Conversation: 328-025
Prev:  328-024 Next: 328-026Start Date: 3-Apr-1972 12:55 PM
End Date: 3-Apr-1972 1:28 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:46:16
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:16:34
NARA Description:
On April 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:55 pm to 1:28 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 328-025 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 328-25 Date: April 3, 1972 Time: 12:55 pm - 1:28 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. A meeting -Arrangements Vietnam -Air strikes -Time -Weather -March 8, 1972 strikes -The President’s recollections -Demilitarized zone [DMZ] -Surface to air missiles [SAMs] sites -Strikes 27 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) -Kissinger’s view -Authority for military strikes -Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Kissinger’s opposition -Kissinger’s forthcoming call to Alexander M. Haig, Jr. Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:28 pm. [Conversation No. 328-25A] Requested a call to Haig [End of telephone conversation] Kissinger talked with Haig at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:28 pm. [Conversation No. 328-25B] Kissinger’s schedule Vietnam -Air strikes -Authority -March 8, 1972 request from the Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS] [End of telephone conversation] Vietnam -Air strikes -SAM sites -Authorization -Denial of requests -North Vietnam build up -Reports -Number of sorties -Limitation -Adm. Thomas h. Moorer’s report on the Air Force -Sorties -Number -The President’s interest 28 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) -Kissinger’s view -Compared to Laos operation -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Proposals -[David] Kenneth Rush -Gen. Robert E. Pursley -Kissinger’s view -Melvin R. Laird -Soviets -Kissinger’s forthcoming conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Kissinger’ forthcoming message to the Chinese -Kissinger’s view -Berlin Agreement -Situation in Vietnam -Soviet military equipment -US air strike -Leonid I. Brezhnev’s letter -Pressure on the North Vietnamese -Soviet Union -PRC -Brezhnev’s possible meeting with William P. Rogers -Air strikes -Press reports -The President’s view -Press -The President’s view -Compared to Laos operation -Kissinger’s briefing of H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John A. Scali and Ronald L. Ziegler -Herbert g. Klein -Scali -Department of Defense, State Department -Reports -Anticipated loss of territory -State department -North Vietnamese crossing of the DMZ -Geneva agreement of 1954 -Defense Department statement -North Vietnamese units across the DMZ -North Vietnamese offensive -South Vietnamese resistance 29 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) -Intensity -Kissinger’s view -Moorer’s view -Artillery -South Vietnamese armor -Number -Defense line -Dong Ha -Quang Tri -Hue -Tanks -Use of air power -Weather -North Vietnamese casualties -Compared to Laos operation -Public relations -Rogers, Laird -Public comments -Sense of crisis -The President’s contacts -Rogers -Laird -Moorer -Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] meeting -Department of defense, state department -Bureaucracy -Laird -Rogers -Public comments -Kissinger’s possible public comments -Laird -Press conference -Bombing -South Vietnam -South Vietnam -Capacities -North Vietnam -Destruction in the North -Hypothetical attacks -Gen. Douglas MacArthur -Hanoi 30 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) Cambodia -News summary -Phnom Penh -North Vietnam presence -Movement -South Vietnamese border -Tay Ninh province Vietnam -Nguyen Van Thieu -Troops in Saigon -Vietnamization -Withdrawal of US troops -Noncommunist nations’ fight against Communism -The President’s and Kissinger’s doubts -Laird -South Vietnam -Survival -Cambodia invasion -Laos -Compared to British and French experience in 1918 -Incidents of mass surrender -North Vietnamese artillery and tank attacks An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:28 pm. -Artillery -Technology -Kissinger’s view -North Vietnamese artillery -Moorer’s report -II Corps fire bases -The President’s view -Leadership -Kissinger’s view -Haig -Vietnamization -Air strikes -Reports on damage -The president’s goals 31 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) -Safety of US forces -Press -Public relations -Survival of South Vietnam -US press -Loyalty to the nation -Depiction of North Vietnam -Kissinger’s view -Laos -North Vietnamese offensive -Use of air power -Importance -Laos -Hue and Da Nang -Possible fall -Impact on US withdrawal -Timing -The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union -Possibility -Air Force -Consequences -Necessity for US action -US options -Impact of US defeat -PRC -Soviet Union -Indonesia -Japan -Laird -Politics -US bombing -Soviet Union -PRC -Soviet response -Influence on the North Vietnamese -Forthcoming US-Soviet summit -US offer to the Soviets -South Vietnam -Thieu -Performance during offensive -Defense structure 32 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 328-25 (cont.) -Weaponry of the North Vietnamese -Weaponry -Morale -Losses -North Vietnamese casualties -North Vietnam -Casualty rates -Bombing Kissinger left at 1:28 pm.