Conversation: 701-014
Prev: 701-013 Next: 701-015Start Date: 4-Apr-1972 12:13 PM
End Date: 4-Apr-1972 1:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; Chafee, John H.; White House photographer; Kissinger, Henry A.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Laird, Melvin R.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:39:52
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:41:30
NARA Description:
On April 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), John H. Chafee, White House photographer, Henry A. Kissinger, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Melvin R. Laird met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:13 pm to 1:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 701-014 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 701-14
Date: April 4, 1972
Time: 12:13 pm - 1:15 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Kissinger’s schedule
-Meeting
Vietnam
-Weather
-Naval gunfire
-Mining operations
-Kissinger’s previous conversation with Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Plans
-Preparations
-Philippines
-Richard M. Helms
-Information
-Reaction
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Dated statement
-Review of requests for bombing authority
-Melvin R. Laird's approval
-Surface to Air missiles [SAMs]
-Air strikes
-Increase
-Marine planes
-Location
-Support personnel
-US Air Force [USAF]
-Marine Aircraft
-Marines compared to USAF
45
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-USAF pilots
-Aircraft
-Quality
-The President’s view
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Haig’s opinion
-Moorer
-Response to the President's orders
-The President's orders
-Politics
-US foreign policy
-Military's role and responsibilities
-Ground troops
-Moorer
-B-52s
-Increase
-F-4s
-Carriers
-Number
-Destroyers
-Number
-The President’s opinion
-Cruisers
-Naval gunfire
-Targets
-Dong Hoi airfield
-Logistics
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Air strikes
-Weather
-Improvement
-Possible delays
-Moorer's plans
-Kissinger’s previous conversation with Moorer
-Authority
-18th parallel
-Extension
-48 hour strike
-US position
-Mining
-Impact
-Delays
-Impact
46
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Challenge
-South Vietnamese strategy
-Retreat and consolidation
-The President’s theory
-Winston S. Churchill on World War I
-Comparisons to present situation
-Lt. Gen. Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough
-Allied victory
-German losses and victories
-Ypres
-Numbers
-British retreat
-Erich Ludendorff
-Churchill’s point
-Necessity
-Hue and Da Nang
-Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu
-Possible strategy
-Formation of line
-Exposure of North Vietnam
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Impact on North Vietnam
-Compared to Laos
-Possible end to the war by year’s end
-Political impact
-Election
-Timing
-Democratic National Convention
-North Vietnamese Offensive
-Need for decisive defeat
-Break in weather
-Negotiations
-Probability before trip to Soviet Union
Announcement on Warsaw
-Notification of State Department and Warsaw
-Laird
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:13 and 12:25 pm.
[Conversation No. 701-14A]
47
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Message for Herbert G. Klein
-Message for Richard L. Wilson
-Announcement on Warsaw
-Delay
-Diplomatic channels
[End of telephone conversation]
US-Soviet Union relations
-Kissinger's meeting with Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Note to the President
-Purpose
Laird and John H. Chafee entered at 12:25 pm; the White House photographer was present at the
beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
Chafee
-Departure from administration
[Photograph session]
Seating
Cabinet officers
-Subcabinet officers
-Importance
-Gratitude for Chafee's work
48
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 7m 59s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
Kissinger's departure
-Phone call
Kissinger left at 12:35 pm.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 43s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
Portsmouth Navy Yard
-Decision to keep open
-Described
-Norris Cotton
-Value
-Laird
-Cotton
-Uses
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 12:42 pm.
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
49
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles [SLBMs]
-Passage
-Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles [SLBMs]
-Naval vessels
-Submarines
-Technical problems
-Keel laying
Presidential gifts
-Money clip
Chafee
-Laird
1972 election
-Chafee
-Campaign practices
Chafee left at 12:44 pm.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 41s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
SALT
-SLBMs
-Laird's position
-US negotiating position
-Helsinki
-An agreement
-Undersea Long-Range Missile System [ULMS]
-Keel laying
-Limitations
-Appeal
-Powered by the State Department and Joint Chief of Staff [JCS]
50
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Problems
-Public apprehensions
-Soviet Union
-Submarine agreement
-Political problems
-Development of facilities
-Soviet [Delta Class] submarines
-Missiles
-Range
-Number
-Facilities
-US facilities
-Limitations
Vietnam
-President’s instructions to Laird
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Stakes For US
-US withdrawal
-President’s view
-US defeat
-Consequences
-US foreign policy
-Presidency
-President’s awareness of situation
-US counteraction
-National Security Council [NSC]
-William P. Rogerts
-State Department
-Risks
-Election
-Necessity for strong action
-Air and naval power
-Increase
-The President's meeting with Adm. Thomas H. Moorer and [David]
Kenneth Rush
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] reports
-Laird's Role
-Criticism
-Assessing success and failure
-Laird's recommendation
-Cancellation of bombing
-Target areas
51
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Geographical limit
-US options
-Air strikes
-Laird’s recommendation
-18th parallel
-No restrictions on authority
-Timing
-Authority
-Extension
-Time frame
-US actions
-Resources
-Support role
-Target areas
-B-3 area
-Activity
-Weather
-Forecasts
-Timing
-USAF reluctance
-Battle of the Bulge
-Comparisons
-Risks
-Naval Gunfire
-Ships
-Number
-Guns
-Capacities
-Accuracy
-Shore batteries
-Destroyers
-Targets
-Tactical Air Support [TACAIR]
-Performance
-Tanks
-Personnel
-Sir Robert Thompson
-North Vietnamese vulnerability
-South Vietnam military
-Hue
-Thieu
-Retreat
-Advantages
52
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Battle of Verdun
-French
-Reports of battle
-Criticism of Department of Defense [DoD]
-Bombing requests
-Possible problems coming from Laird’s office
-Blame on Laird for reluctance
-JCS
-Lack of forthcoming infromation to the President
-Air strikes
-Laird's role
-Loyalty to the President
-Possibly questioned
-Press conference
-Rogers
-Timing
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] violations
-Schedule changes
-Recognition of Bangladesh
-Rogers’s responsibilities
-Laird’s previous conversation with the President
-Previous telephone conversation with Robert J.
McCloskey
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Line for the press
-Conversation with Laird’s people
-President’s instructions for Laird
-Points to make
-US purposes for air strikes
-Protection of Americans
-Vietnamization
-Continuation
-Aid to South Vietnam's defense
-Prisoners of War [POWs] return
-US actions
-Ground troops
-Air power
-Target areas
-Violation of international law
-Strong, hard line from Laird
-Rogers
-Comparison to Laird
-Cambodia
53
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Changes in character of war
-Compared with Korean Conflict
-Violations by North Vietnam
-1954 agreement, 1968 bombing halt
-Rogers
-Air strikes
-Targets
-Protection of Americans
-Number
-Escalation of war
-Edmund S. Muskie's charges
-The President’s response
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Demands for more aid to South Vietnam
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Vietnamization
-Impact
-Laird's statement
-Possible credibility problem
-South Vietnamese strength
-Chances of success
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Thieu
-US confidence in South Vietnamese
Abilities
-Abrams comment
-Football analogy
-Past retreats
-Battle of the Bulge
-World War I
-Great Britain and Germany
-Public relations response
-Laird's statements
-Follow-up from the President
-Timing
-Scheduling
-Rogers and Laird
-Coordination of various agencies
-Authorities
-Ziegler
-Report of meeting between Laird and the President
-Laird
-Loyalty to the President
54
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Questions
-Laird's relationship with JCS
-Hardline from Laird
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:44 and 1:11 pm.
[Conversation No. 701-14B]
Request that Ziegler join them
[End of telephone conversation]
Vietnam
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Laird
-Loyalty to the President
-Problems of communication within the DoD and between the DoD
and the White House
-Weather
-Forecasts
-Effect on air sorties
-Number
-B-3 Area
-Possible psychological impact
-Effect on air sorties
-B-52s
-Problems
-Surface-To-Air Missiles [SAMs]
-Countermeasures
-Target Areas
-DMZ
-Effectiveness
-SAMs
-Target Areas
-Risks
-DMZ
-SAMs
-Losses
-Florida
-US countermeasures
-Options
Ziegler entered At 1:11 pm.
55
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Impact on People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Soviet Union
-US credibility
-Impact on US allies
-Asia, Europe and Latin America
Kissinger left at 1:12 pm.
-The President's meeting with Laird
-Ziegler's report
-Statement for press
-Laird's press conference
-Timing
-Rogers
-Presentation
Laird left at an unknown time before 1:15 pm.
-Weather
-Impact on air strikes
-Public reaction
-Air strikes
-Muskie's criticism
-Escalation of war
-Responsibility
-North Vietnamese offensive
-McCloskey
-Ziegler's report
-Administation’s stance
-Ziegler’s previous conversation with Haig
-Public relations
-Strategy
-Comments to press
-Confidence
-Possible outcome
-Press
-Contradictory reports
-Robert Pierpoint
-Crisis in White House
-Ziegler’s previous conversatin with Bill Jarriel [?]
-WSAG meetings
-Templeton [first name unknown]
56
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Ziegler left at 1:15 pm.