Conversation: 869-020
Prev:  869-019 Next: 869-021Start Date: 6-Mar-1973 2:40 PM
End Date: 6-Mar-1973 3:02 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On March 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:40 pm to 3:02 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 869-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 869-20 Date: March 6, 1973 Time: 2:40 pm - 3:02 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. President's meeting with Hugh Scott -Scott's complaints -President's meetings with Congress members -Kissinger's evaluation Republicans -54- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2010) Conversation No. 869-24 (cont’d) -Senators -Validity -Scott, Gerald R. Ford, Hale Boggs, Carl T. Curtis, Henry Bellmon -Polling numbers compared to President -Republican Party -Irresponsibility -Majority status -Opposition -Lack of support for President Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:40 pm. President's briefing to business leaders -Foreign policy -Kissinger, William P. Rogers -Subjects -Trade -Economy -Domestic policy -Preparation -Foreign policy -Rogers, Kissinger -Coordination -Improvement -Informing President -Rogers’s role -Kenneth W. Clawson -Bull’s role Bull left at an unknown time before 3:02 pm. President’s briefing of business leaders -Kissinger's appearance -Rogers’s appearance -Presentation -Softness US foreign policy -55- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2010) Conversation No. 869-20 (cont’d) -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Opportunity -President’s analysis of World War II era -Compared with Rogers’s analysis -Compared with Nelson A. Rockefeller -President’s performance at press conference -President's decisions -Kissinger's interview with Barbara Walters -Comments Khartoum incident -Foreign service -Sense of pride -Memorial service, State Department lunch -Dignity -President's appearance President's place in history -USSR, PRC -Europe -Germany -Party chiefs Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:40 pm. William P. Rogers -Talk on terrorism -Khartoum incident Peter M. Flanigan -Talk on trade -George P. Shultz President’s talk on foreign policy Briefing of business leaders -Mix up -Clawson -56- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2010) Conversation No. 869-20 (cont’d) -Flanigan -Subjects -Foreign policy -International trade -Mix up -Rogers -Businessmen -Question and answer session [Q&A] -Subject of discussion -Terrorism -Rogers -Mix up -Flanigan -Rogers -Foreign policy briefing -Rogers -Terrorism -International Conference on Vietnam -Paris -Foreign policy -President's remarks -Arrangements -Clawson’s discussion with Rogers -President's remarks Bull left at an unknown time before 3:02 pm. Briefing of business leaders -Mix ups -Foreign policy -Kissinger -Rogers -Kissinger's appearance -Artisan speech -President's remarks Libya, Saudi Arabia -US response to Khartoum incident [?] -57- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2010) Conversation No. 869-20 (cont’d) North Vietnam -Infiltration Vietnam -Cease-fire -casualty figures -South Vietnam -Infiltration -South Vietnam’s reaction -Nguyen Van Thieu -Demoralization -US note to North Vietnam -US bombing of Ho Chi Minh Trail -Laos -Cease-fire provisions -Supplies -Souvanna Phouma’s assent -Targets -Convoy -North Vietnam’s answer to US note -William H. Sullivan -Civilian goods -Tanks -Artillery -US bombing of trail -Timing -Reasons -Government of Vietnam [GVN] pressure -Offensive -Contingent upon US reaction -US action -Constraints -Delay offensive -South Vietnam’s air force -Bombing of trail in South Vietnam -US bombing in Cambodia -North Vietnam’s protests -58- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2010) -Bac Song [?] -B-52s -Need for US response -Criticism of the war -Cease-fire -Duration -Reasons for North Vietnam’s mobilization -Cease-fire agreement -Replacements -Laos demobilization -Countering GVN movements Kissinger left at 3:02 pm.