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Conversation: 470-008

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Start Date: 19-Mar-1971 11:45 AM

End Date: 19-Mar-1971 12:06 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.[Unknown person(s)]Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:38:13

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:59:16

470-008.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:45 am and 12:06 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 470-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 470-8

Date: March 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:45 am and 12:06 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger

     President’s schedule
          -John D. Ehrlichman
          -Charles W. Colson
          -Previous call to Admiral Thomas H. Moorer

     Laotian operation (Lam Son)
          -President’s March 22, 1971 Interview
          -Effect
          -Public statements
                -Administration position
          -Press reaction
                                  30

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 9/08)



-Kissinger’s comments
-Moorer
-Effect
      -Success
      -Memos to President
            -Howard K. Smith interview
      -Administration position
            -Justification
                  -Public comments
-B-52 strikes
      -Effect on North Vietnamese army
            -Casualties
            -Supplies
            -Raids
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
      -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
            -Withdrawal
                  -Reelection campaign
-President’s interview with Smith
      -President’s comments
            -ARVN withdrawal
-Withdrawal of ARVN
-North Vietnamese reaction
      -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-ARVN forces
      -Tchepone
      -Withdrawal
            -Logistics
                  -Potential problems
      -Offensive preparations
            -Effectiveness
      -Press coverage
      -President’s comments
            -Withdrawal
-Effect
      -Administration campaign
            -President’s interview with Smith
            -Possible backgrounder by Kissinger
      -North Vietnamese offensive actions
            -Effect on future actions
      -Possible negotiations
-President’s opponents
                                            31

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)



          -Thieu
               -Thieu’s actions
               -Tchepone
                     -Effect
          -Press coverage
               -Washington Post
                     -Moorer
                     -Kissinger’s assessment                  Conv. No. 470-8 (cont.)
          -Effect
               -[Forename unknown] Schultz [?]
               -North Vietnamese supplies and troops
                     -Food supplies
                          -Ammunition
               -Destruction of pipeline

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:45 am

     A delivery

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 12:06 pm

     Laotian operation (Lam Son)
          -Effect on North Vietnamese forces
               -Supplies
                     -Food
                     -Ammunition
                     -Weaponry
                           -Costs
                     -Defense Intelligence Agency [DIA]
                     -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
                           -Compared with Anti-ballistic Missiles [ABM] figures
                           -Sihanoukville [Kompong Som]
******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 11s ]


     INTELLIGENCE
                                             32

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************


                     -Decreases
         -Raids
               -ARVN                                             Conv. No. 470-8 (cont.)
                     -President’s opponents
         -Effect
               -Compared with Cambodia
               -US casualties
         -President’s troop withdrawal announcement
               -Numbers
                     -Positive public reaction
                     -Melvin R. Laird
                     -Effect
               -Laird and Kissinger
                     -A story in news summary
               -William P. Rogers
                     -Press Conference
                     -Call to President
               -Laird and Kissinger
                     -Purpose
               -President’s press conference statement
                     -Withdrawal rates
               -Laird and Kissinger
               -Numbers
                     -President’s position
                     -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
                           -Cambodia, Laos
         -US bombing
               -Timing
                     -Reasons
               -Kissinger’s talk with Moorer

    Sino-Soviet relations
         -Party Congress

    Vietnam
         -US troop withdrawals
              -Laird
                                             33

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



                -Numbers
                -Notice
                -Announcement
                -JCS, General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., Thieu, Moorer
                -Armed Services Committee
                -President’s possible successor
                -Timing
                -Numbers                                              Conv. No. 470-8 (cont.)
                      -Kissinger’s view
                      -Laird
                -Laird and Kissinger
                -President
                -Peace negotiations
                      -Timing
                            -President’s view
                      -Prisoners of War [POWs]
                      -Remaining troops
                            -Purpose
                            -Public opinion
                -Haig’s view
                -Numbers
                      -Timing
                            -President’s view
                            -California trip
                -Laird and Rogers
                -Moorer
                      -President’s previous conversation
                -Laird

     Soviet Union
          -Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
          -Berlin
                -Willy Brandt
                -People’s Republic of China [PRC]

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:45 am

     President’s schedule
          -Forthcoming signing ceremony
                -Mark I. Goode
                -Television coverage
                                               34

                               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 9/08)



Kissinger left at an unknown time before 12:06 pm

                 -Time

The President and Bull left at an unknown time before 12:06 pm


                                                                     Conv. No. 470-8 (cont.)