Conversation: 334-002
Prev: 334-001 Next: 334-003Start Date: Tuesday, April 25, 1972 8:35 PM
End Date: Tuesday, April 25, 1972 9:20 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Andrews, John K., Jr.; Sanchez, ManoloRecording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:02:06
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:42:19
NARA Description:
On April 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, John K. Andrews, Jr., and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:35 pm to 4:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 334-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 334-2
Date: April 25, 1972
Time: 3:35 pm - 4:20 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Briefing
Vietnam
-Announcement on US troop levels
-Time
-Basketball game
-California
-News shows
-Ziegler's possible comments
-The President's report to nation
-Henry A. Kissinger’s return from Moscow
-Camp David
-Nguyen Van Thieu, Ellsworth F. Bunker, William J. Porter and Gen. Creighton
W. Abrams, Jr.
-Consultation
-Approval of announcement
-Changes in levels
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-May 1, 1972
-Negotiations
-Announcement
-Timing
-Kissinger's trip to Moscow
-Disclosure to press
-Ziegler's statement
-Secrecy
-Necessity
-Disclosure to press
-Soviet summit
-Crisis
-Answers to questions
Kissinger entered at 3:40 pm.
Ziegler's briefing
-Time
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 3:42 pm.
The President's forthcoming speech on Vietnam
-Draft
-Review
-Major point
-Doves, intellectuals
-Cambodia’s speech [April 30, 1970]
-November 3, 1969 speech
-Difference in tone
-Soviets
-Election
-Relation to Cambodia
-Cambodia
-Washington Post
-Problems
-Kent State University
-Appeal to hawks
-Doves
-Problems
John K. Andrews, Jr. entered at 3:42 pm.
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-Copy for Kissinger
-Review with Andrews and Winston Lord
-Quality of work
Andrews left at 3:45 pm.
-Kissinger's recommendations
-Changes
-Peace terms
-Hyperbole
-Doves
-Concern
-Soviets
-Hawks
-Clark MacGregor's survey
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Speaking engagement
-Tone
-Changes
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:45 pm.
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 3:55 pm.
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-Review with Kissinger
-First part of speech
-Casualties
-Timing
-Negotiations
-The President's offers to North Vietnam
-Casualties
-Statement on number from previous year
-Kissinger's changes
-Review by the President
-Negotiations
-North Vietnamese refusal to talk
Kissinger's health
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-Trip to Moscow
-Time difference
Kissinger's trip to Moscow
-Call to Katherine L. Graham
-Publication of secret papers in Washington Post
-Kissinger's protests
-Graham's reaction
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-Kissinger's revisions
-North Vietnamese troop figures
-Battlefield reports
-Vietnamization program
-Deletions
-Future announcement
-Use of draftees
-US readiness to negotiate
-US proposals
-Bombing
-Public issue
-Statement on US objectives
-Critics
Ziegler entered at 3:55 pm.
Television networks
-Conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Request
-The President's speech
-Basketball game
-Scheduling
-Length of speech
-Delay in game
Ziegler left at 3:56 pm.
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-Kissinger's changes
-North Vietnamese victory
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-Deletions
-Soviet assistance to North Vietnam
-Reference to Middle East
-Liberals
-US refusal to be humiliated or defeated or to surrender
-Deletions
-Soviets
-Tone
-US involvement
-Termination
-Deletions
-US as "great power"
-The President's responsibilities
-World leadership
-Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Evaluation
-Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong
-Sherlock Holmes analogy
-Support
-Bombing
-Invitation to Moscow
-Frequency
-Kissinger’s trip to Moscow
-Hanoi and Haiphong
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Soviet Summit
-The President's forthcoming speech to retiring congressmen
-Kissinger's briefing for John B. Connally
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Cease-fire in place
-Reaction to proposal
-The President's conversation with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Porter
-Termination of war
-Possible bombing
-Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Meeting with Andrei A. Gromyko
-Soviets
-Assistance to US
-W[illiam] Averell Harriman, Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-Motives for settlement
-German Treaty
-Middle East
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Dobrynin
-Dealings with present Administration
-Interests of "great powers"
-Gromyko
-Brezhnev
-The President's speech
-Secrecy
-Leaks
-Ziegler, Haldeman, John A. Scali, William P. Rogers and Melvin R.
Laird
-Kissinger's changes
-Lord
-The President's review
-Rogers
-Discussion with Kissinger
-Rogers
-Involvement in PRC, Moscow, SALT and Berlin trips
SALT
-Discussion with Kissinger
-Negotiations
-Gerard C. Smith
-Haig
-Plenary sessions
-Rogers
-Discussion with Kissinger
-Anti-ballistic missiles [ABM]
-Smith
-Contacts with Kissinger
-Rogers and Laird
-Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
-Smith and Rogers
-Kissingers' trip to Moscow
-Paper
-Recall of Smith
-Wire from the President
-Rogers
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 334-2 (cont.)
-Schedule
-Announcement
-Military
-Publicity
-The President's trip to Florida
-Meeting with Smith and verification panel
-Time
-Kissinger's return to Washington
Ronald W. Reagan
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Soviets
Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Reaction to Kissinger's trip to Moscow
Vietnam
-The President's speech
-Draft
-Return to the President
-Dinner honoring congressmen
-Time
Kissinger left at 4:20 pm.