Conversation: 385-027
Prev:  385-026 Next: 385-028Start Date: 13-Dec-1972 10:03 AM
End Date: 13-Dec-1972 10:50 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On December 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:03 am to 10:50 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 385-027 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 385-27 Date: December 13, 1972 Time: 10:03 am - 10:50 am Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. Vietnam negotiations -Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule -Arrival -Timing -Meeting -Duration -Meetings -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Detail -Protocol -Breakdown -Kissinger’s mood -Settlement agreement -South Vietnam’s acceptance -Nguyen Van Thieu -US withdrawal -Political contests -Kissinger’s press relations -Conversation with John F. Osborne -Judgment -Osborne -New Republic -Haig’s conversations with Kissinger -Telephone calls -Haig’s handling -The President’s press relations -Recent past -Kissinger’s emotions -Tactics -Kissinger -Procedures -Review -Record -Speeches -Record -Limited number of points -Briefings -Congressional relations -US bombing south of 20 (18 and 19th) Parallel th th -B-52s -Effect -Kissinger’s view -Compared to Robert S. McNamara’s, Lyndon B. Johnson’s views -Reseeding of mines -Reconnaissance -Effect -US bombing south of 20th Parallel -41- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Reaction -Compared to US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Hanoi -Military plans -Leak -Three day airstrike -Bombing targets -Power plants -Contingency plans -US-North Vietnam bilateral deal -North Vietnam’s position -Cut off of aid to South Vietnam -Withdrawal of civilians -Politics -Thieu -Madame Nguyen Thi Binh -Prisoners of War [POWs] -South Vietnam -Meeting in Paris -Kissinger -Thieu -William J. Porter -South Vietnamese cable to Thieu -US position -US-North Vietnam bilateral deal -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Haig’s view -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Thieu -Timing -Kissinger’s schedule -Arrival -Meeting with the President -Time -Status -Settlement agreement -Antaoliy F. Dobrynin -Kissinger’s schedule -Notes -US position -42- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Conversation with Haig -Talking points -Letter -Backgrounder -US bombing of North Vietnam -Tone -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Timing -Thieu An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 10:03 am. Delivery of a package The unknown man left at an unknown time before 10:50 am. Vietnam negotiations -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Alternative -US-North Vietnam bilateral deal -Kissinger -Thieu -Congressional relations -Cut off of US aid to South Vietnam -Kissinger’s press relations -Photograph in newspaper -Smiling -Effect -Kissinger’s schedule -Public appearances -Marvin L. Kalb -Osborne -Paris -Thieu -Leonid I. Brezhnev -Settlement agreement -Signing -Thieu -The President’s possible television [TV] appearance -Reports -43- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Communists -Statements -Tone -Leaks -US position -Peace terms -Thieu -Congressional relations -US aid to South Vietnam -Settlement agreement -Wording -“Sovereignty,” “administrative,” “structure” -Principle -South Vietnam sovereignty -North Vietnam -Unilateral statement -Congressional relations -Kissinger’s press relations -Wording of agreement -Settlement agreement -Enforcement -US military options -North Vietnamese provocation -Kissinger’s press relations -Smiling photographs -Leaks -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston -New York Times article -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Thieu -“Hawks -Congressional relations -US-North Vietnam bilateral deal -Positions -Issues -US-North Vietnam bilateral deal -Breakdown -Kissinger -The President’s possible TV appearance -Credibility -44- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -North Vietnam’s delays -Status -Kissinger’s view -Settlement agreement -Haig’s view -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Advantage -Right wing -Thieu -Paris -Leaks to North Vietnamese -Embassy buggings -Thieu’s office -Kissinger -Infiltration -The President’s meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc -North Vietnam’s delays -The President’s message to Kissinger -North Vietnam’s intransigence -Congressional relations -US aid to South Vietnam -Military plan -The President’s view -Reseeding of mines -Timing -Kissinger -Reconnaissance -20th Parallel -US bombing of North Vietnam -Scale -Reseeding of mines -Press relations -20th Parallel -Three day strike -Kissinger -Reseeding of mines -Reconnaissance -South of 20th Parallel -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Leaks to North Vietnamese -45- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Bunker’s view -William P. Rogers -Melvin R. Laird -Haig’s conversations with Rogers -Haig’s conversation with Laird -Settlement agreement -Bunker’s view -Rogers -Timing -US bombing of North Vietnam -Thieu -US leverage with North Vietnam -Thieu -Prestige -Emotions -Kissinger’s schedule -Arrival -Meeting with the President -Options -Thieu -US-South Vietnamese relations -North Vietnam’s view -Relations with Kissinger -Tone of meetings -Backup US positions -Settlement agreement -Signing -Settlement agreement -Kissinger’s plan -US signing -Announcement -South Vietnam’s signing -South Vietnam’s signing -Pressure of Thieu -Options -Rejection -Acceptance -Abidance -Rejection by Thieu -Effect -46- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Overthrow of Thieu -Caretaker -Ngo Dinh Diem -South Vietnam’s public opinion -Bui Diem’s view -Cease-fire -Thieu’s speech at National Assembly -Reaction -Analysis -Tone -State Department -Language intention -Reseeding of mines -Reconnaissance -Kissinger’s schedule -Settlement agreement -US bombing south of 20th Parallel -Effect -Vinh, North Vietnam -Laos -Air Force -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -The President’s, Kissinger’s and Haig’s possible conversation with Agnew -Talking points -Options -Contingency plans -Speeches -Thieu’s press relations -Agnew -Meeting -North Vietnamese -Delays -Kissinger’s schedule -Arrival -Kissinger’s press relations -Haig’s conversation with Kissinger -State Department -White House -Effect -47- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. July-08) Conversation No. 385-27 (cont’d) -Public perceptions -Oriana Fallaci interviews Haig left at 10:50 am.