Conversation: 671-004
Prev: 671-003 Next: 671-005Start Date: 14-Feb-1972 6:30 PM
End Date: 14-Feb-1972 7:08 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Sanchez, Manolo; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Kissinger, Henry A.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:38:08
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:16:43
NARA Description:
On February 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:30 pm to 7:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 671-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 671-4
Date: February 14, 1972
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:08 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Manolo Sanchez and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Briefcase
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:33 pm.
Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Talk with George H. Gallup
-Poll
-Release
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Timing
-Outcome
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Eugene V. Risher
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 6:30 pm.
Henry A. Kissinger
-Summons to the Oval Office
Bull left at an unknown time before 6:33 pm.
Risher
-Speech
-Harvard Lincoln’s Inn Club
-Edward R.F. Cox
-Conservative views
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Press
-Bias concerning the President
-Ziegler
-Columns
-Backing off statements
-Frank Cormier
-Helen Thomas
Kissinger entered at 6:33 pm.
PRC
-Haldeman
-Rumsfeld
-Gallup
-School
-Weekly poll on February 4-6, 1972
-Presidential approval
-Percentage
-Release
-Previous polls
-Timing
-PRC trip
-Positive percentage
-Louis R. Harris
-War
-Poll
-Percentage
-Improvement
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Release
-Timing
-Polls
-North Vietnamese
-Chinese
-Poll watching
-Trip
-July 1971
-North Vietnamese
-Effect
-Gallup’s view
-Democrats
-Release
Vietnam
-The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
-Effect
-Administration [Opinion Research Corporation [ORC]] polls
-Compared to Gallup polls
-Telephone
-Percentages
-Effect
-Haldeman’s Today Show interview, February 7, 1972
-Haldeman
-Letters
-Wires
-Letters
-“Silent Majority”
-Comments from citizens
-John Birch Society
-Charles S. Rhyne
-Comments
-Defense against libel, slander
-President’s position
-Distortion
-North Vietnamese
-The President’s speech
-Haldeman
-The President’s press conference, February 10, 1972
-Effect
-William P. Rogers
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-The press
-Defense
-Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu
-Military
-US public support
-Congress
-Media
-Cabinet
PRC trip
-Rogers
-Meetings
-Rogers’ assistance
-Communiqué
-History
-Mao Tse-tung
-Rogers
-Formosa [Taiwan, Republic of China]
-Cultural
-Trade
-State Department
-Possible public impressions
-Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-Kissinger
-Prior trip
-Rogers
-Cultural agreement
-Hugh S. Sidey
-Story on Kissinger in Life
-The President’s actions
-Technical arrangements
-Perusal of statements
-Kissinger
-Previous visit to PRC
-Meetings with the President
-Vietnam
-PRC
-President’s meetings with Kissinger
-Press
-The President’s knowledge of events
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
Relationship with staff, Cabinet
-Compared to Eisenhower and John Foster Dulles
-State Department
-State Department
-Foreign policy
-Claims
-Credibility
-India- Pakistan War
-China policy
-Chinese
-Need for US support
-Andre Malraux
-Economic aid
-Economics
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-President’s analysis to the Chinese
-Agenda
-Kissinger talking paper
-USSR
-PRC
-Chou En-lai
-Meeting with President
-World situation
-Quick review
-Taiwan
-5 Points
-Vietnam
-Communiqué
-Treaty commitments
-World situation
-USSR
-India
-Southeast Asia
-US position
-Self interest
-Kissinger
-Protocol
-Translator
-Length of comments
-Recommended length
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Mao Tse-tung
-Opening plenary statement
-Reading by the President
-Importance
-Chou En-lai
-Notes
-Analysis
-Kissinger’s meeting with North Vietnamese
-Reparation
-Speaking
-Formality
-Order
-Plenary session
-Topics
-List
-Kissinger setup
-Previous visit
-Kissinger’s opinion
-Polls
-Rumsfeld
-Gallup
-Return call
-Release
-National interest
-Trip to USSR
-World history
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Impact of PRC trip
-1971
-Press coverage
-Haldeman’s trip to Doubleday book store
-Books on PRC
-Gallup
-Timing
-Haldeman interview
-Press conference
Vietnam
-Polls
-South Vietnam
-Bombing
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Possible public opinion
-North Vietnam
-Bombing
-Press
-Escalation of war
-Perception
-South Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Offensive
-Expectation of public and press
-Bombing
-Timing
-Kissinger’s reply to note
-PRC trip
-US arrival
-Impact
-North Vietnam targets
-Pleiku, Kontum
-Forbidden City
-Television
-Chinese
-Chou En-lai
PRC trip
-Interpreters
-Record
-Possible number
-State Department
-Rogers
-Record
-Summaries
-Previous meetings
-Translator
-Chinese
-State Department
-President’s request
-Official record
-English
-US note taker
-Winston Lord
-Prior experience
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-American translator
-Kissinger’s staff
-John H. Holdridge
-Knowledge of Chinese language
-Check on Chinese translation
-Lord
-Holdridge
-Skills
-Chinese
-Six translators
-US
-Four translators
-Holdridge
-Knowledge of Chinese
-Previous meetings
-State Department
-Plenary session
-Rogers
-Holdridge
-Listening
-Notes
-Nikita S. Khrushchev
-Misinterpretation
-Language
-State Department
-Holdridge
-Reliability
-Lord
-Notes
-Holdridge
-Role
-Nuances
-Lord
-Concentration on words
-Rogers
-Record
-Memoranda of conversations
-“Big picture”
-Holdridge
-Chinese
-Previous meetings
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Chinese
-Success
-India-Pakistan War
-Reception
-Cameras
-Square
-Motorcade
-PRC procedure
-Formal reception
-Crowds
-Kissinger’s view
-The President
-Shanghai and Hangchow
-Communiqué
-Chou En-lai
-Timing
-Peking
-Shanghai
-Communications ground station
-Coverage
-Film
-Communiqué
-Peking
-Tour
-Longest visit to foreign country by President on official visit
-[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
-Paris
-Conference [Treaty of Versailles]
-Talks
-Trip
-Toast
-The President
-Reading
-Importance
-Khrushchev
-Television
-Chou En-lai
-Possible lighting problem
-Khrushchev
-1959
-Length
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 671-4 (cont. )
-Khrushchev
-Tone
-Chou En-lai
-Advance text
-Kissinger previous visit
-Chou En-lai
-Timing
-The President’s view
-Television audience
-Length
-Chou En-lai’s toast to Kissinger
The President, Haldeman, and Kissinger left at 7:08 pm.