President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger and Alexander Haig to discuss the current stalemate in Vietnam negotiations, specifically addressing North Vietnamese intransigence and bad-faith tactics regarding a potential cease-fire and the status of U.S. prisoners of war. Facing a breakdown in talks and an imminent congressional session that threatened to cut off war funding, Nixon decided to resume U.S. bombing and mining of North Vietnamese infrastructure. The President and his advisors concluded that this military pressure was necessary to force a settlement, maintain U.S. credibility, and ensure that South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu understood the necessity of a finalized agreement.
On December 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Henry A. Kissinger, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:15 pm to 3:24 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 384-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 384-12
Date: December 14, 1972
Time: 2:15 pm - 3:24 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Charles W. Colson.
Colson’s schedule
-Reception for 1972 election supporters
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Reception for 1972 election supporters
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Maurice H. Stans
-Atmosphere
-Mrs. Fred Gualtieri
-Admiration for the President
-Blair House dinner
-Peter J. Brennan
-40-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-Wife
-Speech
-Description of the President
-Reaction
-Martin J. Ward
-Support for the Democratic Party
-United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and
Pipe Fitting Industry
-Chicago
-Patricia Colson
-Frank L. Rizzo
-Invitations
-John Madigan
-Charles Snider
-George C. Wallace
-Traits
-Background
-Construction business
-Wallace
-New Majority
-New political party
-John B. Connally
-The President’s schedule
-Ray Mosley
-Brennan
-Loyalty
-Joseph Staozak
-Maryland
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Republican Party
-Handshake
Republican Party
-George H. W. Bush
-William E. Brock, III
-Clarence J. (“Bud”) Brown, Jr.
-Candidate recruitment
-Age
-Young Republicans
-Attitude
-41-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-Complaints
-Labor
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Henry A. Kissinger and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. entered at 2:30 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-North Vietnamese delays
-Congressional relations
-US aid cut off
-1972 election
-Peace expectations
-Le Duc Tho
-Breakdown in talks
-North Vietnam’s position
-Cease-fire
-Supervision
-New invasion
-Imposition of Communist government in South Vietnam
-Tactics
-Effect
-US position
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Total victory
-Cease-fire
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Elections
-Settlement agreement
-US public opinion
-Enforcement
-Thieu
-Press relations
-Liberals
-Breakdown in talks
-North Vietnam’s position
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-42-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-Exchange of messages
-The President
-Christmas
-1973 Inauguration
-Congressional reconvention
-Peace
-US military action
-Settlement agreement
-Explanation of status, terms
-Tone
-US mining and bombing north of 20th Parallel
-October 26, 1972 cessation
-Reason
-Settlement agreement
-Signing
-Lack of announcement
-Reseeding of mines
-Reconnaissance
-Hanoi
-Targets
-Power plants, marshaling yards, communications
-Duration
-Congressional reconvention
-US public opinion
-Congressional relations
-Michael J. Mansfield amendment
-The President’s meeting with Hugh Scott and William E.
Timmons
-US withdrawal
-Timing
-POWs
-Vietnamization
-Settlement agreement
-US aid to South Vietnam
-Cessation of US bombing, mining, US withdrawal
-POWs
-Thieu’s tenure
-Communist government
-1972 election
-Peace with honor
-43-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-George S. McGovern
-Continuation of bombing
-POWs
-Amendments
-Senate, House of Representatives
-US public opinion
-Peace expectations
-North Vietnam
-Draft
-College campuses
-Colson’s trip to Princeton University
-Parties
-Harvard University
-Brown University
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Syracuse, New York
-1972 election
-POWs
-North Vietnam-South Vietnam fighting
-Taxes
-Draft
-US pilots
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Effect
-Peace with honor
-The President’s possible statement
-Nuclear war
-“Doves”
-“Hawks”
-Antiwar sentiment
-McGovern
Colson left at 2:45 pm.
-Planning
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with Melvin R. Laird
-[David] Kenneth Rush, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Meeting with the President
-Camp David
-44-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-B-52s
-Number
-The President’s schedule
-Europe
-Duration
-North Vietnam’s tactics
-Kissinger’s meetings
-Record
-POWs protocol
-Civilian detainees
-National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord
[NCRC]
-Kissinger’s press conference
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger
-Timing
-William P. Rogers
-Moorer
-Reception
-Location
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Timing
-Congressional relations
-Scott
-Congressional reconvention
-Vietnamization
-North Vietnam-South Vietnam relations
-US-South Vietnam relations
-Communists-North Vietnam relations
-US withdrawal
-Cessation of US bombing, mining
-POWs
-Timing
-Mansfield Amendment
-Scott
-Mansfield Amendment
-US military activities
-Cut off of funds
-Nixon Doctorine
-The President’s possible statement
-Tone
-45-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-Public opinion
-Republican, Democrats
-Timing
-Duration
-1972 election
-Effect of the President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Public opinion
-Colson’s view
-Pre-election proposals
-Allies
-POWs
-Rejection
-Kissinger’s press conference, October 26, 1972
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Timing
-Cease-fire
-Coalition government
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham’s conversation with [Shah of Iran] Mohammed Reza
Pahlavi
-October 1972
-Kissinger’s efforts
-Settlement agreement
-Protocols
-Duration and violations
-US bombing, mining north of 20th Parallel
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-US-Soviet Union summit
-US bombing, mining north of 20th Parallel
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Soviet Union
-Kissinger’s press conference
-Peace with honor
-North Vietnam’s position
-US bombing, mining north of 20th Parallel
-Haig mission
-Timing
-Thieu
-Settlement agreement
-Enforcement
-46-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. June-08)
Conversation No. 384-12 (cont’d)
-Continuation of war
-US aid
The recording was cut off at an unknown time before 3:24 pm.
UThis 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.