Conversation: 831-003
Prev:  831-002 Next: 831-004Start Date: 3-Jan-1973 9:49 AM
End Date: 3-Jan-1973 10:50 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On January 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:49 am to 10:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 831-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 831-3 Date: January 3, 1973 Time: 9:49 am - 10:50 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler. Weather in Florida -Palm Springs, Florida Press conference -3- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -Democratic Caucus -Vietnam negotiations -Congressional lines of attack -Administration response -Past votes on resolution -The President’s policy -Henry A. Kissinger -Bombing -May 8, 1972 decision -Three conditions -Prisoners of War [POWs] -Cease-fire -Free elections -Peace with honor -Moscow Summit -1972 campaign -George S. McGovern’s policy -Vietnam War -Progress -Ground combat -Draftees -Serious negotiations -Paris -Settlement -“Peace with honor” -May 8, 1972 decision -Questions -Nuclear weapons -Bombing -No comment -Ziegler’s conversation with Kissinger -US response -Press perception of US policy -May 8, 1972 decision -October negotiations -North Vietnamese tactics -US response -Settlement -Bombing -Purpose -4- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -May 8, 1972 decision -Limitation of force -Serious negotiations -POWs -Cease-fire -Negotiations -Delaying tactics -Congressional relations -Interference -Sensitive period -Responsibility Kissinger entered at 9:57 am. -POWs -Delicacy of issue -Nguyen Van Thieu -Exchange -Release of political prisoners -May 8, 1972 decision -Congressional relations -Democrats -Number opposing resolution -Consultations -Vietnam negotiations -Possibility of breakdown -Public statements -Role of Congress -The President’s consultations with Congressional leaders -Michael J. Mike Mansfield -Carl B. Albert -Speculation -Congressional relations -Charles W. Colson -Kissinger’s telephone calls -J. William Fulbright -F. Edward Hebert -John C. Stennis -Gerald R. Ford -Bombing -5- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -Handling of North Vietnam -Intent of press -Administration’s indecisiveness -Purpose -Intent of the press -The President as erratic -Result -Carl B. Albert -Support for the President on bombing -Bombing cities -Nuclear weapons -Vietnam negotiations -Results of bombings -Col. Richard T. Kennedy -Amount of destruction -May 1972 decision -B-52s -Haiphong -Military actions -No comment -Intensity of bombing -Opposition to the President -Washington, DC -Cambridge, Massachusetts -Attitudes -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston -Letters to Kissinger -Hatred -McGovern -Congress -White House social events -Cambodia Reception for new Congress members -Exclusions -Washington Post, Washington Star -Journalists from states with new Congress members -Dewey F. Bartlett -Oklahoma -Atlanta Constitution -6- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -South -Women -Wire services -Columbus Dispatch -George Embry -Jerald F. (“Jerry”) terHorst North Vietnamese statement -Tone -Le Duc Tho -Paris negotiations -Length of meetings -Kissinger’s schedule -Acrobats Press conference -Congressional relations -Consultation with leaders -1972 State of the Union speech -Cooperation -Ford, Hugh Scott -Bipartisan meetings -Issues -Mansfield -Albert -Telephone calls -Truman memorial service -Reasons -Funeral in Independence, Missouri -The President's attendance -Lyndon B. Johnson -Wishes of family -Private service -Public service -The President’s meetings with heads of state -[Thomas] Hale Boggs's memorial service Johnson -Health -Criticism of the President -7- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -Reasons for leaving office -Behavior White House staff -Worries about criticism -Confidence in policy Congressional critics -Confusion -Fulbright -Response to October agreement Press conference -The President's schedule -Meeting with Kissinger -Camp David -Timing -Meeting with William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, Richard M. Helms -Congress -Responses to bombing -1972 election victory -Public opinion -California -Washington Post -Albert -McGovern -Congressional relations -The President's meeting with Kissinger Ronald L. Ziegler left at 10:28 am. Kissinger's world report -Vietnam -Regular correspondence with foreign leaders -Australia -Mobutu Sese Seko -Emperor of Ethiopia [Haile Selassie] -Shah of Iran [Mohammed Reza Pahlavi] -Edward R.G. Heath -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -Georges J.R. Pompidou -Willy Brandt -Shah of Iran -Eisaku Sato -Kakeui Tanaka -Pierre E. Trudeau -Emilio Garrastazu Medici -Reasons for correspondence -Pope Paul VI [Giovanni Battista Motini] -Irresponsible statements -Poland -Vietnam -Catholics -Killings -Notes The President’s schedule -[Names unintelligible] -Meeting with Kissinger -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin Vietnam negotiations -The President’s meeting with Dobrynin -Soviet Union’s interests in success -Congressional relations -Hubert H. Humphrey -South Vietnamese Congress members -Cable to Ellsworth F. Bunker -Thieu -Backfire -Aid cut off -Kissinger’s meeting with South Vietnamese Ambassador -Economic measures for South Vietnam -Thieu’s thinking -Aid cut off -Congressional vote -Mansfield -South Vietnamese lobbying -Congressional resentment -William F. Buckley, Jr. -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -Thieu’s thinking -Paris conference -The President’s domination -Accomplishments -North Vietnam -Capacity to wage aggressive war -Reduction -Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Fear and respect -The President’s enemies -Exposure -Press, intellectuals, Congress -1972 election results -Access to White House -1960 election -John F. Kennedy -Results -The President’s exclusion from White House -Bay of Pigs -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -John W. Gardner -Dean Francis B. Sayre -Nastiness of attacks -Lack of patriotism -Hatred Vietnam negotiations -The President’s October 1972 letter to Kissinger -The President’s political interests -The President’s meeting with Kissinger -Preparations -Dobrynin -Options -Kissinger’s trip to Paris -Preparations -Consultations between Kissinger and the President -Negotiator compared to lawyer -Final meetings -Goals -Demilitarized zone [DMZ] -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct.-08) Conversation No. 831-3 (cont’d) -International voting commission -Civilians in South Vietnam -Depiction of the President’s role -Thieu -1972 election -Announcement -Purpose -Relations with ally -Bombing halt -The President’s support -Kissinger’s support for negotiations -The President’s decision to bomb -Breakdown -Le Duc Tho -October 1972 agreement -Press relations The President’s schedule -Meeting with Kissinger -Timing -Trip to New York Instructions to make calls -Rogers -Laird -Meeting with the President -Photographs -Location Kissinger left at 10:50 am.