Conversation: 329-042
Prev:  329-041 Next: 329-043Start Date: 15-Apr-1972 1:00 PM
End Date: 15-Apr-1972 2:00 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:58:11
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:53:44
NARA Description:
On April 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 329-042 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 329-42 Date: April 15, 1972 Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. William P. Rogers -Call to Kissinger -The President's schedule -Rogers's schedule -Messages to Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Kissinger’s meeting with Dobrynin -Rogers’s meeting with Dobrynin Vietnam -North Vietnamese public statement -Private message -Request for private meeting on April 27 -Disclosure to Rogers -Rogers’s possible reaction -William J. Porter -Public meeting -Porter’s views -Bombing -Cancellation of private session -US agreement to attend -Private meeting on April 24 -Kissinger’s conversation with porter -Kissinger’s meeting with Yuli M. Vorontsov -Dobrynin -Schedule 50 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Le Duc Tho -Travel to Paris -An Loc -Present situation -Military briefing -Credibility -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -Kissinger’s conversation with unknown person -Present situation -Prisoner of war [POW] reports -US bombing in area -Air sorties -North Vietnamese casualties -Air Force -New chief -John D. Ryan's term -B-52s -Rogers -Laird -Conversation with Kissinger -Instructions -Moorer -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Actions in South Vietnam -Motives -Administration’s tactics -Demonstrations in France -Compared with Lyndon b. Johnson's administration -US statement -U. Alexis Johnson -French -Ties with Hanoi -Public meeting with North Vietnam on April 27 -Kissinger’s message -Attendance -Private meeting on April 24 -Scheduling -Message to Vorontsov -Naval gunfire -Deployment -Targets -Intensity 51 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Increase in destroyers -North Vietnamese offensive -US reaction -Blockade of Haiphong -Naval forces -Strategy -An loc -US shelling -Situation -Air strikes -B-52s -Rogers’s reaction to bombing -Lack of communication with Kissinger -White house communication with other State Department officials -Briefing -Robert J. McCloskey -Negotiations -Private meeting -Porter’s views -Public meeting -Bombing issue -Possible North Vietnamese cancellation of plenary session -Possible cancellation by North Vietnam -Date -Timing -Soviet summit -North Vietnamese concessions -Democratic convention -Role of Soviet Union -Demonstrations -Effect -Bombing -Canada, France, Great Britain and Stockholm -Burning of US embassies -Negotiations -Lyndon B. Johnson example -Kissinger’s concern -Rogers -Plenary session -Rogers -Meeting with Laird -Laird’s statement 52 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Criticism of White House policy -B-52s -Hanoi -[Unintelligible] -Blockade -Timing -Level of support in US -Demonstrations -Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Secret meeting -Topics of discussion -Vietnam -Standards of progress -End of the war -Kissinger’s trip to Soviet Union -Negotiations -Soviet summit -Conditions in Vietnam -Blockade -West German treaty issue -US offers to north Vietnam -North Vietnamese refusal regarding April 24 meeting -Meeting on April 24 -The President's approval of Kissinger’s trip -Blockade -Hanoi -Battle area and "I" corps -Impact -Intent -Plans -Conditions for cessation -POW return -Subsequent withdrawal of US troops -Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam -Blockade -Reactions -North Vietnam -Ability to withstand -Length of time -US attacks -Railroad -Petroleum, oil and lubricants [POL] and weapons dumps 53 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Truck parks -Soviet Union -Confrontation with US -Hanoi relationship towards People's Republic of China [PRC] -Effect -PRC involvement -Relationship with US -Soviet Union -Possible cancellation of summit -Fall of South Vietnam -Effect on Soviet and PRC initiatives -Soviet summit -Israel US foreign policy -Taiwan -Israel -Vietnam -Pierre E. Trudeau Vietnam -Blockade -Soviet summit -Battles in South Vietnam -Opposition in US and worldwide -Build-up -Timing -Soviet Union -Relations with North Vietnam -Domestic support -Erosion -Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Effect -Possible public revelation of trip -Summit -Possible cancellation -Dobrynin -Message to soviets -Vietnam -Summit -Soviet proposals -US response 54 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Value to US and Soviet Union -Kissinger’s previous conversation with Andrei A. Gromyko -Blockade -Summit -Blockade -Timing -Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Domestic reaction -Plans -Bombing -Trip to Moscow -Blockade -Air strike -Laird’s and Moorer’s actions -Reasons -Rogers The President's trip to Canada -Rogers -Margaret Trudeau -News summary report -The President's speech Vietnam -Soviet summit -Possible cancellation -Nguyen Van Thieu -Possible cancellation -Blockade -Impact -1972 presidential election -Democratic victory -Possible republican candidates -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Ronald W. Reagan -Warren E. Burger -John B. Connally -The President's withdrawal -The President's endorsement of Connally -Loss of South Vietnam and soviet summit -Impact on Nixon presidency -Blockade 55 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Alternative candidate -Connally -Foreign policy -Kissinger’s role -Reagan -Rockefeller -Burger -Possible democratic candidates -Edmund S. Muskie -Hubert H. Humphrey -Edward M. Kennedy -Thieu -Possible loss of war -Impact on administration -Blockade -Strategy -Kissinger’s posture in Soviet Union -Summit -Possible soviet reaction -Possible North Vietnamese reaction -Kissinger’s reputation -Kissinger’s message -The President's responsibility -Alternatives -Bombing of ports -Soviet ships -Harbors -Bridges -American public support -Compared with support for bombing -Casualties -POWs -Kissinger’s message to Soviets -Transmittal -Contents -Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Soviet ambassador -North Vietnamese views regarding meetings -Soviet views -Concrete proposal on agenda for Kissinger’s meetings -Negotiations -Plenary sessions 56 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 329-42 (cont.) -Porter’s responsibility -US position -Private meeting -May 7th -Public meeting -Porter’s strategy -Le Duc Tho -Paris visit -US position regarding private and public meetings -Plenary sessions -Schedule -Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Bombing -Public and private meetings -Porter -US conditions -Dates -US responses -Kissinger’s message Kissinger left at 2:00 pm.