Conversation 285-036

TapeTape 285StartThursday, October 7, 1971 at 2:50 PMEndThursday, October 7, 1971 at 3:05 PMTape start time03:34:34Tape end time03:46:40ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building

On October 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:50 pm to 3:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 285-036 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 285-036

Date: October 7, 1971
Time: 2:50 pm - 3:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Vietnam
          -Forthcoming announcement
                -Peace statements
                -US ground forces involvement
                -Troop strength
          -Bombing
          -People's Republic of China [PRC]
                -Kissinger's schedule
                -Timing of Vietnam announcement
                -North Vietnam
                -Clark MacGregor
          -Bombing announcement
                -Troop levels
          -PRC trip
                -Possible effect on North Vietnam
          -New York Times

     Berlin Agreement
           -Publicity
           -West Germany
           -Status

     Media
         -New York Times

            -Time and Newsweek
            -McGeorge Bundy

     PRC

     Kissinger's schedule
          -Meeting with European businessmen
                -Kissinger's conversation with [Forename unknown] Rubinstein
                -Hedley W. Donovan

     European Summit
          -Possible location
          -Official dinner arrangements
                -Georges J.R. Pompidou
                -The President
                -Kennedy Center
                      -White House
          -Kissinger’s role
                -British, French, Germans, Italians
                      -PRC initiative
                      -World monetary situation
                      -Views of unknown prime minister
          -The President's schedule

     Chilean Embassy special function
          -Michael J. Mansfield

     Vietnam
          -Mansfield amendment
          -Washington Post

     Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
         -North Vietnamese

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

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2012-004. Segment declassified on 06/23/2016. Archivist: DR]

[National Security]
[285-036-w003]
[Duration: 49s]

     Message from Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan
         -Possible attack by India
         -Chou En-lai
         -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
         -Message from Henry A. Kissinger, October 4, 1971

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

     -Letters from the President
           -Nicaragua

     Unidentified Australian
          -Proposed meeting
                -Timing

Kissinger left at 3:05 pm.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

You called earlier, and I wasn't meeting.
I didn't really have a thing on my mind at the moment.
In fact, in regards to draft B,
It's more important.
And, of course, the underground complex is much more important.
And I think that that is a good thought to be announced.
We may announce through the end of the year.
We're not going to announce as many as they all think, but what are we on for $14,000 a month?
If we go up to $10,000 a month, the only interest we have is $2,500.
The point is that we have $220,000.
We have to because when we get down to the residuals, I think we should see first of all when our data is for China.
If the data is better than 22,
That has a lot to be said for saying I'm not a tourist.
So that's not true, sir.
I got an announcement in the federal district before you started signing.
But they put it down in the county report.
They announced now that you're not a tourist.
Well, that's what I meant.
You announced now that you're not a tourist.
This was if you were going to sign the final announcement in the federal report.
They can't get that before February 3rd.
just so we beat them i mean you can dominate you can choose that then on see by by the time i come back from china we don't know today
And we will know if there is a noise between these reactions to our latest dog.
I don't know whether they turn it down flat.
The worst thing to do is to do what everyone expects is to make the final announcement in November.
That's what they're all set for.
I know.
I mean, that's what we're projecting and so forth.
Well, I wasn't to believe that.
I said, you know, that, well, this was two or three months ago, I said, look, there's a man who's going to have an announcement that he won't be in the Army.
I mean, we're going to have him, and it has to be good.
And, you know, I wouldn't take them off this, because the end of draftees, and everyone will have the end of draftees, too.
And they'll wonder, what's the final announcement?
And then they'll wonder, what the hell is he up to?
It will take them weeks, particularly, if we then stage this and follow it a few days later with the Chinese trip.
We ought to try to continue to use this Chinese thing, or we should be confused.
We have done that.
Yes, we have.
Both times, we've done it.
Both times, we've done it.
Oh, they're going to write it.
I'm like, oh, no, but they are going to write it.
They're trying to kill us like they did Berlin.
The way they kill us is very disturbing.
Well, it was a big story, Mr. President.
It was.
The good point is, they started two days ago, and they started two weeks.
That's right.
And we can't, but we have many shots at this yet.
We have .
But let's wait until they still don't have the deal.
Complete the deal that has to be an east-west German deal.
And that will take another month or two.
After that is completed, then we ought to build it.
Until hell or heaven.
I was over there, and I was thinking, oh, how did this group, how everything was carefully thought out, and everything is on track, and we were taxed at the same time, and we had to get back home.
It's just blank time, and those big girls are taking pictures of everybody who's going on the trip.
They're going to have to fix George.
George is always here when things are going very well or very badly.
In June, it was the awareness about how badly things were going.
No, no, he's in June.
Well, I'm not sure he is, but what was he sippering up about?
Oh, tremendous China thing.
Of course, it's once been a Russian thing.
I talked to Rubel Sr.
He would be a businessman today.
Well, over there, there's no question that there you are the world's leading statesman.
There's no doubt there.
Every Donovan was a open-mouthed young man.
Everyone began his questions by congratulating Rubel.
by the way that it hits .
And it puts everything into perspective, and that's why I think so well of this idea of having this European summit, a summit of .
I've been thinking, too, I'd like to have it here.
But if there is any sensitivity I would be willing to go.
If we could find, frankly, you know, if we could find a place.
Well, what I meant is, if they don't want to come home, they may just deal with it in the United States.
That's the thing.
But I think the place you could have it would be in this area.
Do you think so?
I hope I do as well.
There's another thing about having the summit here.
If we do, we've got a beautiful way to handle the whole entertainment.
There have to be two dinners.
I have to give one.
They have to give one.
There are only two presidents.
all the other heads of government.
So Papadu and I are the ranking men.
Papadu's getting in there and I get in there.
That's my issue.
And if we have it here, I do think we can do it up with those guys going down to the Kennedy Center.
I need to be getting going down there rather than having a dinner at the White House.
I'm going down there, having the whole goddamn thing made, and a big dinner, and a hell of a deal, and I'm done.
I think that'd be a tremendous deal.
You know what I mean?
Now, in the grand style, it's been 2009 to 2010 that we thought that we could put this to make a movie, but we could try to get the following movie to succeed, and so on and so on.
It's a total dissonance, but it's a nice production.
I think you should put underway a meeting.
I'd like that to go underway before we hear the Soviet announcement.
I have a reason to do so.
I'd like for them to think we were thinking about it before we did that, before it was completely filled up with issues.
I've actually started backtracking from there to do that.
I'd like the British to know in particular.
And I'd like the French and the Germans to know in particular.
I think because the British...
and the French and Germans and the Italians and Czechs and then a couple other countries.
But if you do that, if you get the word to them, how would you do it through the bank?
Just get hold of all their money.
But I said, look, we can cut the China movement and the other things.
We've got the international monetary crisis, which we already cannot be settled by the finance ministers at all.
We need to take a very good position.
I think that you are dealing with a mess of government.
I don't think that's the best thing.
But before we go, I'd like to ask you a question.
I think it would be a great thing to do in December, then you can do it again in June, and I'll see you at the press.
Sure.
Let me draw up a few reports of them, I'll see you at the press.
And then you close down Trump's proposal.
Well, after this week, they're just not used to the good man's meal yesterday that got them to the announcement.
Of course, you know, he serves his own ass, but even I've noticed in the post today for poor Hayden,
He said, of course, I wish I could have been good to go, but I congratulate him.
That's the best thing I can do to make this possible.
I don't think so.
They may not.
If you're being there, it's going to be a lot of fun.
You've got to realize how much it's a lot of fun.
Oh, I'm not at all defensive with these guys because we, uh, we are giving them a hell of a lot, too.
But the fact is they saved our life.
We were on the skids there.
But we deserved it.
The Russians were getting chest days.
North Vietnamese had just loaded their 7-4s.
They do things elegantly because you've got a message from Yahya saying that he thinks he needs to go back and he won't have a help.
And he also said that Joe and I had written a personal letter saying I was coming back to China.
He was saying that God in Pakistan had taken him to race with us.
And he said to me, what are you going to do with this?
The truth for having made my first trip up is short.
And that shows also that these are, but that's done really like a gentleman.
Correct.
Can you imagine the Russians doing that in your country?
I had sent, luckily, I sent Yaya a message from you on Monday.
Be very free in sending messages, and I don't need to see the letters, messages, and so forth from you.
But when they inform me, you know what I mean?
Like, uh, they love to hear from me about things.
I mean, little guys are kind of amongst in the little countries.
Contents are a big deal.
There's a recipe in Nicaragua.
The Australian has said, come in again, I'm not seeing you.
He has said he'd be glad to come to the West Coast.
I didn't tell her that you'd be there for me if you'd be around the next day.
Maybe after the next day.
I don't want to leave her there.
Okay.
Rally.
It will take you an afternoon and an evening if you want to call me to do that.
I don't even know how to get out of here.
Okay.
Right.
Okay.