Conversation: 371-009
Prev: 371-008 Next: 371-010Start Date: Friday, October 20, 1972 2:04 PM
End Date: Friday, October 20, 1972 2:35 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Westmoreland, William (Gen.)Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On October 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Gen. William Westmoreland met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:04 am to 10:35 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 371-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 371-9
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)
Date: October 20, 1972
Time: 10:04 am - 10:35 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Gen. William C. Westmoreland.
Vietnam
-Peace settlement negotiations
-Haig's previous conversation with Westmoreland
-Message from Henry A. Kissinger
-Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu's concerns
-North Vietnamese forces in South Vietnam
-Possible cease-fire violations
-Tripartite committee
-Coalition government
-Political aspects
-The President's conversation with Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord
-US public support
-Thieu
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Military Dispositions
-Timing
-Cease-fire
-A-5’s
-Soviet Union
-Thieu
-The People's Republic of China [PRC]
-May 8, 1972 bombing of Hanoi and mining of Haiphong Harbor
-Analysis of conditions
-Thieu
-Cease-fire
-Possible publicizing of settlement terms
-1972 Election
-Westmoreland’s view
-Military situation
-POWs
-Political problems for South Vietnam
-Sovereignty
-Thieu
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese forces
-Sovereignty of South Vietnam
-Vietcong
-Provisions of agreement
-Thieu
-Military realities
-Saigon
-Vietcong
-Vietnamization
-South Vietnamese Air Force
-Thieu’s intentions
-Westmorland’s suspicions
-Sovereignty of South Vietnam
-Possible secret agreement
-Possible bombing resumption
-South Vietnamese Air Force
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese forces
-North Vietnamese POWs
-Bombing
-Additional military aid
-Withdrawal of military forces
-Sovereignty of South Vietnam
-US position
-Political realities
-1972 election
-Timing
-Control mechanisms of agreement
-The President’s view
-Cambodia, Laos
-Cambodia
-US pressure on Lon Nol
-Possible Military Action
-The President’s view
-Laos
-Negotiations
-South Vietnamese morale
-Thieu's Relations with US
-Thieu
-The President’s view
-Ngo Dinh Diem
-South Vietnamese political stability
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)
-Negotiations
-North Vietnamese message
-US Response
Westmoreland's forthcoming speech in Dallas
-Possible meeting with Lyndon B. Johnson
-The President’s view
Westmoreland and Haig left at 10:35 am.