Conversation: 716-002
Prev:  716-001 Next: 716-003Start Date: 1-May-1972 4:11 PM
End Date: 1-May-1972 5:29 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:03:40
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:25:25
NARA Description:
On May 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 5:29 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 716-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No.716-2 Date: May 1, 1972 Time: Unknown time after 4:11 pm and 5:29 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with William P. Rogers and Henry A. Kissinger. The recording began at an unknown time while the conversation was in progress. Soviet Union -Letter -Intentions -Request for evaluations -Georges J.R. Pompidou -Edward R.G. Heath -Willy Brandt -Negotiations -Ronald L. Ziegler -President's Paper -Gerard C. Smith -Vladimir S. Semenov -Leonid I. Brezhnev’s paper -US position -Statement -Smith -Instructions -Vietnam issue -Soviet interest -Summit -Risks -Brandt Vietnam -Paris peace negotiations -Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Paris -Air strikes -Hanoi -Haiphong -Times -Duration -Intensity of strikes 3 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -B-52's -Naval gunfire -USS Newport News -Tactical air strikes [TACAIR] -Intensity -Military targets -Troop training areas -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -Abrams -Negotiations -North Vietnam proposals -Success -Announcement -Timing -Negotiations -Rogers's itinerary in Europe -Soviet Summit -Rogers's trip to Europe -Statements on plans -Wording -North Vietnamese offensive -US reactions -Impact on Summit -Rogers's statement to Europeans -US stance -Relation to Vietnam -Conditions -Soviet support for North Vietnam -Abrams’s report -Likelihood -British support -Pompidou -Brandt -Major issues -Importance -Compared with Vietnam -US interests in Vietnam -Brandt -Heath 4 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] -Rogers's trip to Europe -Smith -President's paper -Submarine launched ballistic missiles [SLBMs] -Brezhnev -Smith -Soviet proposals -US proposals -Submarine -Missiles -SLBMs -Compared with Soviet proposals -National Security Decision Memorandum [NSDM] -President's letter to Smith -Submarines -Soviet development -US programs -Multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicle [MIRV] issue -US missiles -Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration -Robert S. McNamara -Status of new missile -Launching -Payload -Compared to SS-9 Soviet Summit -Rogers's trip to Europe -Trade -European Security -Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR] -Middle East issues Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:23 pm. -Communications -Reports on Vietnam -Return to US -Duration of trip 5 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) Rogers and Kissinger left at 4:24 pm. Rogers -Request for paper Soviet Union -Ziegler's statement -President's exchanges with Brezhnev -Purpose -Discussions with Smith and senior advisors -Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Richard H. Helms, Moorer, Kissinger -Issues for resolution Kissinger entered at 4:26 pm. Soviet Union -Smith -Statement -Brezhnev paper -Rogers -Submarines -President's proposals -President's statement -SALT Agreement -Likelihood of conclusion -Improvement -Smith -Instructions -Return to Helsinki -Exchanges with Soviets -Purpose -Bases -Agreement -Likelihood -Smith announcement -Conclusion of statement -Laird, Moorer, Helms -SALT Agreement -Smith proposals -Rogers -Ziegler's statement 6 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Deletions -Smith -Likelihood -Conclusion -Discussions -Smith -President's instructions -Soviet reactions -Brezhnev -Conclusion -Press questions -Sensitivity of negotiations -Conclusion -Soviet Summit -Ziegler's statement -Rose Mary Woods -Response to questions -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s review Ziegler left at 4:36 pm. -Smith’s proposals -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Brezhnev Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:36 pm. Haig meeting with President Bull left at an unknown time before 4:38 pm. Soviet Union -SALT -Dobrynin -Meeting with Kissinger -President's statement -Brezhnev proposals -Rogers -Laird, Helms and Moorer -Support for Brezhnev proposals -Rogers 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Position on proposals -Intercontinental ballistic missiles [ICBMs] -Equality Haig entered at 4:38 pm. -Submarines -Soviet development -Smith's proposal -The President’s view -Previous position -National Security Council [NSC] meeting -SLBMs -Brezhnev proposals -Rogers's judgment Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 4:39 pm. President's schedule -Meeting with legislative leaders -Day Butterfield left at 4:40 pm. Soviet Union -SALT -US goals -Formulation -Legislative support -Problems -Smith -Instructions -Preparation -Proposals -Orders to Smith -NSDM -Soviet strategy -Smith’s strategy -Brezhnev -Problems -US proposals 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Soviet position -US proposals -Laird, Helms, Moorer -Submarines -Rogers’s evaluation -Wording of proposals -Soviet proposals -Soviet missiles -Calculations -Moorer and Laird -Smith’s position -Anti-ballistic missiles [ABMs] -Radius -Sites -Smith’s proposals at cabinet meeting -Kissinger’s view -Haig’s view -SLBMs -US proposals -Congressional funding -Laird -Undersea long-range missile system [ULMS] -John C. Stennis -Soviet missile numbers -Submarines -Kissinger’s position on inclusion in SALT -Moorer, Laird, Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. -A forthcoming meeting -Kissinger's attendance -Soviet proposals -Smith’s position -U. Alexis Johnson -ABMs -SLBMs -Offensive missiles -Rogers’s judgment -Kissinger’s view -Brezhnev -Smith and Rogers -Motives -Kissinger’s view 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -President's position -Public perceptions -Polls -Soviet trip -Bombing Vietnam -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -News stories -Ceasefire proposals -Kissinger’s position compared with the President’s position -Source -State Department -Washington Special Action Group [WSAG] -Marvin L. Kalb -Kissinger's position -Negotiations -President’s and Kissinger’s positions -News stories -Reasons -Kissinger’s statement -Cease-fire proposal -Le Duc Tho -North Vietnamese perceptions of President -Kissinger’s statement to Dobrynin -North Vietnamese offensive -Kontum -Quang Tri -Capture -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] performance -Commander -Forces Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:51 pm. -US air strikes -Hue -Kontum -ARVN performance SALT 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Agreement -Confidential exchanges -Likelihood -Increase -Ziegler’s statement -President’s meeting with Smith -President’s instructions -Return to Helsinki -President’s instructions -Soviet response -Brezhnev Ziegler left at 4:56 pm. Vietnam -Report -Laird -North Vietnamese offensive -ARVN performance -Abrams -Reports on I Corps -Provincial capitals -Kontum, An Loc -Counter offensive -I Corps -Hue -Goals -Kontum -ARVN -Strength -Strategy -Provincial towns -Losses -Kontum -23rd division -22nd division -Hue -Value -Strategy -Central Highlands -Haig’s view 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Kontum -Hue -Targets -Air power -Effectiveness -Air power -Abrams -ARVN -Quang Tri -Division commander -Control -Performance -Possible press story -Meeting with Haig -Performance -Counterattack -Haig’s view -An Loc -Performance -Tai Nien [?] -Performance -Air power -Dependence -Artillery -Tanks and artillery -Comparison with Soviet -Soviet weapons -Systems -Introduction -Missiles -ARVN -Chances of success -Haig’s judgment -North Vietnamese resolve -Haig’s view -Kissinger’s previous prediction -Kissinger’s view -Dien Bien Phu comparison -Air power -III corps -Tanks 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Level of activity Ziegler entered at 5:04 pm. SALT -Ziegler's statement -Listing of advisors -Talks with Brezhnev -Subjects of discussion -Questions -The President’s May 1971 statement -ABM -Offensive weapons -SLBMs -Statements -Wording -SLBMs -Weapons systems -SLBMs -Discussion -Leaks -Breakthrough -ABMs -Discussions with press -Smith -President’s instructions -Scope of talks Soviet summit -Plans -Questions from press -Agreement -Conclusion -Conditions -Progress in negotiations -ABM questions -Exchanges between President and Brezhnev -Number -Press interest Vietnam 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -North Vietnamese offensive -ARVN morale -Negotiations -Plenary sessions -Progress -Continuation -Quang Tri -Loss -Kissinger -Ziegler’s comments -ARVN -The President’s view -North Vietnamese weapons -Sophistication -Soviet Union -US air support -Ziegler’s statement -Losses -North Vietnamese losses -Extent -Attacks on North Vietnam by US -Military targets -Commentary -Losses -Abrams Ziegler left at 5:06 pm. -ARVN performance -I Corps -Strength -Determination -Weaponry -US underestimations -Quang Tri -Shelling -Number of rounds -Ammunition dump -Destruction -Impact on morale -Naval gunfire 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -Intensity -Attrition -Number of troops -Verification -US response -Bombing of North Vietnam -Extent of destruction -Blockade -Haiphong -Soviet concerns -Soviet activities -Concerns over US actions -Le Duc Tho -Soviets -Letter from Brezhnev -Settlement -Negotiations -Le Duc Tho -North Vietnamese offensive -Hanoi -Haiphong -Bombing -US public opinion -Air strikes -Intensity -B-52s -Number -TACAIR strikes -Level -Damage -Comparison with Lyndon B. Johnson -Bombing halt -Naval response -Positioning of ships -USS Newport News -Zumwalt -Gunfire support -Shore batteries -Blockade -Relationship to president's trip to Soviet Union -Conditions 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.) -President’s strategy -Military response -Soviet summit -Domestic and congressional concerns -Air strikes -Scheduling -Plenary sessions -Negotiations -Outcome -Private meeting -Plenary session -Possible walkout by William J. Porter -Cancellation -North Vietnamese actions -Cancellation -News report -Negotiations -Plenary session -Porter’s reaction -Quang Tri, Kontum attacks -Possible walkout -Resumption -Conditions -Kontum -Possible loss -Timing -Hue -Shelling -Fire Base Bastongne -130mm artillery -B-52s -Artillery of North Vietnamese -Destruction -TACAIR -Air Force actions -The President’s view -Gen. John W. Vogt, Jr. Kissinger and Haig left at 5:29 pm. 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 716-2 (cont.)