Conversation: 670-013
Prev: 670-012 Next: 670-014Start Date: 14-Feb-1972 1:04 PM
End Date: 14-Feb-1972 2:25 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Kissinger, Henry A.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:22:46
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:46:23
NARA Description:
On February 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:04 pm to 2:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 670-013 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 670-13
Date: February 14, 1972
Time: 1:04 pm - 2:25 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Monday
-Recent issue
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower [?]
-The President’s Vietnam peace plan
-Democrats
-Vietnam
-Edmund S. Muskie statements form 1968
-Peace talks
-Possible endangerment
-Chicago
-John A. Scali
-The President’s 1968 statement
Julie Eisenhower [?]
Attorney General’s [John N. Mitchell] resignation
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 1:04 pm.
Item
-Delivery to residence
-Thelma C. (“Pat”’) Nixon
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 1:27 pm.
Ronald L. Ziegler
Portraits
-Autographs
-Rose Mary Woods
-Older photographs
-Milling
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-View
-Family
-Serious
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Candid shots
Press
-Forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Ziegler
-Meeting with the President
-Possible movie shown to the press
-News
-Hawaii
-Movie
-The President’s briefing
-Contents of movie
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Inclusion
-Ziegler’s concern
-Stories
-Pressure on the press corps
-Hawaii
-Ziegler
-Concern
Kissinger
-Talk with Haldeman
-Scali
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Briefing books
-Mrs. Nixon
-Press
-Ziegler
-Chinese
-Questions to Mrs. Nixon
-President’s instructions
-Brief
-Kissinger
-Sending a briefing book to Mrs. Nixon
-Instructions to Haldeman
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Guiding points and suggestions
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Questions and answers [Q&A]
-Things to be said in contrast to things not to be said
-Kissinger
-Buchanan
-Press conference
-Guiding points
-Length
-Kissinger
-Ziegler
-Scali
-Kissinger
-Examination
Ambassadors
-Joseph S. Farland
-Kissinger
-Martin J. Hillenbrand
-West Germany
-Kissinger
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Hillenbrand
-Kissinger
-Possible rejection
-Foreign Service
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-President’s support of Hillenbrand
-William H. Sullivan
-Iran
Press
-PRC trip
-Movie
-Briefing
-Kissinger
-Advance stories
-Ziegler
-Movie narration
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Instructions
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Chinese
-Chou En-lai
-Haig
-Ziegler
-Press
-Decision
Andre Malraux dinner
-Unknown person’s location
-Williamsburg
-Substitute
-Scali
-Kissinger
-Arrival of Howard K. Smith
-Book
-Unknown person’s age
[No conversation]
Herbert Stein speech
-Distribution
-Clark MacGregor
-Senate
John N. Mitchell resignation
-Talk with the President
-Timing
-Politics
-Haldeman’s previous conversation with Mitchell
-Statements
-Timing
-Story
-Announcement of resignation
-Date
-Statement
-Justice Department
-Nominations
-White House
-Nominations
-Mitchell’s instructions
-The President’s answering letter
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-The President’s handwritten note
-Not for the public
-Staff note
-Contents
-Law enforcement
-Respect for the law
-The President’s handwritten note
-Handwritten note
-John W. Dean, III
-John D. Ehrlichman
Kissinger entered at 1:27 pm.
North Vietnamese
-Lunch
-Timing
-Scheduling
Vietnam negotiations
-Offensive
-Note
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-Re-election of the President
-Peking
-Kissinger’s view
-Moscow Summit
-Peking
-Moscow Summit
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Letter to the President
-North Vietnamese
-Settlement
-Re-election of the President
-Timing
-Haldeman Statements
-Attack on domestic opponents
-Effect on Hanoi
-Air power
-Movements
-Numbers
-Aircraft carriers
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Movements
-Numbers
-Location
-North Vietnamese
-Lunch
-Significance
-Requirements
-Future meetings
-Possible ulterior motives
-Possible end to air strikes
-Air strikes
-Possible end
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-PRC trip
-Return
-Report to nation
-Lunch
-Purpose
-Possibility of air strikes
-Meetings
-Cancellation
-US conditions
-Versailles conference
-December 1971 air strikes
-Effectiveness
-Air Force [USAF]
-Effect of bombing
-France
-Casualties
-Peking and Moscow
-North Vietnamese fear
-Détente
-Chou En-lai
-PRC
-Hard stance
-India-Pakistan War
-Soviets
-Chou En-lai
-Previous conversation with Kissinger
-Mao Tse-tung
-Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-North Vietnamese
-Troop withdrawal
-Political condition
-PRC
-Issues
-Seven Points
-Lack of help for the North Vietnamese
-The President’s July 15, 1971 announcement
-Kissinger visit
-Press
-Peking
-Pham Van Dong’s statements
-Le Duc Tho
-Kissinger meeting
-Soviets
-Possible meeting
-Moscow
-Hanoi
-Paris
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Timing
-Moscow meeting
-Hanoi
-Deadlines
-“State of the World” report
Press
-Time and Newsweek
-“State of the World” report
-Publicity
-PRC
Howard R. Hughes biography
-Time magazine cover
-The President
-Hughes
-Kissinger’s request
-Cover
-Hughes
-Noah Dietrich’s book
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-John Phelan
-Clifford Irving
-Edith Irving
-Money
-Amount
-Swiss banks
-Literary agent
-Phelan
Vietnam negotiations
-North Vietnamese
-Press
-Headlines
-Soviet trip
-Moscow Summit
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement
-Trade agreement
-Middle East agreement
-Seven agreements
-Dobrynin
-Scientific exchange
-Environmental exchange
-Space
-Health
-Announcement
-Timing
PRC trip
-Ziegler and Kissinger
-Press
-Possible discontent
-Stories
-Communiqué
-Cultural and economic principles
-Importance
-Renunciation of force
-Briefing book
-Background material
-Peking
-Shanghai
-Ziegler
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Press
-William P. Rogers
-Marshall Greene
-Kissinger
-Ziegler
-Kissinger’s talks with press
-Daily briefings
-Ziegler
-PRC move
-Importance
-Soviets
-Discipline
-Kissinger’s talks with the press
-Ziegler
-Arrival
-Communiqué
-Mao Tse-tung
-Upcoming meeting
-Pictures
-Great Wall
-Forbidden City
-Banquet
-Television
-Opera
-News stories
-Mao Tse-tung
-Abundance of news stories from PRC trip
North Vietnamese
-Significance
-Kissinger and the President
-PRC
-Soviets
-Malraux
-Soviets
-[Anti-Memoirs]
-Mao Tse-tung
-Fate of wife
-Chiang Kai-Shek
-Meeting
-Nationalists
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Secret talks
-Meetings
-Le Duc Tho
-Pairs
-Public
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Democrats
-Muskie
-Credit
-North Vietnamese request for meeting
-Lunch
-Length of previous meetings
-Organization of previous meetings
-Symbolism
-Le Duc Tho
-Arrangement
-Productivity of meetings
-Agreement
-Six out of eight points
-Settlement
-Democrats
-Two points contested
-Possible benefits of lunch
-Offer
-Kissinger
-Settlement
-Demonstrations
-Timing
-Secret meetings
-Demonstrations
-Probable advantage for the Administration
-Democrats
-Settlement
-Possible offer
-Paris
-Kissinger
-Possible outcome
-Le Duc Tho
-Revelation of secret meetings
-Lunch
-Uniqueness
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-North Vietnamese sensibilities
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-1968
-Attitude
-The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
-December 1971
-Bombing
-Publicity
-Military force
-News conference
-The President’s statements
-Hard line
-Compared to flexible line
-Summits
-Soviets
-Offensive
-Letters
-Chou En-Lai
-Brezhnev
-Copy of the President’s January 25, 1972 speech
-Bombing
-Psychological reasons
-South Vietnam
-Possible air strikes
-Communists
-PRC
-Handling
PRC
-Announcement
-Trade
-Dobrynin
-Trade negotiations
-Announcement
-Agriculture
-The President’s approval
-Moscow
-Announcement prior to PRC trip
-Possible March trip by US delegation
-Peter G. Peterson
-Maurice H. Stans
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Compared to Peterson
-Publicity
-Summit
-Grain deal
-Agricultural representative
-Peterson
-More restrictive viewpoint
-Stans
-Earl L. Butz
-Inclusion
-[J. Philip Campbell]
-Political asset
-Markets for US farmers
-Peterson
-Butz
-Kissinger recommendation
-Dobrynin
-Talk with Kissinger
-Foreign trade ministry
-Peterson
-Butz
-Lunch with Kissinger
-Timing
-Flanigan
-Possible advantages of Moscow trip
-Butz
-Peterson
-Peterson
-Kissinger’s view
-Announcement
-Timing
-PRC trip
-Importance
Ambassadors
-West Germany
-[Forename unknown] Hagerty
-Rogers
-Questions
-Hillenbrand
-Rush’s view
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Berlin agreement
-Background
-Training
-Foreign Service
-Soviets
-Rogers
-Germany
-Joseph F. Farland
-Availability
-Pakistan
-Bhutto
-Hillenbrand
-Possible replacement
-Second term
-Assistant Secretary Post
-Vacant
-Administration’s choice
-Flanigan
-Hagerty
-Richard M. Paget
-Rejection of post
North Vietnamese
-Clark M. Clifford
-Democrats
-Offer
-Democrats
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Concessions
-North Vietnamese peace plan
-Meeting
-Uniqueness of present situation
-Previous negotiations
-Negotiations
-Delegation of senators
-Administration’s plan
-Possible settlement
-Date
-Administration’s plan
-Clifford
-Press Corps
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Ziegler
-President’s opinion
-Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Article on negotiations
-Tone
-Re-election of the President
-Dobrynin
-Question to Kissinger
-Keeping agreement
-Agreement
-Possible offensive
-Delay
-Bombing
-Saving US, South Vietnamese lives
-Credit to the Administration
-Chances for a settlement
-Private meetings
India
-PRC trip
-Rogers
-Wire
-Views
-Return from PRC trip
-Pakistan
-Upcoming meeting
Kissinger left at 2:18 pm.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting
-Sladeddine El Goulli
-Timing
-PRC trip
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Meeting
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Importance
-Leaders breakfast
-Agnew
-Meeting
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)
-Breakfast
-Goldwater
-Timing
-Arthur F. Burns
-Weekly dinners
-Businessmen
-Number
-Ehrlichman
-John B. Connally
-Participation
-Peterson
-Maurice H. Stans
-Donald H. Rumsfeld’s view
-Dr. Franklin D. Murphy
-Connally
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Question and answer [Q&A] sessions
-Black tie
Connally
-Tenure
-Idanell B. (“Nellie”) Connally
-Texas, Mexico
-Interests
-Nellie Connally
-Administration contacts
-Washington, DC
-Texas
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Florida
-Texas
-Schedule
Forthcoming dinner for Malraux
-Leonard Garment
Haldeman left at 2:25 pm.
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-13 (cont.)