Conversation: 825-006
Prev: 825-005 Next: 825-007Start Date: 16-Dec-1972 9:58 AM
End Date: 16-Dec-1972 10:46 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President);Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On December 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:58 am to 10:46 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 825-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 825-6
Date: December 16, 1972
Time: 9:58 am - 10:46 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Summary
-Dobrynin’s schedule
-Return to Moscow
-The President’s meeting with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Kissinger’s briefing
-North Vietnam
-Agnew’s view
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US funds
-The President’s strategy
-Conversations with Agnew
-Kissinger’s briefing of Agnew
-Agnew’s possible trips
-The President’s policies
-Agnew’s view
-Agnew’s request for a meeting with the President
-The President’s meeting with Agnew
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US funds
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Status of talks
-Disagreements with Thieu
-Cabinet
-Points of view
-Kissinger’s briefing of Agnew
-Kissinger’s conversations with the President
-Kissinger’s meeting with Dobrynin
-Dobrynin’s return to Moscow
-Timing
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Timing
Presidency
-Agnew
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-John B. Connally
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Rockefeller
-Age
-Connally
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:58 am.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Agnew
Agnew entered and Bull left at 10:01 am.
Clothing
-Agnew
-Tennis
-The President
-Sweaters
-Golf
-Agnew
-Frank Nixon
-Sweaters
Vietnam negotiations
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s briefing of Agnew
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Timing
-Congressional relations
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Adlai E. Stevenson, III
-Charles H. Percy
-Cut off of US aid
-Prerogatives
-Mathias, Stevenson
-US Constitution
-Thieu
-George S. McGovern’s views
-W[illiam] Averell Harriman’s views
-Cut off of US funds
-Possible coup
-Ngo Dinh Diem
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Press relations
-Recent article
-Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing
-North Vietnam’s duplicity
-Tactics
-Introduction and withdrawal of new issues
-Settlement agreement
-Reopening of settled issues
-US-South Vietnam relations
-Thieu
-Possible meeting with US
-Duration and effect of war
-Thieu’s constituency
-Cooperation
-North Vietnamese takeover of South Vietnam
-Settlement agreement
-The President’s letter to Thieu
-US support, empathy, friendship
-Delays
-Blame
-North Vietnam
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-The President’s instructions to Kissinger
-Paris
-Concerns
-Ellsworth F. Bunker’s report
-Tenure
-Diem
-Congressional relations
-Thieu
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Return
-Timing
-Christmas
-Cut off of US aid
-The President’s letter to Thieu
-Right-wing
-US-North Vietnam bilateral deal
-Thieu
-POWs
-US-North Vietnam bilateral deal
-POWs for US withdrawal and cessation of bombing, mining
-Cut off of US aid to South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
-Thieu
-Survival
-Cut off of US aid
-Coup
-Settlement agreement
-US involvement
-Settlement agreement
-Thieu’s opposition
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Cease-fire in place
-Political statement
-POWs
-Cease-fire
-Laos, Cambodia
-Political settlement
-South Vietnam
-Thieu
-Population retention
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Retention
-National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord
[NCRC]
-Tripartite structure
-Election
-Unanimity
-Veto
-US military supply replacements
-Thieu
-The President’s meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc, November 29-30, 1972
-North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Thieu’s position
-US-North Vietnam bilateral deal
-POWs
-US economic aid and military aid
-Congressional relations
-Political settlement
-North Vietnam
-POWs
-Thieu’s retention
-Elections
-North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Soviet Union
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Kissinger’s and the President’s recent conversations with Dobrynin
-Soviet Union
-PRC
-Aid to North Vietnam
-South Vietnam
-Compared to South Korea
-Armies
-US military aid
-Settlement agreement
-Thieu
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-South Vietnam sovereignty
-Government of Vietnam [GVN]
-US recognition
-US military aid
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-North Vietnam’s position
-Thieu’s position
-Improvements
-Number
-Kissinger’s trip to Paris
-December 4-5, 1972
-Thieu
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of aid
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-North Vietnam’s position
-Effect
-Improvements
-Cosmetic changes
-NCRC
-North Vietnam’s concession
-Paris talks
-Briefings
-Frequency
-Radio Saigon
-North Vietnam’s withdrawal of concessions
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Yalta agreement
-Winston S. Churchill’s account
-Alger Hiss’s account
-Soviet Union
-Poland
-Elections
-Czechoslovakia
-Settlement agreement
-Enforcement
-North Vietnamese infiltration
-Supervisory board
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-US-Soviet Union relations
-US-PRC relations
-US-North Vietnam relations
-Economic aid
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Congressional relations
-Percy
-Mathias
-Primary
-Opposition
-Charles E. Goodall
-North Vietnam’s delays
-Kissinger’s trip to Paris
-Christmas
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Pace, timing
-Settlement agreement
-Cut off of US aid
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Goldwater
-South Vietnam
-“Doves”
-“Doves”
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Communist duplicity
-Settlement agreement
-Disagreement with South Vietnam
-Thieu
-Congressional relations
-POWs
-No political settlement
-POWs, missing in action [MIAs] for cessation of US bombing, mining and
withdrawal
-Timing
-US economic and military aid to South Vietnam
-Communist aid to North Vietnam
-POWs for US withdrawal
-US withdrawal
-Continuation
-Paris
-North Vietnam
-Duration
-Conditions
-North Vietnam
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-US military action
-Kissinger’s briefing of Agnew
-Demonstrations
-Thieu
-Possible meeting with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Tone
-Conciliation
-Relations with US
-US withdrawal
-Public relations [PR]
-Settlement agreement
-Cosmetic changes
-North Vietnam
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Timing
-North Vietnam
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Publicity
-North Vietnam’s withdrawal of concession
-The President’s meetings with Duc
-NCRC
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-NCRC
-Election
-Veto
-Settlement agreement
-North Vietnam’s motives
-Congressional reconvention, January 3, 1973
-Effect of US bombing, mining
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US aid
-Stevenson, Mathias
-North Vietnam’s tactics
-Concessions
-Thieu
-October 1972
-November 7, 1972 [US election] deadline
-Delays
-Compared to settlement agreement
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Message
-US
-Settlement agreement
-Pressure on North Vietnam
-Soviet Union, PRC
-Military situation
-US military action
-Thieu
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger
-PR
-Polls
-Imposition of communist or coalition government in South
Vietnam
-Kissinger’s conversations with [Bui Diem]
-The President’s meetings with Duc
-Settlement agreement
-Phrasing
-NCRC
-Analysis
-Agnew’s view
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:01 am.
The President’s schedule
-Haig
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:35 am.
Vietnam negotiations
-Thieu
-PR
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US aid
-Coup
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:01 am.
The President’s memorandum to Kissinger
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s office
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger
Agnew’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:35 am.
Kissinger’s briefing
-Timing
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger
Kissinger left at an unknown time before 10:35 am.
Vietnam negotiations
-Thieu
-Relations with US
-Separate peace
-US military action
-Timing
-Christmas
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US funds
-Kissinger’s possible briefings
-Timing
-Congressional reconvention
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Status of talks
-Timing
-US military action
-North Vietnam
-Cut off of US aid
-Administration action
-Economic and military aid to South Vietnam
-Thieu
-Agnew’s concern
-Kissinger’s briefing of Agnew
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
Kissinger entered and Agnew left at 10:35 am.
Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger’s briefing
-North Vietnam, Communists
-Richard M. Helms’s conversation with Kissinger
-Tone
-The President’s memorandum to Kissinger
-Copy for Kissinger
-Editing
-Pace of talks
-Enemy buildup
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Press relations
-Recent article
-October 8, 1972
-Kissinger’s “peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972
-Technical details
-Settlement agreement
-Long war, short peace
-Exchange of message
-Resumption of war
-Duration of talks
-Casualties
-US, North and South Vietnam
-North Vietnam’s delays
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-POWs
-Casualities
-US
-Cease-fire
-South and North Vietnam
-Enemy buildup
-Delays
-North and South Vietnam
-Cease-fire
-South Vietnam’s self-determination
-Battlefield to ballot box
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Prolonging war and talks
-Resumption of talks
-US military action
-Air and sea
-Enemy buildup
-Haig’s view
-Kissinger’s view
-Settlement agreement
-Delays
-North and South Vietnam
-Tilt against Hanoi
-Prolonging war and talks
-Meeting with the President
-Briefing from Kissinger
-Kissinger’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Meeting with the President
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of aid
-Blame on Democrats
-North Vietnam
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-1973 Inauguration
-Kissinger’s conversation with Dobrynin
-Kissinger’s briefing
-US military action
-Timing
-US bombing, mining north of 20th Parallel
-Possible reaction
-US
-North Vietnam
-Continuation of war
-Duration
-Settlement agreement
-B-52s
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-US mining and bombing of North Vietnam
-Effect
-May 2, 1972
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 825-6 (cont’d)
-Possible duration
-March 1973
-Cessation
-Bargaining
-B-52s
-Number
-Effect
-Hanoi
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s press conference
-B-52s
-Number
-Defense Department
-Weather
-Fighters
-Enemy buildup
-PR
-Cambodia
-Press relations
-Lack of knowledge
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Possible reaction
-Disappointment, sympathy
-Peace
-Proximity
-Hanoi
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger
Kissinger left at 10:46 am.