Conversation: 820-005
Prev:  820-004 Next: 820-006Start Date: 12-Dec-1972 9:57 AM
End Date: 12-Dec-1972 10:21 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On December 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:57 am to 10:21 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 820-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 820-5 Date: December 12, 1972 Time: 9:57 am - 10:21 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. Vietnam negotiations -Nguyen Van Thieu’s speech to the South Vietnam National Assembly -South Vietnamese conditions -Settlement agreement -US-North Vietnam -Rejection -North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam -National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord [NCRC] -Coalition government -North Vietnamese aggression against Indochina -4- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 820-5 (cont’d) -Counterproposal -Cease-fire -Timing -Christmas, New Year’s Day -Release of North Vietnamese prisoners -Local party talks Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:58 pm. Press relations -George P. Shultz’s statement on economic stabilization and federal spending -Budget spending ceiling Ziegler left at 9:59 am. Vietnam negotiations -Henry A. Kissinger -Posture -North Vietnam’s message -Lack of instructions -US options -North Vietnamese instransigence -Recess -Consultations -US military action -Ellsworth F. Bunker’s recommendations -Timing -Thieu’s recent speech -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s possible trip -Thieu -Thieu -Kissinger’s view -Memorandum -Agnew’s possible trip -Settlement agreement -Risk -Bunker’s view -Thieu’s speech -Recent speech -5- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 820-5 (cont’d) -The President’s view -Tran Van Lam’s statement, December 7, 1972 -Settlement agreement -Communists’ position -Continuation of war -North Vietnamese intransigence -Haig’s view -Agnew’s possible trip -The President’s role -Possible meeting -North Vietnam’s lack of instructions -Timing -Technical talks -Thieu’s speech -Tone -North Vietnam -Possible strategy -US-South Vietnam relations -Stalemate -Duration -Congressional reconvention -Thieu -Cut off of aid Thieu -Relations with US -Cooperation -1972 election -US funds -South Vietnamese military buildup -US honor -Tenure -Instransigence -Insistence on total victory -US policy -Relations with US -North Vietnam -North Vietnam’s intransigence -December 11, 1972 meeting -Settlement agreement -6- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 820-5 (cont’d) -Thieu’s speech -Instransigence -Possible effect on North Vietnam -US-South Vietnam relations -South Vietnam’s “puppet” status -US military assistance -Pace -Kissinger’s view -Agnew’s possible trip -Timing -Kissinger’s return from Paris -Agnew’s possible trip -Ronald W. Reagan -Thieu -Right -Schedule -Christmas -Prisoners of War [POWs] -The President’s view compared to Kissinger’s view -US military action -Reseeding of mines, US bombing of North Vietnam -Effect -Breakdown in talks -North Vietnam’s instructions -Intransigence -Progress in talks -Recess in talks -Kissinger’s return from Paris -Breakdown -North Vietnam’s instructions -Intransigence -Kissinger -North Vietnam’s possible statement -Effect -Kissinger -Instransigence -Kissinger’s return from Paris -Consultations -US bombing of North Vietnam -7- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 820-5 (cont’d) -Statement -Tone -Recess -Kissinger’s return from Paris -Consultation with the President and allies -Contact with North Vietnam -Channel -US military action -Settlement agreement -1972 election -Deadline -Kissinger’s view -North Vietnamese concessions -Ultimatum -Timing -US bombing of North Vietnam -Kissinger’s “peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972 -US position -Tone -North Vietnam’s position -US mining and bombing of North Vietnam -Duration -Effect -Cessation -October 1972 -Effect -Failure of Spring 1972 offensive -North Vietnam’s relations with the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China [PRC] -US bombing of North Vietnam -Effect -Bunker -Message from Kissinger -Timing -Breakdown in talks -Meeting, December 13, 1972 -North Vietnam’s instructions Haig left at 10:21 am. -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08)