President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss the status of ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations and the critical need to secure an agreement before the 1972 election. They reviewed the schedule for Henry Kissinger’s upcoming trip to Hanoi, the timing of a proposed cease-fire, and the delivery of the draft agreement to North Vietnamese officials in Paris. The conversation also addressed concerns regarding South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu's cooperation, the potential political fallout of a coalition government, and the necessity of maintaining a unified public relations front.
On October 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:25 am to 8:40 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 371-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 371-3
(rev. Oct-06)
Date: October 20, 1972
Time: 8:25 am - 8:40 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Vietnam
-Settlement negotiations
-Message from North Vietnamese
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Replacement of military equipment for South Vietnam by US
-US confirmation of acceptance of agreement
-North Vietnamese threat to break off negotiations
-Possible leak of agreement
-Henry A. Kissinger's response
-POWs in Laos, Cambodia
-Le Duc Tho
-Text of an agreement
-Delivery to North Vietnamese in Paris
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Transfer of US military aircraft
-C-130s, A-34s [?]
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Kissinger's schedule
-Negotiation schedule
-Ceasefire
-Trip to Hanoi, October 24, 1972
-Joint announcement
-Haig's call to H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-October 27, 1972
-Signing ceremony in Paris
-October 31, 1972
-Cease-Fire
-Timing
-October 28, 1972
-Kissinger's previous conversation with Thieu
-Public relations effort
-US peace settlement offer
-Possible coalition government in South Vietnam
-Political liability in US
(rev. Oct-06)
-George S. McGovern
-Possible briefing on the President's position
-Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler, Haig
-The President’s view
-Thieu’s strategy
-President's possible statement on television
-Newsweek's call to Haig October 19, 1972
-Arnaud De Borchgrave
-Abram Chayes
-Message from North Vietnamese in Paris
-De Borchgrave's conversation with Pham Van Dong
-Political settlement
-Cease-fire
-North Vietnam's intentions
-1972 election
-Kissinger's possible statement
-POWs in Laos, Cambodia
-Troops around [Saigon]
-Status
-McGovern
-Negotiations
-Issue of a coalition government
-William H. Sullivan
-William P. Rogers
-Background
-Kissinger’s efforts
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision on bombing
Hanoi and mining Haiphong Harbor
-Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Message from the Soviet Union
-Kissinger’s schedule
-North Vietnamese message
-Kissinger's possible conversation with Thieu
-Thieu
-US Policy
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s possible conversation with
Thieu
-1972 election
-North Vietnamese intentions
-Troops in Cambodia
(rev. Oct-06)
The President's Schedule
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with Gen. William C. Westmoreland
-Previous meeting with Haig
-Presentation of report
-Assessment of Thieu
-Possible message to Thieu
Haig left at 8:40 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.