Conversation: 372-011
Prev:  372-010 Next: 372-012Start Date: 25-Oct-1972 9:40 AM
End Date: 25-Oct-1972 10:08 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On October 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:40 am to 10:08 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 372-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 372-11 Date: October 25, 1972 Time: 9:40 am - 10:08 am Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. The People's Republic of China [PRC] -Chou En-Lai Vietnam peace settlement negotiations -Leonid I. Brezhnev’s previous message -Kissinger’s response -Hanoi -Kissinger’s possible trip -Timing -1972 election -Paris talks -Kissinger’s schedule -Saigon 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Possible leaks -US proposal -Final Document -Saigon’s approval -Possible bombing halt -Rationale -Quality of offer -Concessions -Compared with 1968 bombing halt -Public announcement -The President’s suggestion -20th parallel -Public opinion -Forthcoming 1972 election -Possible press statement -Breakthrough -Further negotiations -Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Fritz G. Kraemer’s view -Nguyen Van Thieu -Public Position -US Position -The President’s view -Thieu -Coalition government -Bombing halt -North Vietnamese military situation -Possible cease-fire, October 31, 1972 -Thieu‘s recent speech -Kissinger’s view -Strategy -Role in negotiations -Coalition government -Communist infrastructure in South Vietnam -Possible bombing halt -Political risks -Rationale -Timing compared with 1972 election -Compared with 1968 bombing halt -Public announcement -Extent of halt 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Reasons -Risks -Timing -Secrecy -Thieu’s strategy -Possible North Vietnamese reply -US public relations strategy -Possible North Vietnamese reply -Le Duc Tho -William P. Rogers -Issue of coalition government in Vietnam -Possible statement -Ronald L. Ziegler -US message -Possible attack on McGovern -Wording of press statement on coalition government -Ziegler -Washington Post article -Unknown reporter's name -Kissinger’s recent name -Coalition government -The President’s participation in negotiations -John B. Connally -Leaks -Thieu -Stewart J.O. Alsop -Murrey Marder -Television -Howard K. Smith -Statement regarding efforts of the President and Kissinger -Messages -Content of Kissinger’s statement -McGovern’s proposal compared to the Administrations -Tone -Type of Peace -Surrender -Prisoners of war [POWs] -Coalition government -Assistance to South Vietnam -Thailand -Laos 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Cambodia -“Peace with honor” -1972 election -McGovern’s possible response -Bombing halt -Nature of announcement -Wording -De facto compared to de jure status -Progress -Le Duc Tho -US position -Ziegler -Soviet Union -US global commitments -Kissinger’s possible trip to Hanoi -The President’s view -Le Duc Tho -Thieu -Handling -US equipment shipments -Kissinger’s meeting with unknown person -Timing -Settlement -Possible agreement to settlement -Timing -November 20, 1972 -Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone call to Nelson A. Rockefeller -1968 peace initiative -McGovern’s statements -Compared with current US proposal -Compared with McGovern’s proposals -POWs -Laos, Cambodia -Communist government in South Vietnam -The President’s schedule -Priority of peace negotiations -The President's and Kissinger’s role -Joseph W. Alsop’s column -History's verdict -Abraham Lincoln -Opposition to the President's policies 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Compared to Lincoln -Bureaucracy, media -Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson -Administration problems -Consensus Kissinger left at 10:08 am.