Conversation: 415-010
Prev:  415-009 Next: 415-011Start Date: 27-Feb-1973 9:30 AM
End Date: 27-Feb-1973 10:20 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; White House operator; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On February 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:30 am to 10:20 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 415-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 415-10 Date: February 27, 1973 Time: 9:30 am-10:20 am Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. Statement [?] -North Vietnam [?] -Kissinger’s talk with Elliot L. Richardson -Richardson’s reaction -Lt. Col. Bui Tin -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Civilian, military prisoners of war [POWs] Vietnam cease-fire agreement -North Vietnam -Civilian POWs -Negotiations -South Vietnam -Release -Scheduled POW release and troop withdrawal -List of prisoners -Announcement -Delays -Transportation -Arrangement for a plane -Joint Military Commission -Lt. Col. Bui Tin -Hanoi -Statement -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Analysis of military commission -Improved accommodations -Saigon [?] -Nguyen Van Thieu -President’s announcement -Thieu’s visit to the US -Civilian and military prisoners -Civilians released in South Vietnam -Status according to cease-fire agreement -Announcement -North Vietnam’s goals -International recognition -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Conflict with US -President’s statement for press -Postponement -Ronald L. Ziegler -Statement -North Vietnam’s position -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Questions -Aid compared with POWs -Tenor of statement The President talked with the White House operator at 9:43 am. [Conversation No. 415-10A] [See Conversation No. 43-204] [End of telephone conversation] President’s statement -Advisability -Impact on North Vietnam -Timing -William P. Rogers -Paris -North Vietnam’s statements -Minesweep -Message to North Vietnam -Escalation -Public compared with private message -Instructions to Rogers -Kissinger -Reaction of North Vietnam -US withdrawals North Vietnam’s infiltration -South Vietnam -Cease-fire agreement -Violations -Rearmament -Laos -Preparation for offensive -US aid -South Vietnam -Kissinger’s viewpoint -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Timing -Outcome of offensive [?] Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 9:43 am. President’s press conference -Postponement -POWs -Mining [?] -Ziegler’s statement -Text Private message to North Vietnam -Troop withdrawals, minesweep -Possible halt -Ziegler’s statement -Timing -William H. Sullivan -Kissinger’s cables -Briefing questions Ziegler’s press briefing -Press relations [?] -State Secretary [?] -Conference [?] -Delay -POWs -Background information -Release of civilian prisoners in South Vietnam -Cease-fire negotiations -October 1972 -Civilian compared with military POWs -US position -South Vietnam delegations President’s press conference -Impact and timing -Possible response -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Clark R. Mollenhoff Press relations -Ziegler’s briefing -Questions -Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] II -Memorandums -Sullivan, Richardson Kissinger left at 9:58 am. News summary -Press attack on POWs -Orchestration -New York Times [?] -News magazines and wire services -United Press International [UPI] -Ziegler’s view Vietnam settlement -Possible administration action -Bombing -Effectiveness -Paris talks -Ho Chi Minh -Nguyen Thi Binh -USSR, PRC -POWs -Delay -North Vietnam -US public opinion -Military action -Nguyen Van Thieu -Criticism -Robert J. McCloskey -Cease-fire violations -Linkage to POWs, withdrawals -Compared to US compliance to terms -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Laos and Cambodia -Linkage to POW release -Thieu -McCloskey’s statement -Cease-fire violations -Ziegler’s position -Sample response to press question by Ziegler Watergate -Maurice H. Stans’s lawyers -Subpoenas -Journalists -Katherine L. Graham -Carl Bernstein -Robert U. (“Bob”) Woodward -Libel case -Shield law -Problems Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]’s libel case -Ziegler’s handling of issue -Shield law -Attorney General -Criminal compared to civil actions -State compared to federal cases -Caldwell case in US Superior Court -Black Panthers -Court testimony -John W. Dean, III -Research on law Senate Foreign Relations Committee Watergate -Ziegler’s statements to the press -President’s remarks -Frederick C. LaRue [?] -Mollenhoff -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Cover up -Advantage Ziegler’s press statement -Ziegler’s manner -POWs -Release on schedule -Bui Tin’s statement -Unofficial capacity -US position -Proposed handling -POWs -Stories News summary -Negativity -POWs -Time essay on morality of war Press relations -Two levels -White House press corps -Concerns regarding Vietnam -Morality -Martin Z. Agronsky -Personalities -Weaknesses -Attitude of superior morality George P. Shultz-John T. Dunlop controversy -George Meany -Reservations about Phase II and Phase III wage-price action -Inflation -Goal -Wage settlements Press relations -Issue of morality -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy -Moral leadership -Vietnam -Other issues -Attacks on President -President’s statement -Divisions in country -Vietnam -Other issues -Budget -Role of government -Role of Press -Cessation of debates about war -Press conference -Purpose War -Newsworthiness -Divisiveness Budget cuts -Severity -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Howard J. Phillips [?], James Keogh -Speech -Political philosophy Vietnam settlement -Rhetoric -Escalation -Message to North Vietnam -Kissinger -Tone -Mining -US public opinion -Statements by Ziegler, Rogers -Statement by President -Private -15- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Ultimatum -Mining -Terms -Withdrawal -POWs -Cease-fire by US -Removal of mines -POWs release -Message to North Vietnam Budget -Increases -Compared to cuts -Harris poll -Liberal bias -Division of opinion -Vietnam -Context of questions -Tax increases -Deficit -Aid to cities, poor News summaries -Two sections -Emphasis on columnists compared with wire services, networks -Appendix for columnists -Kevin P. Phillips, Hobart Rowen, Carl T. Rowan -Need for balance -Washington Post, New York Times -Separation of news from opinion -Television [TV] -Editorials -Percentage of readers -Front, sports, finance, society pages -Thomas Grey (“Tom”) Wicker, Richard (“Dick”) Wilson -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston -Newspaper -Circulation -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 415-10 (cont’d) -Time, Newsweek -Readership POWs -North Vietnam -Possible delay, stonewalling -US reaction -Bombing President’s trip to Philadelphia -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -Atlantic City -Speech -POW issue -Speech -Teachers [?] -Changes of plans President’s schedule -Press conference Ziegler’s statement -Concern over agreement -Expectation of compliance Ziegler left at 10:20 am.