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Conversation: 928-006

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Start Date: 25-May-1973 10:10 AM

End Date: 25-May-1973 10:44 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Bull, Stephen B.Kissinger, Henry A.White House operator[Unknown person(s)]

Recording Device: Oval Office

928-006.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:44 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 928-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 928-6

Date: May 25, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:10 am and 10:44 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     Dwight D. Eisenhower Center event 

         -Memorial Day           

         -[Dwight ] David Eisenhower, II and Julie Nixon Eisenhower 

         -Audience         

                -Size      

                -Forum

                -Washington, DC            

         -Joint Veterans event           

                -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] 

                -American Legion             

                -World War I         

         -Library        

                -New wing dedication, 1968           

         -Memorial Day event             

                -Invitation to the President       

                      -Address         

                -Location of library           

                      -Abilene, Kansas           


Henry A. Kissinger entered at 10:24 am.

     President’s schedule    

           -Memorial Day events [?] 

           -Roy L. Ash     

                                                -10-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                       Tape Subject Log 

                                       (rev. August-2011)

                                                              Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

           -Weekly meeting         

           -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. 


Bull left at an unknown time before 10:26 am.

     Vietnam settlement      

          -Negotiations      

                -New York Herald Tribune articles 

                     -Editorial page       

                           -Attacks
                                 -Patriotism
                                 -Kissinger’s statement to Le Duc Tho

     Prisoners of war [POWs] dinner 

           -Statement by the President 

                 -Haig’s comments to Kissinger          


The White House operator talked with the President at 10:26 am.

[Conversation No. 928-6A]

[Begin telephone conversation]

[See Conversation No. 39-21]

[End telephone conversation]

     Prisoners of war [POWs] dinner
           -POWs        

                 -Importance of Vietnam negotiations       

                 -Statements by performers      

                       -James (“Jimmy”) Stewart, John Wayne, and Vic Damone
           -President’s decision on December 1972 bombing
           -Kissinger’s role
                 -President’s comment to Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
                 -Mrs. James Stockdale
                       -Haig
                                         -11-

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. August-2011)

                                                            Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

                  -Opinion of Kissinger      

      -Wives’ meetings with Kissinger 

      -Release of POWs

            -Peace with honor
                  -Meaning to POWs

            -R. Flynn’s statement about December 1972 bombing 

            -US collective memory       

                  -Compared with Watergate
                        -John N. Mitchell and Robert L. Vesco

Watergate
     -Cover-up
     -Politics
            -Assault
     -Democratic liberals          

            -Loss in November 1972 presidential election 

            -Destruction of Republican Party                

            -Interests      

                   -Power        

                   -Destruction of US            

                   -Loss of Vietnam War                 

                         -Loss of Americans               

                   -Power        

     -President’s opponents            

            -Politicians       

            -Press       

            -Fanatical desires           

                   -Power        

                   -Hatred to US           

                         -Self-hatred          

            -Loss of Vietnam War             

                   -Betrayal of country            

     -McGeorge Bundy’s call to Kissinger 

            -Kissinger’s loyalty to the President 

            -J. Edgar Hoover’s wiretaps                

                   -Morality         

                   -Kissinger’s survival             

                                       -12-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. August-2011)

                                                        Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

          -Daniel Ellsberg’s actions regarding Pentagon Papers 

          -Wiretaps       

     -Wiretaps during John F. Kennedy administration 

          -Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy         

          -Leak to press       

                -Destruction of records by Hoover      

                -William L. Sullivan       

     -Bundy characterized        

          -Morality       

          -President’s reaction      


US-Canada relations
    -Withdrawal from International Control Commission [ICC]
          -Discussion with Kissinger
                 -Sixty day extension

Vietnam settlement
     -Kissinger’s negotiations       

           -Paris      

           -Cabinet meeting        

                  -Disclosures by North Vietnam

Kissinger’s forthcoming cabinet briefing
      -President’s discussion with Georges J. R. Pompidou
            -Year of Europe

Vietnam
     -Kissinger’s negotiations
           -Schedule         

                 -Paris        

                 -Communiqué             

                        -Compared to formal agreement
           -Cease-fire order         

                 -All sides      

                 -Infiltration         

           -National Council of Reconciliation     

                 -Cancelled        

                                   -13-

        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                            Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. August-2011)

                                                      Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

      -Effect of leaks        

             -Effect on foreign relations        

             -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]

             -People’s Republic of China [PRC]         

             -Soviet Union         

             -Vietnam        

-Forthcoming statement by Kissinger
      -Necessity of secrecy
      -Effect of leaks on President’s foreign policy
             -SALT         

             -PRC       

             -Soviet Union         

             -Vietnam        

-Negotiations
      -Kissinger’s progress
      -Two-party Joint Military Commission
             -South Vietnam

                   -Pull back        

                   -Zone with borders          

                   -Vietcong presence          

      -Kissinger’s memorandum

             -Delivery to Florida         

             -Cabinet meeting           

                   -Elliot L. Richardson         

      -Political action        

      -Territorial holdings        

             -Recognition        

             -Division of country          

             -Population size         

      -Nguyen Van Thieu’s reaction
             -Compared to November 1972            

                   -US aid       

                   -Haig, Sullivan           

                   -US aid       

                          -President’s support       

      -Withdrawal from Laos             

             -Schedule         

                                      -14-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. August-2011)

                                                        Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

           -Cambodia      

               -News summary         

                     -PRC       

               -Marshall Green and Emory C. Swank 

                     -Phnom Phen         

               -Bombing restrictions        

               -Kissinger’s negotiating strategy 

                     -“Playing chicken”        

                     -Yield       


Soviet summit
     -Treaty on the Prevention of Nuclear War
           -Act of strength
                 -Compared with act of desperation
                         -Watergate
           -Bureaucracy’s possible reaction          

                 -Procedure        

                 -Preparedness of President          

     -Press statement        

           -Leak       

                 -Sources        

                         -State Department         

                         -Soviet Union         

                         -Great Britain      

                         -France      

                         -State Department         

                               -Kissinger’s staff
                         -White House staff
           -Control of bureaucracy
                 -Trip to Iceland
                 -Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                         -Haig’s role      

                         -Kissinger’s role       


President’s meeting with Pompidou
      -“Year of Europe”
            -key
                                                  -15-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                         Tape Subject Log 

                                         (rev. August-2011)

                                                              Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

           -Kissinger’s talking points       

           -Trip to Iceland       

           -France’s support         

           -Precision of talk       

                 -Compared to President’s meeting with Willy Brandt
                        -President’s culpability
                               -Conditions
           -Support        

                 -Great Britain        

                 -Germany         

                 -France        

                 -Timing        

           -Pompidou         

                 -Support for Nuclear treaty     


Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:26 am.

     President’s schedule      

           -Lt. Col. John A. Dramesi 

                 -Flag      


Bull left at an unknown time before 10:44 am.

     Treaty on the Prevention of Nuclear War 

           -Pompidou’s knowledge         


     POW dinner     

         -POW wives        

              -Kissinger’s reaction           


     Watergate
          -White House response       

               -Kissinger’s support     

               -President’s opponents     

                     -Motives
                     -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Maurice H. Stans, and
                      John N. Mitchell
                                              -16-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                      (rev. August-2011)

                                                                   Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

                 -Europe’s reaction


*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 

[National security]

[Duration: 7 s ] 



     POMPIDOU’S CONVERSATION WITH KISSINGER


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

*****************************************************************


     Watergate      

          -Europe’s reaction       

          -Compared to Cambodia            

          -Compared to riots        

          -Severity of action      

          -Break-in of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office 

          -White House response          

                -President’s possible statement
                      -Toughness
                      -Public response
          -Kissinger’s schedule
                -Press briefing       

                      -Wiretaps        

                      -Need to stop leaks       


     Cabinet meeting

An unknown man entered and Kissinger left at 10:44 am.
                                                  -17-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                          Tape Subject Log 

                                          (rev. August-2011)

                                                               Conversation No. 928-6 (cont’d)

     Item for the President’s signature [?]

The unknown man left at 10:44 am.