Conversation: 338-031
Prev:  338-030 Next: 338-032Start Date: 9-May-1972 12:37 PM
End Date: 9-May-1972 1:12 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.); Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:00:49
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:31:22
NARA Description:
On May 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:37 pm to 1:12 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 338-031 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 338-31 Date: May 9, 1972 Time: 12:37-1:12 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. Vietnam -Kissinger's previous press conference -Ronald L. Ziegler's report -Ronald W. Reagan and Nelson A. Rockefeller -Talks with Kissinger Rockefeller -President's call -Statement of support for the President -President's call -Letter from the President to Terence Cardinal Cooke -Responsibility Vietnam -Reagan -Support for the President -Telegram campaign -Blockade -Melvin R. Laird -Television appearance -William P. Rogers -Public appearance -Kissinger’s view -Senate Foreign Relations Committee -Laird -Public relations abilities -Kissinger’s view 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 338-31 (cont.) ************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Privacy [Duration: 1s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ************************************************************************** Alexander M. Haig, Jr. entered at an unknown time after 12:37 pm. -Support for President's blockade decision -Kissinger -A Baptist official -Dr. [Forename unknown] Jackson -Kissinger's briefing -Negotiations -Press response -Attitude -Compared with Cambodia -Comments about the Soviet Union -Soviet Summit -Blockade -President's peace terms -Ceasefire, Prisoners of war [POWs], withdrawal -Support Democrats -President's support for John F. Kennedy in 1962 Cuban missile crisis -Effect on President's gubernatorial campaign -Rockefeller -Criticism -Reasons -Duration -Success -North Vietnam offensive -Latest reports -Hue -Kontum 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 338-31 (cont.) -South Vietnam losses -A firebase -Hue -South Vietnam counteraction -Spoiling tactics -Blockade -Impact on South Vietnam morale -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Nguyen Van Thieu -Movement of forces -First Airborne Division -North Vietnam offensive -Hue -Kontum -Pleiku -Kontum -Blockade -Supporters of the President -Message from President to Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home -Congressional response -Possible vote on antiwar legislation -Air strikes -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -Public support -Targets -Petroleum, oils, and lubricants [POL] dumps -Blockade -Mining operation -Air strikes -POL dumps in Hanoi area -Protests from North Vietnam -Negotiations -US stance -North Vietnam offensive -Duration -Resources -POL -Air strikes in North Vietnam -President's decision to blockade -Forthcoming election -Edward M. Kennedy -Impact on US 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 338-31 (cont.) -Soviet response -Frank Shakespeare -Comments on Soviet position -Soviet Summit -President's position -Kissinger’s view -Support for the President -Rockefeller -Call to the President Harvard -Request for Kissinger’s resignation -Kissinger’s conversation with a former colleague Vietnam -Press reports -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston -Rogers -Statements -Appearance -Meeting with J. William Fulbright -President's speech -Comparison with other speeches -Previous speech on Vietnam -Press comments -Joseph W. Alsop -Rowland Evans -President's policies -Withdrawal of troops -An unknown person's praise for speech -Alsop -Stakes for US and the free world -Consequences of US defeat -The President’s view -Military performance -Kissinger’s view -Air strikes -Power plants -Impact -Secondary targets -POL -Rails 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 338-31 (cont.) -Germany in World War II -Targets in Britain -Air fields -Timing -Red Cross -Israelis The President talked with Moorer between 12:56 and 12:58 pm. [Conversation No. 338-31A] [See Conversation No. 24-59] [End of telephone conversation] Vietnam -Blockade -Moorer -Public support -Rogers -Statements -Subcabinet briefing -Statements -Subcabinet -Support -Columnists -"Hawks" -Kissinger meeting -Richard (“Dick”) Wilson -William S. White -Alsop -Evans -Soviet Summit -Cancellation -Possibility -President's decision -Plans -Cancellation -Timing -A statement -Rogers -Postponement 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 338-31 (cont.) -President's Vietnam policies -Impact -Blockade -Impact -North Vietnam offensive -Possibility of South Vietnam defeat -US options -US Marines -Military exercises -South Vietnam operations -I Corps -Hue -Air strikes -B-52 sorties -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Intensity -Impact on North Vietnam -Compared with World War I artillery barrages -Abrams -Use of air power -Command structure -Forthcoming meeting [Unintelligible] Kissinger and Haig left at 1:12 pm.