Conversation: 412-007
Prev: 412-006 Next: 412-008Start Date: Wednesday, February 14, 1973 8:04 PM
End Date: Wednesday, February 14, 1973 9:05 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.); White House photographerRecording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On February 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, and White House photographer met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 4:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 412-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 412-7
Date: February 14, 1973
Time: Unknown between 3:04 pm and 4:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Thomas H. Moorer.
Prisoners of War [POWs] returning from Vietnam
-Debriefing
-POWs’ attitudes
-Support for President
-Bombing
-Support
-December 26, 1972 raid
World War II
-Prisoners of Japanese
-Hokaido
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
Bombing
-North Vietnamese reaction
-POWs’ morale
POWs’ return
-Statements
-Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr.
-Capt. James A. Mulligan, Jr.
-Impact on critics of bombing
-Bombing
-POWs’ appearance
-Release of POWs’ reactions
Bombing
-North Vietnam’s reaction
-May 8, 1972 bombing
-Bombing halt
-Delays in negotiations
-Cambodia
-Purpose
-Result
-Impact on the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Soviet Union
-Statesmen
-Winston S. Churchill
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Allied attitudes
-Japan
-Australia
-Ian O. smith
-Great Britain
-Portugal
-Greece
-Turkey
-Spain
-Latin America
-5-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Brazil
-European Socialists
-Germany
-Netherlands
-Latin America
-Australia
-Military
Canada’s military
-Reaction to bombing
-Relations with US military
-Military missions
-Participation
-US Marine Corps
-Strength
European military
-Strength
-Denmark
Socialist countries
-parliamentary coalitions
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Trip to Southeast Asia
-Report
-Moorer’s visit
Far East
-Indonesia [?]
-Thailand
-Moorer’s travel
-PRC
-Negotiations
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
POWs
-Photograph
-Washington Star
-Corsages for wives or mothers
-Future careers
-Military
-Denton
-Contact with Moorer
-President’s call to Mrs. Denton
-Families’ reaction to the President’s policies
-Knowledge of bombing
Bombing
-B-52, tactical aircraft
-Damage to Hanoi
-Pictures
-Harold E. Hughes
-Allegations of carpet bombing
-Civilian casualties
-Compared with World War II
-Refusals to fly
POWs
-Heroism
-Korean War
-President’s policies
-Peace with honor
-Defeat of North Vietnam
-Debriefing
-Col. Al Lynn
-Attitudes
-Uniforms and bearing
-Pay bonuses
-Congress
-Recommendations
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Military institutional support
-Legal advice
-Career options
-Educational commitments
-Graduate schools
-War colleges
-Duty stations
-Citations
-Presidential Unit Citation
-Moorer’s recommendations
-Gen. Brendt G. Scowcroft
-Individuals
-Years of captivity
-Bravery, performance
-Pay
-Congressional opposition
-Bonus
-Defense Department recommendations
-Historical precedents
-World War II
-Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
US foreign policy
-Vietnam War
-US interests
-Southeast Asia
-Commitments to allies
-Great power status
-Attacks on military
-Impact of POWs
-Pentagon
-Heroism
-US strength
-Patriotism
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
President’s Pentagon visit
-Effects [?]
-Luncheon
-Elliot L. Richardson
-JCS
-Service secretaries
-Timing
-President’s admiration
-POWs
-Presidential citation
-Timing
-Congress
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Patriotism
Consultation between military and the President
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-JCS chairman
-Richard M. Helmz [?]
-Strategic Arms Limitations Talks [SALT]
-Direct line to JCS
-Moorer’s access to the President
Vietnam
-May 8, 1972 bombing
-Secretary’s recommendations
-Overruled
-Continuation
-Weather
-Moorer’s recommendations
-B-52 losses
-June 5, 1972 raid
-Number of sorties
-Halt
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-December 1972 bombing
*****************************************************************************
BEGING WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 2 s]
Intelligence
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
-The President’s role
-Unpredictability
The President’s conversation with Scowcroft and Haig
-Military missions abroad
-Foreign arms sales
-Church amendment
-Competition
-France
-Latin America
-State Department
-US military ties
-Uruguay
-Chile
-Indonesia
-Communism
-Population
-Lt. Gen. T. N. S. Suharto
-Military aid
-Contacts
-Alliances
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Socialist countries
-Brazil
-US military aid
-Conditions
-Destroyers
-Missiles
-Preference for US advisors, arms
-US arms
Foreign policy planning
-President’s discussion with Haig
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Military field grade officers
-Think tanks
-Broader thinking
-State Department
-Arms sales
-Latin America
-Psychological operations
-Contribution of military people
-Air force
-Europe, PRC, Soviet Union
-Think tanks
-Differing views
-Impact on NSC
-Role of JCS
-Styx missile
-Naval officers
-Mediterranean
-Memorandum
-Israeli ship
-Richardson
-Conventional weapons
-Usefulness
-Korea
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Nixon Doctrine
-Small nations
-Self defense
-Conventional warfare
-Prolonged war
-Navy, air force
-Sophisticated, expensive weapons
-Tactical air power
-Cost effectiveness
Conventional weapons
-Europe
-Mutual and balanced force reduction [MBFR]
-Japan, Asia
-Tactical nuclear weapons
-Military planning group
-Study results
The President’s foreign policy decisions
-May 8, 1972 decision
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Haig
-Impact on US-Soviet relations
-US-Soviet summit, May 1972
-Preemptive cancellation
-President’s speech
-Television [TV]
-Fear of Soviet Union reprisals
-The President’s deliberations
-Need for outside counsel
-John B. Connally
-December 1972 bombing
-Breakdown in negotiations
-Kissinger’s cable and recommendations
-President’s speech
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-TV
-Compared with May 8, 1972 decision
-Impact on negotiations
-North Vietnam
-Success of US-Soviet summit, Vietnam settlement
-White House staff, NSC
Presidential advisors
-Need to hear different opinions
-State Department, Defense Department, Central Intelligence Agency
[CIA]
-NSC’s role
-NSC
-Haig
-Management skills
-Knowledge
Military advisory capacity
-Younger officers
-Age
-Experience
-New ideas
-Moorer’s staff
-Transfers
-POWs
-Abilities
-Insights
-JCS
-Air force, navy, personnel
-Independent initiative
-No fear of reprisal
-Leaking to press
-Bureaucracy
-Kissinger
-NSC
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Haig
-Talent in military
Defense budget
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Cuts in post-Vietnam War period
-Personnel costs
-Mills
-Support
-Moorer’s speech
-Commonwealth Club
-International interests
-Energy crisis
-Middle East instability
-Negotiations
-Strength of US
-Budget
-Decreases
-TV press conference by Moorer
-Vietnam War’s effects on US military morale
-War conditions
-Public criticism of the war
-Attack on the press
Moorer
-San Francisco
-Visit to Brigham Young University
-Salt Lake City
-Spokesman for Defense Department
-Timing
-POWs
-Foreign policy
Amnesty
-Policy regarding pardon
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 412-7 (cont’d)
-Moorer’s statement
-Selective Service Act
-Impact on POWs
-Divisiveness of issue
-Patriotism
-Military service personnel
-Conscientious objection
-Desecration
-Legal consequences
Richardson
The White House photographer entered at 4:03 pm.
Photograph session
-Scowcroft
Bombing
-Decision
-Cambodia
-May 8, 1972 decision
-North Vietnam
The White House photographer left at 4:04 pm.
Moorer left at 4:05 pm.