Contacts with North Vietnam
-MR One
-Latest reports
-South Vietnamese counterattacks
-ARVN
-Performance
-Air strikes
-Hanoi and Haiphong
-Kissinger
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-10 (cont.)
-Abrams
-US public reaction
-Relation to Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Support
-Impact on North Vietnam
-US bargaining position
-ARVN
-Morale
-US support
-Implementation
-Paris talks
-William J. Porter
-Importance
-Air strikes
-Kissinger’s recommendations
-B-52s
-Problems
-Haig’s recommendation
-Concentration of force
-Planning
-Intensity
-First strikes
-Pressure on Abrams
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Moorer
-Call from Haig
-Importance
-North Vietnam
-ARVN morale
-US public opinion
-Press reports
-Long Tieng
-Pnompenh
-Press coverage
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-ARVN unit
-Kissinger
-Press
-Liberals
-Defensiveness
-Paris talks and SALT
-Public opinion
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-10 (cont.)
-Desire for action
-Abrams
-Reaction to invasion
-John W. Vogt, Jr.
-Reaction
-Abrams
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Meeting with Nguyen Van Thieu
-Contacts With ARVN
-Bunker
-Message to Thieu
-US support
-Work with ARVN
-Kissinger
-Paris trip
-Thieu
Hoover
-Performance
-Enemies
Vietnam
-Abrams
-Press briefings
-The President
-Melvin R. Laird
-Abrams
-Dealings with press
-Quang Tri
-Kontum
-Kissinger
-Soviet summit
-US acceptance
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Free elections
-Thieu
-Air strikes against Hanoi and Haiphong
-Impact on North Vietnam
-Cessation
-Reasons
-Soviet Union
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Planning
-Time
-Start
Haig left at 10:00 am.