President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to evaluate the ongoing military campaign in Vietnam, focusing specifically on the effectiveness of recent air strikes and the strategic impact of the U.S. naval blockade. They discussed the North Vietnamese offensive, the resilience of South Vietnamese forces, and the broader geopolitical implications concerning the Soviet Union and China. Nixon emphasized the necessity of maintaining public resolve, comparing the current situation favorably against past crises while stressing his determination to see the conflict through to a successful conclusion.
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 AidConversation 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
(rev. Nov-01)
-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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2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END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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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
(rev. Nov-01)
-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
(rev. Nov-01)
-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
(rev. Nov-01)
-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
(rev. Nov-01)
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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.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.