Conversation: 714-014
Prev: 714-013 Next: 714-015Start Date: 20-Apr-1972 12:30 PM
End Date: 20-Apr-1972 1:07 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Sanchez, Manolo; Woods, Rose Mary; White House operator; Cox, Tricia Nixon;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:18:30
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:55:10
NARA Description:
On April 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Manolo Sanchez, Rose Mary Woods, White House operator, and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:30 pm to 1:07 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 714-014 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 714-14
Date: April 20, 1972
Time: 12:30 pm - 1:07 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Haig’s physical condition
Message for Henry A. Kissinger
-Receipt
-Reply
Kissinger’s trip to Moscow
-Possible results
-Summit
-The President’s memorandum to Kissinger
-Problems
-Purpose
-Kissinger’s discussion with Haig
-Nguyen Van Thieu
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Plenary session
-Date
-Vietnam
-Soviet participation in settlement
-Secret meeting
-Date
-Announcement
-De-escalation of bombing
-Hanoi area
Vietnam
-Bombing of North Vietnam
-B-52s
-Fighter-bombers
-B-52s
-Targets
-Supply
-Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants [POL]
-Surveillance
-Start of raids
-Frequency
-Intensity
-Weather
-South Vietnam
-Southern I Corps and II Corps
-Binhdinh Province
-Hue
-Area of Vietminh strength
-Binhdinh Province
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:56 pm.
Vietnam
-South Vietnam
-Area of North Vietnamese-Viet Cong strength
-Area of fighting
-North Vietnam
-Number of troops in South Vietnam
-South Vietnam
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Republic of Korea operations
-Current fighting
-Route 19
-Ankhe Pass
-Casualties
-III Corps
-An Loc
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] battalion
-North Vietnamese attacks
-Dou Tien [sp?]
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Duration
-South Vietnamese performance
-21st Division
-Commander, Brig. Gen. Nguyen Van Minh
-An Loc
-ARVN battalion
-Casualties
-North Vietnamese casualties
-Air sorties
-B-52 strikes
-Morale of North Vietnam
-Tanks
-Destruction
-South Vietnamese success
-Air sorties
-B-52s
-Number
-Gunships
-South Vietnam
-Performance
-Losses
-Impact on morale
-Guerrilla action
-I Corps
-Ultimate result
-Press reports
-Editorials in Washington Star
-Smith Hempstone, Jr.
-Vice President's Spiro T. Agnew’s speech
-Language
-Unknown army Lieutenant Colonel
-Criticism of press
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-The President's commendation
-Press
-Treatment
-Agnew’s criticisms in speech
-J. William Fulbright
-References to Ho Chi Minh
-Congress
-Presidential candidates
-Edmund S. Muskie, Edward M. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey
-Past statements
-Democratic caucus
-Resolution
-Publicity
-Battle reports
-Misinterpretation
-Fire bases
-Observation posts [OPs]
-Mission
-North Vietnamese offensive
-An Loc
-Holding
-Necessity
-Bombing
-Compared to Verdun
-Thieu
-Losses
-II Corps
-Towns
-Retention
-Kontum
-North Vietnamese offensive
-South Vietnamese retreats
-Resistance
-Problems
-Soviets in World War II
-Germans in World War I against Russians
-I Corps
-1st Division commander
-Damage to North Vietnam
-Casualties
-Fire Base Bastogne
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Air strikes
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Value
-Psychology
-Kissinger in Moscow
-North Vietnamese supplies
-Purpose
-Destruction of pacification and Vietnamization
-Soviets
-Possible role
-Pressure on North Vietnam
-Trade-off
-Bombing halt
-Prisoners of war [POW] exchange
-Effect on 1972 election
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Blockade
-Timing
-1972 election
-POWs
-Effectiveness
-Studies
-Circumvention
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Soviets
-Benefits
-Counterattacks
-Effects on North Vietnamese morale
-Wounded veterans
-Social problems
-POW testimony
-Loss of young men
-Desertions
-Lack of training
-Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong
-Effect on North Vietnamese morale
-Effectiveness
-Compared with 1968 strikes
-Bombing halt
-Techniques
-Target selection
-Robert S. McNamara
-Restraints
-B-52s
-Impact on ground troops
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Warning
-Resolution of House Democrats
The President's return call
William P. Rogers
-Conversation with Haig
Rose Mary Woods entered at 12:56 pm.
-Rogers's trip to Camp David
-Problems
-John D. Ehrlichman
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Kissinger
Haig left at 12:57 pm.
The President's schedule
-American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE] reception
-Duration
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 7m 23s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Woods's call
Woods talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:57 and 1:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 714-14A]
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 55s ]
[See Conversation No. 23-50; one items has been withdrawn from the conversation.]
Woods conferred with the President.
Woods talked with Tricia Nixon Cox.
[End of telephone conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Helicopter
-Time
Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Woods's call
-Woods's presence at Camp David
Woods left at 1:07 pm.