Conversation: 725-010
Prev:  725-009 Next: 725-011Start Date: 16-May-1972 8:14 AM
End Date: 16-May-1972 8:43 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Lukash, William M.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:19:08
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:50:25
NARA Description:
On May 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and William M. Lukash met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:14 am to 8:43 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 725-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 725-10 Date: May 16, 1972 Time: 8:14 am- 8:43 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. George C. Wallace -Assassination attempt -Parallel to Vietnam War -Arthur H. Bremer -Political affiliation -Young Democrats -Wisconsin -The President’s view Vietnam -Opposition -Eugene J. McCarthy's comments -Wallace -Hubert H. Humphrey's comments -George S. McGovern's comments -Comments about Lyndon B. Johnson's comments -Vietnamese casualties -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr. -Military action -Hue -Press coverage -Washington Post -New York Times -Bastogne area -Captured ammunition dump -North Vietnamese casualties -Fire support base Nancy -Air cavalry team -Location -Damage -Military Region II -Damage -Statistics -Tube-loaded, optically-tracked, wire-guided weapons [TOWs] 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Effect on tanks -Haig’s previous experience with tanks -An Loc -Troop movements -Damage -Air strikes -Level -Hanoi -Railroads The President talked with Dr. William M. Lukash between 8:19 and 8:25 am. [Conversation No. 725-10A] [See Conversation No. 24-140] [End of telephone conversation] Vietnam -President's previous speech on the blockade -Psychological effect -South Vietnamese -North Vietnamese -Soviets -Effect on Soviet summit -US leadership -Effect on People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Boeing trip -Reception -Effect on North Vietnamese military actions -Press coverage -Characterization of President -Soviet actions -Czechoslovakia -Hungary -Timing -Public opinion -Washington, DC -Blacks -Louis P. Harris Poll -Results -Possible change 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Press coverage -Prisoners of War [POW] wives -Saratoga -Squadrons from Thailand -New carrier -Anti-submarine warfare [ASW] -Squadrons -Delay -Air strikes in North Vietnam -Hanoi -Vankari[sp?] Pass -Damage -Petroleum, oil and lubricants [POL] -Trucks -Missile sites -Predicted effect -Peace negotiations -Henry A. Kissinger -Note from Aanatoliy F. Dobrynin -Activity in Paris -Plenary session -US actions -Effect on Soviets -Soviet summit -Previous North Vietnam position -Military action -Intensity -Effect -Targets -Power plants -President's interest -Anthony Lewis -Kissinger's statements to President -The President’s view -Duong Ha -Location of main Hanoi plant -Location of previous targets -Haiphong -Anti-aircraft control center -Effect -Compared to Colorado Springs -Peace negotiations -Timing -Moscow trip 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -William J. Porter -Schedule -Haig’s view -Instructions -US proposal -Finality -POWs -Cease-fire -Timing -President's previous speech on the blockade -Richard M. Helms's position -National Security Council [NSC] meeting -Laird's position -William P. Rogers's position -Necessity -Press coverage -Time -Life -Newsweek -Senate action -South Vietnam morale -Haig's opinion -Compared with 1968 situation -Nature of warfare -Cambodia -Sealanes -Railroad and POL targets -Haig's opinion -Use of B-52s -Kissinger's opinion -Locations -South -Kontum area -North -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Previous US military actions -Cambodia -Laos -Effect -Current US military actions -Effect -Soviet Union -PRC -North Vietnam 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -South Vietnam -Nguyen Van Thieu -Commanders -Cambodia -Lon Nol -North Vietnamese withdrawal -Political situation -Laos -Enemy positions -Peace settlement -Compared to World War II -Effect of US-Soviet Union and US-PRC relations -South Vietnam -Cambodia -Laos -Morale -Tanks -Locations -Central Highlands -III corps -World War I analogy -Battle of Cambrai -Unknown book -Abrams -Location -Numbers -Instructions to Abrams -Winston S. Churchill -Volume II of memoirs -Appendix: Tanks -Location -Number -The President’s view -Promotion -Laird Haig left at 8:43 am