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Conversation: 639-025

Prev:  639-024 Next: 639-026

Start Date: 18-Dec-1971 5:03 PM

End Date: 18-Dec-1971 6:35 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Schecter, Jerrold L.Sidey, Hugh S.Donovan, Hedley W.Grunwald, Henry A.White House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:22:17

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:54:12

639a.mp3

639b.mp3

639c.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Jerrold L. Schecter, Hugh S. Sidey, Hedley W. Donovan, Henry A. Grunwald, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:03 pm to 6:35 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 639-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 639-25

Date: December 19, 1971
Time: 5:03 pm - 6:35 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Jerrold L. Schecter, Hugh S. Sidey, Hedley W. Donovan, and Henry A.
Grunwald; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     General conversation
                                          27

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)



The President’s term
     -Appraisal
          -Franklin D. Roosevelt
          -War
          -January 1969
                 -US economy

Vietnam
     -US role

Middle East

New York City

Vietnam

1969
       -Historical context

People's Republic of China [PRC]
     -Communication with US

Vietnam

US world role
    -Protector

Domestic issues
    -Economic policy
          -Inflation
          -Housing
          -Future price rises
                -Comparison to 1971
          -Jobs
          -Inflation
    -Monetary policy
          -Meeting with Europeans
          -Convertibility of the dollar [?]
    -Environment
    -Drugs
                                       28

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


     -Revenue sharing
     -Welfare
          -Work requirements
     -Health
     -Government reorganization

Decisions made by the President
     -PRC overture
          -Importance
     -Economic policy
          -Inflation
                -Jobs
          -International monetary crisis
                -US role
          -Free market economy
                -American economy
                      -Probable outlook
                           -Phase II
          -Predictions for 1972 economy
          -Controls
          -Confidence
          -Inflation
          -Wage-price controls
                -Support of US citizens
                      -Importance
                           -Success of controls
                -Inflation
                -Decontrol
          -American people
                -Commitment to control inflation

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]-US relations
    -Upcoming summit
          -Berlin
          -Seabeds
          -Biological and accidental war
          -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
          -South Asia
          -Middle East
    -President’s upcoming trip to PRC
    -South Asia
                                             29

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


          -India-Pakistan conflict
                -Ceasefire
          -Areas of agreement between US and USSR
                -Berlin
                -Leonid I. Brezhnev
                -Arms control

    India-Pakistan conflict
          -India operations in East Pakistan and West Pakistan
                -Strategy
                      -Reports
          -[Unintelligible]
          -US role


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 3m 38s ]


    INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


    PRC
          -Henry A. Kissinger
          -Brezhnev

    US foreign policy
         -Thought and care exercised
         -PRC trip
              -Purpose
         -USSR trip
              -Purpose
         -Long-term
                                        30

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)



Upcoming election
    -Foreign and domestic policy
          -Fulfillment of objectives
    -Congress
          -Democratic majority
    -President's plans
          -Opposition candidates
          -Involvement in issues
                -PRC
                -USSR
                -Vietnam
                      -Successful conclusion
                -Domestic programs
                      -Revenue sharing
                      -Welfare reform
                      -Tax reform
    -Spiro T. Agnew
          -Expression of support
                -Praise for Agnew
    -Democrats' nominee
          -President’s opinion
    -Past elections
          -Franklin D. Roosevelt
          -Dwight D. Eisenhower
          -Lyndon B. Johnson
          -Majority president
          -John F. Kennedy
    -Democrats' nominee
          -Potential candidates
                -Issues
                      -Vietnam
                      -Economy
                      -Cities
                      -Youth
                      -Race relations
                      -Vietnam

Vietnam
     -End of war
          -Understanding
                                          31

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


           -Historical view
                -Possible outcome
                       -USSR
                       -PRC

US-USSR relations
    -Middle East
         -Israel
         -Oil
         -Africa
    -South Asia
    -Cambodia
    -Laos
    -PRC
    -Summit meeting
         -Need for peace
         -Differences

US-PRC relations
    -Possible future of relations
    -Vietnam
    -Korea
    -Japan
         -Power
    -PRC

Need for charismatic leader
     -Types of leaders
           -Characteristics
     -Need for experience

President's administration
     -Type of leadership
     -President's style
     -Need for confidence in leadership
     -PRC and USSR announcements
     -The President’s August 15, 1971 speech
     -PRC announcement
     -Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
     -Vitality and style
     -Mood of US citizens
                                            32

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


      -Expectations of US citizens
            -Vietnam
            -World leadership position
      -President’s opinion
            -Recent past
                 -Lyndon B. Johnson
                 -Vietnam
                 -Drugs
                 -Violence in cities
      -US economy
            -Effect of end of Vietnam war

PRC

USSR

Economic policy

Revenue sharing

Government reorganization

Expectations for coming year
    -Pride in US foreign policy
          -Middle East
    -Importance of US leadership role
          -US position in the world
    -Domestic issues
          -Housing
          -Busing
                 -Boston
          -Segregation
    -“Quiet revolution”

US world role
    -Historic precedence
    -Expression of confidence
    -Peace possibilities
    -World War II
    -Dwight D. Eisenhower
    -John F. Kennedy
                                          33

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                           Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


           -“Seize the moment” philosophy

US relations with USSR and PRC
     -Strategy
     -Importance of PRC
     -Nuclear war
           -Global effects
           -Horrors
           -Prospects for confrontation
                 -Japan
     -Need for leadership
     -Competition
     -Cooperation
           -[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
           -UN
                 -Times of peace
     -US and European power
           -Britain
           -France
           -Germany
     -USSR
     -PRC
           -Potential power
     -Japan
     -Latin America
           -Brazil
     -Africa
           -Potential power
     -South Asia
     -Need for balance of power
           -Europe, Japan

Presidency
     -Power
     -Motives
           -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
                -Maturity of political figures
     -Bureaucracy
     -Press
     -Enjoyment of the job
           -Relations with Congress
                                                 34

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 639-25 (cont.)


                   -Opportunity for leadership
                       -World peace
                       -Progress

      Christmas decorations
           -Number
           -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon [?]

      [General conversation]
           -Walter H. Annenberg's gift
                 -“Star of the President”

      President's schedule
           -Bermuda

      Gifts
              -Money clips

      [General conversation]

Schecter, et al. left at 6:35 pm.