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Conversation: 377-007

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Start Date: 29-Oct-1972 9:20 AM

End Date: 29-Oct-1972 9:30 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haig, Alexander M., Jr.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

377-007.mp3

NARA Description:

On October 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:20 am to 9:30 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 377-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 377-7

Date: October 29, 1972
Time: 9:20 am - 9:30 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

        The President’s forthcoming briefing on surrogates
            -William P. Rogers
            -Vietnam
                -Instructions for Haig
                     -Service in Vietnam by Haig
                          -Sacrifices
                          -Interest by administration
                     -Ending of wars
                          -Kind of settlement necessary to prevent new war
                          -Consequences of other type of settlement
                     -Comparison of administration and George S. McGovern plan
                          -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                               -Return
                          -End of war compared with end of US involvement
                               -North Vietnamese
                               -Cambodia
                               -Laos
                          -Prevention of communist takeover
                               -Self-determination
                               -Election
                               -Coalition government
                                 5
        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                        Tape Subject Log
                          (rev. Aug-03)

                 -Means to defend South Vietnam
                     -Economic assistance and military replacements
                     -Vietnamization
                     -Quality of South Vietnamese equipment
            -The President’s view of the McGovern Plan
                 -Withdrawal of Americans
                 -Withdrawal of arms
                 -Communist takeover
                 -Blood bath
        -Prospects for success of cease-fire
            -Timing
            -Settlement
                 -Type
            -Strength of Vietnam
        -US position
            -Settlement
                 -Type
            -End of killing
            -The President's role in settlement
                 -The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
                 -Action in Cambodia, Laos
                 -Blockade and mining of Haiphong harbor, May, 1972
            -“Peace with honor “compared to “peace with surrender”
            -Communist South Vietnam compared to noncommunist South
             Vietnam
            -Return of POW's
            -Amnesty
                 -The President’s recent remarks

Negotiations
   -Nguyen Van Thieu
   -North and South Vietnam

Vietnam
    -Negotiations
        -North Vietnam
        -South Vietnam
            -The President’s possible conversation with Thieu
                 -Letter
                 -Timing
                     -1972 election
                 -Acceptance of terms
                                            6
                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Aug-03)

                            -Thieu’s view of Henry A. Kissinger


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 3s ]

INTELLIGENCE

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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                        -Thieu’s role
                             -South Vietnam
                             -1972 election
                   -Letter to Thieu from the President
                        -Tone
                             -Haig’s view
                   -Thieu’s position
               -Haig’s briefings
                   -George Meany
                        -Timing
                             -New York
                   -Lyndon B. Johnson
                   -Walt W. Rostow
                   -Paul C. Warnke, October 28, 1972
                        -Haig’s experience
                             -1967
                        -Support for the President
                             -[McGovern]
                                 -The President’s previous support for
                                  John F. Kennedy, Edward G. (“Pat”)
                                  Brown
                             -Foreign policy
                                 -Comparisons
               -Souvanna Phouma
                   -The President’s view
                   -Memorandum
                                               7
                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Aug-03)

                      -Possible US aid to North Vietnam
                           -Consequences
                               -Analogy to Japan
                           -Credibility
                  -Thieu
                      -Possible visit from US representative
                           -Kissinger
                           -Haig
                      -Adm. John J. McCain, Jr.; William F. Buckley, Jr.,
                       Sir Robert Thompson
                  -Conclusion of war
                      -Timing
                           -The President’s view
                      -Haig’s view
                           -Thieu

Haig left at 9:30 am.