Conversation: 833-017
Prev:  833-016 Next: 833-018Start Date: 4-Jan-1973 11:55 AM
End Date: 4-Jan-1973 12:42 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Richardson, Elliot L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On January 4, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Elliot L. Richardson, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:55 am to 12:42 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 833-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 833-17 Date: January 4, 1973 Time: 11:55 am -12:42 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Elliot L. Richardson and Henry A. Kissinger. Richardson's new job as Secretary of Defense Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:55am. The President's instructions Bull left at an unknown time before 12:42 pm. Defense Department -Presidential appointees -Briefings -Grumman Corporation -36- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -Litton Industries, Inc. -The President’s instructions -Camp David -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Topical list An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:55 am. The President's schedule The unknown person left at an unknown time before 12:42 am. Defense Department -Assistant Secretaries -Number -Cuts -Army Secretary, Navy Secretary, Air Force Secretary -Robert S. McNamara system -Dismantling -Military personnel -Commands -Reorganization -Dismissal of McNamara people -Trustworthiness -John Foster -Los Alamos Labratory -Melvin R. Laird -Deputy Secretary -Richardson’s role -Budget cuts -James R. Schlesinger -Intelligence operations -Number -Duplication -Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] -Personnel -Quality -Command -Division among services -37- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -Tactical air forces -Duplication -Marine Corps -Army -Navy -Air Force -Subsidies of higher education -Salary scales -Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] -California Institute of Technology -Stanford University -University of California, Berkeley -Research and Development [R&D] -Researchers’ support for defense Richardson -Political skills -Base closings -Knowledge of international affairs -National Security Council [NSC] -Work with Kissinger -Deputy Secretary of Defense’s role -Strategist NSC system -Departmental resentment -State Department -Defense Department -Washington Special Action Group [WSAG] -Richardson's active interest -Kissinger’s weekly meeting with Richardson -Laird ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [National security] [Duration: 31s ] War plans -38- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ***************************************************************** Defense Department -Air defense -Fighter pilots -Interception -Soviet Union -Missiles -Strategy -Expenditures Interservice rivalry -Roles and missions -R&D -Overlapping -Air defense -Intelligence -Richardson's possible role -Louis A. Johnson -James V. Forrestal -Actions of predecessors -Broker between armed services -William P. Clements -Membership -WSAG -Relations with White House -State Department -Relations with NSC -Meetings with the President -Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Attorney General -Cabinet -Health Education and Welfare [HEW] -Laird -Strategic planning -R&D -Weapon systems -MIT -Subsidies -39- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -National consensus -Force levels -Weapons capabilities -Soviet Union, Peoples Republic of China, [PRC] -Congress, public -Nixon Doctrine -Vietnam War -Peacetime defense -Richardson's role -Details -Clements -Management skills -Need for strategist -Soviet Union -Briefing -Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty [SALT] talks -Relations with Kissinger -Vietnam settlement -Support for NSC system -Roy L. Ash -Office of Management and Budget [OMB] -Richardson's career -Nelson A. Rockefeller, Ronald W. Reagan -State Department, HEW, Attorney General -Dangers -Reputation -Budget cuts -“Dove” -State Department -Balance of power -William C. Foster -The President’s philosophy Volunteer armed force -Laird -Chances for success -Role of Secretary of Defense -Pride of service -Peacetime service -Boredom -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -Azores -Pilots -Airplanes -Navy -Ships -Army -Haig Command structure -Chiefs of staff -JCS chairman -Criteria for appointments -Intelligence -Toughness -Strength -Haig -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Dwight D. Eisenhower -Abilities -Division commander -Tanks -Haig -Private talk with Richardson -Army -Air Force -Biases -Intelligence services -Coordination -James R. Schlesinger -Congress -Competent personnel -Haig -Promotions -Army -Navy -Air Force -Gen. John D. Ryan -Son -Vietnam War -41- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) Military service academies -Number of graduates -Growth -Cuts -Billets Defense Budget -Congressional relations -Loss of Republicans on House Appropriations Committee -Senators on floor -Armed Service Committee -J. Strom Thurmond, John G. Tower, Peter H. Dominick, and Barry M. Goldwater -Votes -Richard S. Schweiker, William B. Safire -Margaret Chase Smith -Tower -Political skills Defense Department reorganization -Articulation of policy and strategy -Force structure -Forrestal -Unification -Opportunity -Budget competition -1930s -Force requirements -Vietnam settlement -Europe -Latin America -Middle East -The President's support -Cambodia -Need for competence -The President’s reading skills -Harvard University -Winston S. Churchill -Book recommendation -Account of World War I -42- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -Eastern front -Compared to account of World War II -Military mind -The President’s view -Strategic thinking -Eisenhower -Politician -Gen. George S. Patton -Field Commander -Gen. Douglas MacArthur -Haig -Gen. Charles A. J. M. De Gaulle -Last war thinking -World War I -Gallipoli campaign -Royal Navy -Churchill -Tanks and maps -Artillery -World War II -Churchill -France, Great Britain -Civilian mind -The President’s meeting with Moorer -Tactical air power -December 1972 bombing -Small wars -Jets -Helicopters -Vulnerability -Army Air Corps -Clements -Compared to Air Force -Air Force -Fighter pilots -Soviet Union -Bombers -B-52s -Missiles -JCS -43- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 833-17 (cont’d) -Change in attitudes -Successor NSC meeting -Spiro T. Agnew -Executive Committee -Clements -Rogers, Laird -Informal discussions -Briefings for Richardson -Moorer, Rogers -Kissinger’s past meetings -Rogers -[David] Kenneth Rush -State Department -The President's role -Public statements -Post Vietnam settlement plans -Richardson’s preparation Defense Department -Clements -Detailed work -Control of expenditures -Compared to HEW -The President's technical expertise -Waste -Personnel -Bravery -Leadership -Richardson's program -Confirmation hearings -Coordination Richardson and Kissinger left at 12:42 pm. -44- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09)