Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 395-015

Prev:  395-014 Next: 395-016

Start Date: 10-Jan-1973 4:30 PM

End Date: 10-Jan-1973 5:55 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haig, Alexander M., Jr.[Unknown person(s)]Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

395-015a.mp3

395-015b.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 10, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., unknown person(s), and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:30 pm to 5:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 395-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 395-15

Date: January 10, 1973
Time: Between 4:30 pm and 5:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Greetings

       Second-term reorganization
            -List of appointments

       Vietnam settlement
                                              -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                               Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

            -Message to Haig from Henry A. Kissinger
            -Gen. Creighton Abrams, Melvin R. Laird
            -Instruction for Haig’s response
            -Bombing

       Quotas
            -Problems
            -Change in executive order
            -Edward L. Morgan
            -Charles W. Colson [?]
            -John D. Ehrlichman
                  -J. Stanley Pottinger
                  -Patrick J. Buchanan
            -The President's position
                  -Elliot L. Richardson
            -Executive order
                  -Origin
                  -Change
                  -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
            -University of California faculty hiring
                  -Blacks

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Bombing
                 -Public opinion
                 -Press
                 -Necessity

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm.

       Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:55 pm.

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Kissinger's scenario
                   -Meeting with the President at Camp David
            -Settlement agreement
                   -Location for initialing ceremony
                   -Rogers
                                             -12-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                            Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

                       -Kissinger
                       -Congress
                 -Bombing suspension
                 -Congressional relations
                 -Haig’s trip to Saigon
            -Congressional relations
                 -Haig's conversation with Hugh Scott
                 -Response

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm.

       Quotas
            -Executive order
                  -Origin
                  -Lyndon B. Johnson
                  -Enforcement
                  -Pottinger
            -Pottinger
                  -Jews
                  -Campaign committee
                  -Richardson
            -Compared to affirmative action
            -New executive order
                  -Ehrlichman
                  -Buchanan
                  -The President's position
                        -Campaign statements
            -Compared to affirmative action
                  -Funds to universities
                        -Blacks
                  -Charles J. Hitch
                        -University of California
                        -Faculty hiring
                  -The President’s position

       -Second term reorganization
            -John N. Mitchell’s recommendations
                  -Donald A. Webster
                  -Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
            -Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] [?]
                                      -13-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                      Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

     -Webster
     -Mitchell
     -Ehrlichman [?]
     -Colson [?]
     -Engman
           -Timing
           -Compared to Webster
                 -Clients
                 -Tax returns
                 -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
           -Colson
           -Compared to Miles W. Kirpatrick [?]
                 -Ehrlichman
                 -Frederic V. Malek
           -Federal Trade Commission chairman [FTC]
           -Mitchell
           -Ehrlichman

Vietnam settlement
     -Signing of agreement
           -Haig
           -Kissinger
           -Location
     -Le Duc Tho
     -Haig’s trip to Saigon
           -Nguyen Van Thieu
     -Announcement
           -The President
           -Ronald L. Ziegler
           -Timing
                  -Initialing
                         -Kissinger
                  -The President’s television [TV] appearance
                  -Formal signing
           -Presidential statement
                  -Bombing
                  -Importance
           -Kissinger
     -Haig’s trip to Saigon
           -Timing
                                           -14-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                              Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

                  -Purpose
                  -Thieu
                       -The President’s position
                            -Best possible agreement
                            -Cooperation
                            -Haig’s opinion
                            -Cut off of aid
                            -Signing

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:40 pm.

       Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:55 pm.

       Vietnam settlement
            -Timing
                  -1973 Inauguration
            -Thieu's position
                  -The President's TV appearance
            -North Vietnam
            -Expectations
                  -William P. Rogers, Laird
            -Responsibility
                  -Kissinger
                  -The President
                  -Congress
                  -Press
            -North Vietnamese
            -Haig's trip to Saigon
            -Haig's responsibility
                  -Paris-Hanoi scenario [?]
                         -Congress [?]
                         -Bombing
                         -Saigon
            -Kissinger
            -Haig's trip to Saigon
                  -Duration
                  -Thieu
                  -Technical work
                                -15-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                 Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

-Timing
      -Kissinger's attendance at 1973 Inauguration
      -Haig's meeting with Thieu
      -Kissinger's Trip to Paris
             -1973 Inauguration
      -Tho
      -Announcement
             -Kissinger's role
             -Haig's meeting with Thieu
             -The President’s role
-North Vietnam
      -Final deal
             -Kissinger
-Thieu
      -Previous actions
      -Importance of Haig's Meeting
-Announcement (page 16)
      -Haig’s trip to Hanoi
      -Thieu
      -The President’s role
      -Ziegler
      -Kissinger’s trip to Paris
      -Initialing
      -The President's position
             -Kissinger
-Haig's trip to Saigon
      -Thieu’s cooperation
             -The President's role
      -Congressional Leaders [?]
      -Option 2
-The President's announcement
      -Television [TV]
      -Timing
      -1973 Inauguration
-Kissinger
      -Call to Joseph Kraft
             -Column by Kraft
             -Telephone logs
-Haig's trip to Saigon
-Kissinger's schedule
                                 -16-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                 Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

-The President’s announcement
       -Timing
       -Haig's trip to Saigon
       -Kissinger
       -Ziegler
       -Inaugural functions
              -Concert
       -Kissinger's response
       -Military action
              -Thieu
              -Bombing of North Vietnam
              -Prisoners of War [POWs]
       -Timing
       -Kissinger
       -Military action
-Signing
       -US position
       -Thieu's position
-The President’s announcement
       -Timing
              Leaks
              -1973 Inauguration
              -Kissinger’s “Peace is at hand” announcement
              -1972 election
              -Kissinger’s travel to Paris
-Signing
       -Timing
-Message to Thieu
       -Press relations
       -Congressional relations
       -Content
-Cease-fire
-Thieu
-Political situation
-Military situation
-Thieu
       -Cooperation
       -Pressure
              -Options
              -Influence of others
                              -17-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Dec.-09)

                                          Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

             -Haig’s trip to Saigon
                   -Four stars
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] Provision
       -Thieu
       -Compared to 1954 Geneva Accords
       -US Support for South Vietnam
-Thieu’s opposition
-Alternative scenario
-Symbolism
-Initiative
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Announcement
       -Length
       -Content
             -Cease-fire
             -Gratitude
       -Support for the President
-Kissinger’s travel to Paris
-Tho
-Thieu
-Announcement
       -Timing
             -Thieu
                   -Cooperation
             -1973 Inauguration
       -Kissinger’s travel to Paris
       -Thieu’s response
       -Haig’s travel
             -Cambodia
             -Vientienne
             -Bangkok
             -Seoul
       -Timing
       -Military action
       -Kissinger
       -1972 election
       -Haig’s schedule
             -Thieu
             -1973 Inauguration
             -Kissinger
                                             -18-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Dec.-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 395-15 (cont’d)

                   -Thieu’s response
                         -Options
                         -1973 Inauguration
                   -Kissinger’s schedule
                         -Paris
             -Haig's meeting with Thieu
                   -Congressional relations
                         -Edmund S. Muskie
                   -1973 Inauguration
                   -Expectations
                   -The President's support for South Vietnam
                   -Effect
                   -DMZ
                   -Timing
                   -Congressional leaders
                         -Schedule
                         -1973 Inauguration
             -Timing
             -Haig’s schedule

Haig left at 5:55 pm.

       John B. Connally [?]
            -Meeting

Haldeman left at 5:57 pm.