Conversation: 385-008
Prev:  385-007 Next: 385-009Start Date: 11-Dec-1972 4:05 PM
End Date: 11-Dec-1972 4:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On December 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 4:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 385-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 385-8 Date: December 11, 1972 Time: 4:05 pm - 4:55 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. White House gifts -Memento -Number -White House staff -Republican National Committee [RNC] -Secret Service -Personalization -Rose Mary Woods The President’s schedule -Press relations -Christmas tree lighting Haig entered at 4:10 pm. The President’s schedule -Press relations -Reception for 1972 election supporters -Timing -Christmas tree lighting -Receiving line -Photograph session -Washington Post -Cabinet dinner -Responses -William P. Rogers -John N. Mitchell -6- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Assistants -Dwight D. Eisenhower Cabinet -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan -Clark MacGregor -Possible party -John B. Connally -Mitchell -Connally -Moynihan -Connally -Rogers -The President’s role -Melvin R. Laird -Reception for surrogates -Press relations -Christmas tree lighting -Press relations -Washington Post -Receiving line -Photograph session -Pools -Instructions for Ronald L. Ziegler -Invitation -Washington Post -Television -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] -Washington Post -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart -Cabinet dinner -Press relations -Washington Post -Pool -Instructions for Ziegler -Friends -Wire services -Washington Post -Reception for surrogates -7- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Guests -Cabinet wives Butterfield left at 4:20 pm. Vietnam negotiations -Report -Length -[Henry A. Kissinger’s] meeting -Cable -Settlement agreement -North Vietnamese interest -US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Plan -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -B-52s -Duration -Weather -B-52s -Effect on North Vietnam -Cessation -October 23, 1972 -Kissinger’s trips -Settlement agreement -North Vietnamese acceptance -Timing -Kissinger’s view -Lyndon B. Johnson -Timing -Conditions -Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] -DMZ -Violations -Korea -US troops -Results -North Vietnam’s delays -Settlement agreement -Breakdown in talks -US deadline -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Kissinger’s view -US bombing south of 20th Parallel -Compared to bombing north of 20th Parallel -Hanoi -Haiphong -Breakdown -Kissinger’s return -Reassessment of positions -US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Hanoi, Haiphong -Announcement -TV -Public opinion -Washington, DC -Escalation -October 1972 -“Doves” -Settlement agreement -Haig’s conversation with Kissinger -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Haig’s meeting with Agnew -Duration -Agnew’s view -[Nguyen Van Thieu] -Bilateral deal -Charles Whitehouse -Arrival from Saigon -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Thieu -US support -Violations -US retaliation -Plans -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Agnew’s view -Thieu -US support -US political climate -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Whitehouse -Return from Saigon -Conversation with Haig -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Thieu -Kissinger -Bunker -Thieu -The President’s meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc -Possible meeting with the President -Announcement -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Bunker’s view -Kissinger’s view -Kissinger’s relationship with Thieu -Others’ views of Kissinger -Wiretaps -Haig’s possible trip to Saigon -Whitehouse’s view -Bunker -Whitehouse’s view -Haig’s relationship with Thieu -Relationship with Haig -Press relations -Left wing -Bunker’s forthcoming answer -Timing -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Possible appearance -Whitehouse -Breakdown -Kissinger’s view -Civil War -Korea -Kissinger’s possible trip to Hanoi -The President’s conversation with Kissinger -North and South Vietnam -Haig’s conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Kissinger -North Vietnam -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Instructions -Forthcoming meetings -Settlement agreement -US position -US bombing -Cessation -Timing -1972 election -Kissinger’s memoranda -The President’s view -Deadlines -1972 election -Chou En-lai -Concessions -Kissinger’s view -Recent history -Kissinger’s meetings -October 8, 1972 -October 12, 1972 -Paris -Hanoi -Saigon -Paris -October 26, 1972 -Compared to October 8 or 11-12, 1972 -Hanoi -Statement -Settlement agreement -Thieu -Changes -October 8, 1972 – October 26, 1972 -October 26, 1972 -Paris -North Vietnamese demands -Prisoners of War [POWs] -DMZ -December 4, 1972 to the present -DMZ -Phrase -Technicians -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Tone -DMZ -Technicalities -December 12, 1972 -DMZ -Message for Dobrynin -Transmittal -Washington, DC -Moscow -Hanoi -Paris -Timing -Thieu -Haig’s and Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Bunker’s view -The President’s meeting with Duc -US-South Vietnam relations -US aid -Removal -Whitehouse -Bunker -Ultimatum -“Hawks” -Battle plan -The President’s possible meeting with Thieu -The President’s schedule -Haig’s schedule -Agnew’s schedule -Hanoi -Kissinger’s schedule -Seoul -Meeting with the President -Paris -Haig -Thieu -William H. Sullivan -Hanoi -Saigon -Seoul -Sullivan -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) -Saigon -Thieu -Hanoi -Return to Washington, DC -Timing -Settlement agreement -Announcement -Prisoners of War [POWs] -Return -Nelson A. Rockefeller’s office’s telephone call -Businessmen, Congressmen -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope -Timing -Announcement -US-Soviet Union relations -US bombing -Tactics -Tone -South Vietnam’s military actions -Whitehouse -Performance -Thieu -US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Hanoi -Targets -Railroads -Breakdown -“Recess” -Christmas -Resumption -Settlement agreement -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s [Shah of Iran] view An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:20 pm. The President’s schedule -Meeting with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:55 pm. -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-8 (cont’d) Vietnam negotiations -Settlement agreement -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Shah’s view -US public opinion -Casualites, draft -US position -Tone -US bombing north of 20th Parallel -North Vietnam’s interest Haig left at 4:55 pm.