Conversation: 381-003
Prev:  381-002 Next: 381-004Start Date: 13-Dec-1972 12:28 PM
End Date: 13-Dec-1972 1:12 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Sanchez, Manolo; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On December 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:28 pm to 1:12 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 381-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 381-3 Date: December 13, 1972 Time: 12:28 pm – 1:12 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule -Return from Paris -Timing -Headwinds Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:28 pm. Refreshment Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:12 pm. Vietnam negotiations -Kissinger -Haig’s role -Decision making authority -The President’s delegation -Cambodia invasion -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Negotiator -Emotion -Caution, objectivity -Record -Blame on others -Settlement agreement -1972 election -Objections -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -The President -Haig -Saigon -Messages -Tone -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Breakdown in talks -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Nguyen Van Thieu’s position -North Vietnam -Cease-fire -Thieu -Pressure on North Vietnam -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Cease-fire -Timing -Christmas -The President’s meeting with Haig and Kissinger -US mining of North Vietnam -Reseeding -Timing -Thieu -Supplies -Timing -Reconnaisance -Signal to Hanoi -Reaction -Protective reaction -US bombing of North Vietnam South of 20th Parallel -Kissinger’s scenario -The President’s view -Military value -Tone -Haig’s conversation with Kissinger -Haig’s conversations with Kissinger -Options -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Contingencies -Kissinger -Future -Kissinger’s interview with Oriana Fallaci -Press relations -William P. Rogers -“Peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972 -India-Pakistan War -US-Soviet Union relations -15- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Effect -Need to focus on problem -Recommendations -Need for suspicion -Emotions -Emotions -Effect on work -Expectations -Settlement agreement -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Policy making -Theory -National Security Council [NSC] -State Department -Mental health -Current status compared to recent past -Trip to Saigon -Haig’s location -Messages -Timing -1972 election -Long Tien -Previous trips to Saigon -Haig’s schedule -Post-October 8, 1972 -Return from Paris -Haig’s schedule -Thieu’s rebuff -Return from Paris -Settlement agreement -October 8, 1972 draft -Hanoi -Thieu -Previous messages to Hanoi -Settlement agreement -Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel -The President’s return from Camp David -Compromise -1972 election -Return from Saigon -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Haig’s trip to Saigon -Settlement agreement -Thieu’s view -Thieu’s relationship with Kissinger -Kissinger’s trip to Saigon -Back channels -Haig -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Thieu -Relationship with Kissinger, the President, Haig -Trust -Speech, December 12, 1972 -US theorists, quotation -Relationship with the President -Trust -US-South Vietnam relations -State Department -Corruption issue -Kissinger -Schedule -Return from Paris -“Martyr complex” -Resignation -Advisability -Haig’s role -Kissinger -Return from Saigon -Hanoi’s public statement -“Peace is at hand” statement -Timing -1972 election -Message from Hanoi -The President’s schedule, November 4, 1972 -Greensboro, North Carolina -The President’s statement -“Peace is at hand” statement -The President’s pull-back -Haig’s reaction -Caution -The President’s reaction -17- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Politics -Haig’s conversation with Kissinger -Press conference, October 26, 1972 -Technical aspects -Settlement agreement -1972 election -Press relations -Fallaci interviews -Italian ambassador -Haig’s location -Saigon -Timing -1972 election -Italian government request -Taping -Haig’s viewing -Reproduction -Washington Star -Washington Post -Quotes -Context -Kissinger’s relationship with the President -Legal suit threat -Tape -Quotes -Context -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston’s article -Meeting with the President -Rogers -Melvin R. Laird -Rogers’s and Laird’s view -October 8, 1972 agreement -Rogers’s, Laird’s and Agnew’s views -Haig’s meetings with Kissinger -Timing -Rogers -Laird -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -Agnew -“Game Plan” -18- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Breakdown -Congressional relations -US bombing of North Vietnam -Timing -Christmas -Statements -October 8, 1972 agreement -US action -North Vietnam -Violations -Coalition government -South Vietnam -Thieu -North Vietnamese position -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Effect -Settlement agreement -Timing -Settlement agreement -Kissinger -Messages -Timing -Christmas -US bombing of North Vietnam -Haig’s view -Thieu -Settlement agreement -Reseeding of mines -US position -Credibility -Signals -Thieu [South Vietnam] -US economic and military aid -US military aid -Laird’s view -Carriers -Sorties -Effect -US economic aid -Credit -19- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Conversion of Piasters -Balance of payments -US bombing of North Vietnam -The President’s meeting with Kissinger -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Advisability -Pressure on Hanoi -Possible ultimatum to Thieu -Settlement agreement -Necessity to Thieu -Thieu -The President’s resolve to support -US bombing of North Vietnam -Effect -Soviet Union -Thieu -Victory -Effectf -Psychological and military aspects -Targets -Power and communications stations -Marshalling yards -B-52s -Cessation -Effect -Timing -South of 20th Parallel -Laotian Trail -Haig’s conversation with Moorer -Reseeding of mines -Effect -Reconnaissance -Settlement agreement -Unseeding of mines -Statement -“Routine reseeding” -Means -Settlement agreement -Unseeding of mines -Haig’s meeting with Kissinger -20- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d) -Kissinger’s schedule -Return from Paris -Rest -Kissinger’s reaction -Haig’s meeting with Kissinger -Kissinger’s resignation -Accomplishments -Future -Thieu’s speech -US-South Vietnam relations -North Vietnam’s view -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Thieu -Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon -Advisability -Settlement agreement -Settlement agreement -Hanoi -Stalling tactics, delays -Kissinger’s schedule -Return from Paris -Meeting with the President -Timing Haig left at 1:12 pm.