Conversation: 549-007
Prev:  549-006 Next: 549-008Start Date: 28-Jul-1971 10:20 AM
End Date: 28-Jul-1971 11:16 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:56:54
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:54:29
NARA Description:
On July 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:20 am to 11:16 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 549-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 549-7 Date: July 28, 1971 Time: 10:20 am - 11:16 am Location: Oval Office Conv. No. 549-4 (cont.) The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. The President's schedule -American Legion Boy's Nation group -Response -Press coverage -Number, type of events -Congressional event -Youth, military -Newport, West Point, Camp Pendleton -Meeting with Boy's Nation group -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] -American Legion -Robert Volk -John N. Mitchell -Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld Personnel and staff changes -Finch -Future -Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP] -National Security Council [NSC] -Departure from White House staff -Role -Perception -California -Handling -Narrow compared with broad scope -Events -Leonard K. Firestone -Acceptance of OEP job -Staff -George L. Grassmuck 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Frederic V. Malek -Assistant -Darrell M. Trent -Leonard Garment -Rumsfeld -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] -Mexico -Comparison with Finch -Role in White House or in campaign -Finch -OEP job -Perceptions -NSC Henry A. Kissinger entered at 10:29 am. James B. ("Scotty") Reston -Article about the People's Republic of China [PRC] -Reston's trip -Kissinger's trip to the PRC -Request to interview Chou En-lai, other leaders -Anecdote about appendicitis attack PRC -Trip by J. William Fulbright, Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] news report -Withdrawal of proposal -Kissinger -Chou En-lai -US-PRC relations -Motivations -Joseph W. Alsop -1972 Presidential election -Communism -William Atwood -Chou En-lai -The President -PRC-Soviet Union relations -PRC reaction -Air raid shelter construction -Marshal Yeh Chien-Ying’s comments -Perceptions 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -President’s past comments -Charles A.J.M. Degaulle, Konrad Adenauer, Winston S. Churchill -The Soviet Union -The President's trip around the World -Foreign Minister of India -The Soviet Union -Hugh S. Sidey's letter to Kissinger -Role of the President and Kissinger Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) -The PRC initiative -Editorial changes in article -Reasons Kissinger left at 10:38 am. The PRC -Press coverage -Article by Sidey -Kissinger's presentation of foreign policy roles -Time-Life -Presentation of foreign policy roles -The President -Kissinger -William P. Rogers -Attitude Kissinger entered at 10:39 am. The PRC -Sidey article -Foreign policy role -Editorial change -Responsibility -Public perception -The President -Time-Life's attitude -Sidey's article -New York Post article -Roles of the President, Kissinger -Fulbright's call to Kissinger -Invitation -Foreign policy handling -Fulbright 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -War Powers Act -Accountability Foreign policy -Dean G. Acheson -Forthcoming testimony -Senate Foreign Relations Committee -Liberals Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) -Joseph R. McCarthy -Democratic Party -Compared to Moroccan birthday party -War Powers Act -Possible Congressional action -Clark MacGregor -Fulbright -Response -Charles W. Colson -New York Times -John P. Roche -Column -Brandeis University researcher's book -Press coverage analysis -1967 to present -Sidey -Newsweek article about PRC policy -Henry Hubbard -Meeting with Ronald L. Ziegler -Newsweek -Time -Kennedy -Reaction to the PRC initiative -Reasons The PRC initiative -Expectations -Press coverage -The PRC’s stance -The Vietnam War -PRC Summit -Timing -Vietnam -Reaction by Republicans 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Speculation or silence -Congressional leaders -Kissinger's return trip in October -Communique -The Press -Predictions, reactions -Summit comparison Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) White House-Congressional relations -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield's resolution -Congressional leaders -View of White House meetings -Republicans -1953-54 meetings with President Dwight D. Eisenhower -Hugh Scott -Ziegler The PRC initiative -Effect on the Cabinet -Rogers -Melvin R. Laird -Conversation with Kissinger ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8 [Privacy] [Duration: 4s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8 ****************************************************************************** -Effect of initiative on 1972 election -Post-1972 Cabinet changes -Economy -Defense Department contracts -Focus, handling -George P. Shultz 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger -Shultz's view -July 24, 1971 budget meeting -Family Assistance Program, Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO] -John D. Ehrlichman -Effect on unemployment -The President’s, Kissinger’s position Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) -Congress’ perception -Kissinger’s stance among liberals -Strategy Japan -David M. Kennedy -Textile issue -Eisaku Sato -Cancellation of September meeting -Trade relations -Balance of payments ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6 [National Security] [Duration: 26s ] JAPAN END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6 ****************************************************************************** -Laird's speech -Emperor Hirohito -Schedule -Ziegler -U. Alexis Johnson, Nobuhiko Ushiba -Nobusuke Kishi's trip 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9 [National Security] [Duration: 20s ] Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) JAPAN END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9 ****************************************************************************** -Scheduling -Announcement -The 1953 trip to Japan The PRC initiative -The press -Possible outcomes -Renunciation of force -Accidental War agreement -Cultural exchange -Release of Prisoners of War [POWs] -Supporter’s reaction Theodore H. White Schedule Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:16 am. The PRC initiative -White -Books about the presidency -Briefing by Kissinger -Press attitude -Inclusion on trip 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Kissinger's October trip -The President's summit trip -Stance Vietnam -Possible settlement of war -Haldeman’s view -Secret negotiations -POWs Conv. No. 549-7 (cont.) -Reduction of US military force -Effect -Timing -Negotiating tactics -US troop strength -Sustaining military force -Le Duc Tho -Political and military situation -Nguyen Van Thieu -Duong Van Minh -Military situation -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Laos (Lam Son) -US domestic critics -The PRC -Madame Binh's Seven Points -Le Duc Tho The PRC initiative -Haldeman’s view -Reaction of supporters -Edward Kennedy -Expectations -Recognition -Chou En-lai -Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC] -The Vatican -Vietnam War Kissinger left at 11:16 am. 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08)