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Conversation: 337-003

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Start Date: 10-May-1972 9:20 AM

End Date: 10-May-1972 9:50 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:04:26

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:36:08

337a.mp3

337b.mp3

337c.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:20 am to 9:50 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 337-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 337-3

Date: May 10, 1972
Time: 9:20-9:50 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Greetings

     President's meeting with Walter H. Annenberg (?)

     Weather

     Vietnam
          -Air strikes
                -Completion
                -Report
                -Visibility
                -Damage
                      -Bridge
                      -Chinese and Soviet ships
                            -Haiphong Harbor
                            -Restrictions on pilots
          -Blockade
                -Soviet ships
                      -Movement
          -North Vietnamese offensive
                -An Loc/Saigon area
                      -Attacks
                      -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] [South Vietnam] divisions
                      -Military Region One
                            -Supplies
                            -Air strikes
                            -ARVN patrols
                            -North Vietnam losses
                            -Kontum
                      -ARVN counterattacks
                      -Weather
                            -Rainy season
                      -Kontum
                      -Pleiku
                                            3

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Nov-01)
                                                          Conv. No. 337-3 (cont.)

                          -Central Highlands
                    -Military Region One
                    -An Loc
                          -Loss
                                -Compared to Quang Tri
         -Soviet Summit
              -Possible cancellation
         -North Vietnamese offensive
              -President's options
         -Blockade
              -Compared to Cambodia, World War III
              -Protests to Kissinger's staff
              -Public support
                    -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                    -Volume


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 50s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


    Vietnam
         -Blockade
              -President’s peace offers
                    Joseph C. Kraft commentary
         -Negotiations
              -George H.W. Bush
              -William J. Porter
                    -Plenary session
              -Xuan Thuy
                    -Moscow
              -Le Duc Tho
                    -Paris
              -Blockade
                                  4

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. Nov-01)
                                                         Conv. No. 337-3 (cont.)

     -Public support
           -Comparison with missile crises
                 -Washington Post
                 -New York Times
                 -Three networks
                 -Republicans
                 -Intellectuals
           -Comparison with Cambodian invasion
                 -Fears of World War III
     Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China [PRC] responses
           -Strength
           -US assessments
     -PRC
           -Kissinger’s message
                 -Contents
     -Soviet ships
           -Kissinger’s call to Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
     -Soviet Summit
           -Soviet response
                 -Timing
                       -German treaties
           -US statement
     -Public relations efforts
           -Wording of statements
           -Kissinger call to Yitzhak Rabin
                 -Jewish groups
                 -Hijacking
                 -Jewish groups
                       -Position
-Blockade
     -President’s offers
     -Statement to Soviets
           -Support for the President
                 -US actions
                       -Soviet summit
     -Kissinger's backgrounder
           -Response
                 -Department of Defense
     -Melvin R. Laird
           -Call
           -Speech for John C. Stennis
           -Tone
                              5

     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                     Tape Subject Log
                       (rev. Nov-01)
                                                Conv. No. 337-3 (cont.)

-William P. Rogers
      -Demeanor
            -The President’s view
-President's demeanor
      -Chou En-lai
      -Andrei A. Gromyko
      -Television
-President's previious speech
      -Response
            -Marvin L. Kalb's party
                 -Frank F. Church
                 -Indonesian ambassador
                 -Max Frankel
      -Soviets
            -Middle East
                 -Jewish groups
-North Vietnam offensive
      -Soviet arms
            -Soviet Summit
      -Compared with India-Pakistan crisis
      -Senate Democratic response
            -James B. Allen
                 -Rebuttal to Church
                 -Ted Stevens
-Blockade
      -Soviet Summit
      -US stakes in Vietnam
-North Vietnam offensive
      -South Vietnam Success
            -The President’s view
            -An Loc
      -North Vietnam problems
            -Supplies from Soviets
-PRC aid
-Air strikes
      -Railroads
      -Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants [POLs]
      -Targets
      -Frequency
      -Damage
      -B-52s
            -Supporting aircraft
                                         6

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Nov-01)
                                                              Conv. No. 337-3 (cont.)

                     -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
                     -Losses
          -Blockade
               -North Vietnam response
                    -Bush
                    -Porter
                    -New York Times
                    -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston commentary
               -Public support
                    -"Hawks" and "Doves"
                    -Publicity
                    -Telegrams
                       -Volume
                    -Television reports
                          -"Man on the street" interviews
                          -General Infantry [GI’s]
                                     -Support for President
                          -Prisoner of war [POW] wives

President's schedule
     -Florida trip
            -Advisability
     -Dinner for Duke Law School class
     -Future schedule

Kissinger's schedule
     -Return to Washington

Vietnam
     -Blockade
          -Laird press conference
          -John B. Connally press conference
                                                 7

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Nov-01)
                                                           Conv. No. 337-3 (cont.)

**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 57s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
**********************************************************************


     Vietnam
          -Blockade
               -Kissinger's call to Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
               -US intentions
                    -The President’s view
                          -Soviet ships
               -Compared to Cuban missile crisis
               -Compared to Laos
               -US troops in South Vietnam
               -Message to Soviets

Kissinger left at 9:50 am.