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Conversation: 449-011

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Start Date: 21-Sep-1971 12:25 PM

End Date: 21-Sep-1971 12:34 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)BeLieu, Kenneth E.Timmons, William E.White House photographerMacGregor, Clark

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:17:13

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:28:27

NARA Description:

On September 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Kenneth E. BeLieu, William E. Timmons, White House photographer, and Clark MacGregor met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 12:34 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 449-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 449-11

Date: September 21, 1971
Time: 12:25 pm - 12:34 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Kenneth E. BeLieu, William E. Timmons, Clark MacGregor; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings

     Photograph

     BeLieu
          -Career
               -Diplomats
          -Washington Post story
               -Army
          -BeLieu's new position
               -Undersecretary of the Army
          -Army
               -Problems
                     -Management
                     -Military
                                         17

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 449-11 (cont.)


                -Congress
          -Previous job
                -Deputy assistant to the President for Congressional Relations
                -Congress
                -MacGregor, Timmons
                -Federal agencies
          -Congressional votes on defense
                -Cooperative effort
                -MacGregor
                -Timmons
     -Swearing-in ceremony
          -Date
          -Time
          -The President's attendance
          -Location
                -Pentagon
                      -Melvin R. Laird's office
     -Loyalty to the President
          -Laird
          -Timmons
          -MacGregor
          -Relations with the President
     -BeLieu's new job
          -Qualifications
     -Margaret Chase Smith
          -Speech
          -Relations with the administration

Defense
     -Army
          -Importance to nation
     -BeLieu's new job
          -Support for military services
                -BeLieu
          -Support for the country
          -New office
                -Location in the Pentagon

BeLieu's career
     -Active military service
     -BeLieu's acquaintances in the services
                                 18

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 449-11 (cont.)


     -Fred C. Weyand
           -Korea
           -Congressional relations for the Army
           -Dwight D. Eisenhower
           -John F. Kennedy
     -Joe Kelly, United States Air Force
           -John S. McCain, Jr.
     -Weyand
           -Richard B. Russell
           -Henry Cabot Lodge
                 -Paris
           -Father
                 -Policeman
                 -Berkeley, California
           -Successor to Gen. William C. Westmoreland
     -Westmoreland
           -Present tour of duty
           -John C. Stennis
                 -Speech in Congress
                       -Edward W. Brooke
                       -Credibility
           -Possible actions
                 -Reflection on Vietnam
     -Possible successor
-BeLieu's responsibility
     -Laird
     -Robert F. Froehlke
     -Candidates [Chiefs of Staff]
     -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
           -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
           -Senior branches
                 -Army
                 -Air Force
-Chiefs of Staff
     -Gen. John D. Ryan
     -Westmoreland
     -Chief of Naval Operations
           -Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
     -Moorer
           -Navy experience
           -Robert S. McNamara
                                               19

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 449-11 (cont.)


          -William Raymond Peers
                -Military career
                      -Vietnam
                -Acquaintance with BeLieu
                      -1940
                -Relations with MacGregor
                      -Commanding officer
                            -World War II
                -Southern California
                -University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]
                      -Reserve Officers Training Corps [ROTC]
                -Military service
                      -Korea
          -BeLieu's responsibility
                -Selection of Westmoreland's successor
                      -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
                            -Qualifications

     Presidential gifts
          -Cost
          -BeLieu's son
          -Compact
                -BeLieu's wife

     Vote on military service draft extension
          -MacGregor
               -New York City
               -Chicago
                      -President’s representative at Citizenship Day
               -Timmons

     BeLieu
          -Work
              -Senate
                   -Draft
                   -Volunteer Army
                   -Draft bill

BeLieu, Timmons, and MacGregor left at 12:34 pm.
                                              20

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 449-11 (cont.)