Conversation: 807-007
Prev:  807-006 Next: 807-008Start Date: 26-Oct-1972 9:22 AM
End Date: 26-Oct-1972 9:54 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:22 am to 9:54 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 807-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 807-7 Date: October 26, 1972 Time: 9:22 am - 9:54 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. New York Times story -Ronald L. Ziegler’s possible comment -Paris Release of settlement terms by Democratic Republic of Vietnam [DRV] [North Vietnam] -Paris story -Leak -State Department -Demands of North Vietnam -Signing of agreement -October 31, 1972 -Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing -Purpose -Aspects -Procedure -Substance -Future -Procedural details -Progress during October 1972 -Hanoi 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -Timing of agreement -November 1, 1972 Deadline -Progress -Shape of agreement -US goals -International machinery -Timing of introduction -Enemy activity -Saigon -Bloodbath -Elections -Pham Van Dong interview [with Arnaud de Borchgrave] -Timing -Clarification -Vietnamese compared to English translation -Signing of document -Details -Four party compared to two party -US position on solving problems -The President's messages to Dong -Deadline -Review -The President’s May 8, 1972 statement -Missing in action [MIA's] -Laos -Cambodia Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:22 am. Kissinger’s schedule Vetoes -Signings -John D. Ehrlichman The President and Bull left at 9:30 am. The President entered at 9:33 am. Vietnam settlement agreement -Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -Timing -Procedural details -Prisoners of war [POW's] -MIAs -Imposition of Communist government in South Vietnam -Provisions of agreement -Cease-fire -Elections -Coalition government in South Vietnam -Participation of South Vietnamese government -Consultation -Veto -Quality of Agreement -Timing -1972 election -US sacrifices -Communist government in South Vietnam -Rhetoric -Perception of public -Reasons for agreement -North Vietnam’s publication of terms -McGovern campaign -North Vietnamese position -Timing of negotiations -Strategy -Possible US military action -McGovern statements -Effect on negotiations -Argument on when cease-fire terms were available -Hanoi statement of new initiative of October 8, 1972 -US options -Possible bombing north of 20th Parallel -North Vietnam’s cadre -Ceasefire -US position -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -US sorties -20th parallel -McGovern -Chance for peace -Pressure on North Vietnamese -Timing 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -November 8, 1972 -McGovern statement -Chance for peace -Tone -Progress -Perception by public -1972 election -McGovern -North Vietnamese position -Demands for signing -Nguyen Van Thieu -Position -Predictions of peace -December 1, 1972 -North Vietnamese forces -Cadres -Communications -Bombing halt -Mining -Additional meetings -Bombing halt -Effect on public opinion -Public compared to private statement -Attitude toward Hanoi -Attitude toward McGovern -Effect by McGovern on negotiations -Timing of peace terms -1969 -McGovern position compared to current settlement -POWs -Cease-fire -Help for South Vietnam -Withdrawal from Cambodia and Laos -Peace with honor compared to peace with surrender -The President’s May 8, 1972 statement -Position with regard To North Vietnam -Public compared with private statements -Bombing -Terms of treaty -Timing of signing -Enforcement of terms -Technicalities 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -Thieu -Future meeting -Timing of signing -Details of agreement -Laos agreement of 1962 -State Department -Quality -Details -Compared to current settlement -Results -William P. Rogers -Canadian talks on International Commission of Control and Supervision [ICCS] -Focus of agreement -Machinery to enforce terms -Permanence of terms -Cambodia -Laos -Laos agreement -Statement about Hanoi and South Vietnam -Terms -Satisfaction -Necessity of proper terms -The President's work on agreement -John B. Connally -Public perception -The President’s messages -Credit -Points to be clarified -Peace group influence -Hedley W. Donovan -Forthcoming telephone call from Kissinger -Timing of agreement -1972 election -Public morality -William F. Buckley, Jr. -Howard K. Smith -Richard (”Dick”) Wilson -William S. White -Joseph W. Alsop -Interpretation of terms -1972 election 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -New York Times story -Leak -State Department -French Inaccuracies -Predictions -Vietnamese -Account of Battle of Tannenberg and Battle of Lemberg -Taking advantage of opportunities -Paul Von Hindenberg -Gen. Erich von Ludendorff -Gen. Hermann von Francois -Gen. Max Hoffmann -Television coverage -Location -Kissinger’s preference Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:33 am. Request for Ziegler to join meeting Bull left at an unknown time before 9:52 am. Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing -Television coverage Vietnam settlement agreement -McGovern campaign issues -Patrick J. Buchanan’s view [News summary item] -Vietnam and corruption -Supporting editorials -Vietnam as campaign issue -Signing of agreement -Timing Ziegler entered at 9:52 am. Kissinger's briefing -Press room -Cameras -Taping -Press corps 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-03) -Number -Press room compared to East Room -Timing of briefing Kissinger left at 9:53 am. Kissinger's briefing -Tone Ziegler left at 9:54 am.