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Conversation: 462-005

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Start Date: 5-Mar-1971 8:30 AM

End Date: 5-Mar-1971 10:15 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.[Unknown person(s)]White House operatorButterfield, Alexander P.Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Ziegler, Ronald L.Rogers, William P.Laird, Melvin R.Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.)Helms, Richard M.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:34:06

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:18:56

462-005.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), White House operator, Alexander P. Butterfield, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, and Richard M. Helms met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:30 am to 10:15 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 462-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 462-5

Date: March 5, 1971
Time: 8:30 am - 10:15 am
Location: Oval Office
                                                                        Conv. No. 462-2 (cont.)
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger

     Laos (Lam Son)
          -Military situation

     President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
          -Laos
          -President’s performance evaluated
                -The President’s preparation
                -Kissinger’s view
          -President’s statements about the press
                -”Today” show
          -President’s response to questions
                -President’s advisors
          -Kissinger’s viewing
                -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount’s dinner
                      -Charles L. Bartlett
                      -Melvin R. Laird
                            -Response
                      -A Democrat Congressman from Oklahoma [John Jarman]
                            -Response
                      -Bob Dudley
                            -President’s acquaintance at Office of Price Administration
                      -Bartlett’s response
                            -Cambodia, Laos
                                   -The President’s policies
                            -Democrats
          -John C. Stennis’ call to the President
          -President’s performance
                -Kissinger’s view
          -Middle East
                -Possible settlement
                -Cease fire
                      -US guarantee
                                              9

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



                            -Israelis
                            -Soviet Union
     Vietnam
          -Possible US military action
                -Bombing of North Vietnam
                -Winston S. Churchill’s book on World War I
                      -On the Eastern Front
                -Response to North Vietnamese action
                      -Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
                      -President’s comments at press conference
          -President’s strategy
                -Bombing of missiles sites
                -President’s view
          -Bombing
                -Effect
          -Laird, Richard M. Helms, William P. Rogers, Admiral Thomas H. Moorer meeting
                -President’s position
                -Briefing by Moorer
                -Time

[Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 8:30 am and 8:44 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5A]

     Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
          -Laird, Helms, Rogers, and Moorer
                -Calls from General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
          -Briefing on Laos and Cambodia
                -Moorer
          -Haig’s telephone calls

[End of telephone conversation]

     President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
          -Questions about President’s advisors on foreign policy
                -Rogers
                -Kissinger
                -President’s comments
                      -Garnett D. (“Jack”) Horner
                -Kissinger
                      -Calls from press
                            -Response
                                              10

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)




******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 31s ]
                                                                  Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

     CANADA

[The President talked with the White House operator at 8:44 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5B]

[End of telephone conversation]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************


     President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
          -Preparation
                -State Department, Kissinger
                -The President’s role
                -John F. Kennedy comparison
                -The President’s role
                -Possible Kissinger press statement
                -Kissinger’s staff work
                      -State Department

     Pakistan
          -National Security Council [NSC] study
               -Rogers, State Department
               -Conflicting views
                     -US policy options
               -Kissinger

     President’s press conference
          -Kidnaping of US soldiers in Turkey
                                              11

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



               -President’s comments
                      -Kissinger’s view
          -Executive privilege
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 9:02 am

     President’s schedule

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 9:04 am                   Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:02 am and
9:17 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5C]

     President’s call to Pierre E. Trudeau

[End of telephone conversation]


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 12s ]


     CANADA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

******************************************************************************


     Leadership
          -On the Eastern Front by Churchill
                -German generals
                -President’s evaluation
                -Erich F. W. Ludendorf
                -Paul von Hindenburg
                -[Forename unknown] von Schwanslof [?]
          -General William C. Westmoreland
                                                12

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



          -General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
               -Compared to General George S. Patton, Jr.
               -Kissinger’s view

     Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
          -Timing
          -Congressional meeting
                                                                     Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
Haig entered at an unknown time after 9:02 am

     President’s press conference
          -Haig’s view

Haig left at an unknown time before 9:19 am

     Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
          -Participants
          -Timing

     The President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
          -President’s response to Executive privilege question
                -Rogers
                     -Congressional testimony
                     -Private meetings with congressmen
                     -Relationships with the President
                           -Public relations
                           -Foreign policy
                     -State Department views
          -Agency input
                -Department of State
                -Department of Defense
                     -Laird
          -Vietnam
                -Troop levels
                     -President’s comments
                     -Number
                     -Review
                     -Announcement by President
                           -Forthcoming meeting with newspaper editors
                           -Television
                           -Timing
                -Ellsworth F. Bunker’s view
                                        13

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)



                -General Nguyen Van Thieu

Vietnam
     -Leadership
           -President’s reading of Churchill book
           -President compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
                 -Laos (Lam Son)
                       -Troop levels                             Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
                       -Tchepone
                       -Support for the President
                 -Moorer’s previous conversations with Kissinger
     -US victory prospects
           -Kissinger’s view
     -Military situation
           -President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
                 -Questions on possible peace proposal
                       -The President’s response
           -Possible effects of US withdrawal
                 -North Vietnam
                       -Cambodia, Laos
     -Possible agreement
     -Military situation
           -Moorer
           -Momentum
                 -Kissinger’s view
                 -Churchill book on World War I
                       -Germans, Russians, Austrians
                       -History of World War I
                       -von Hindenburg, Ludendorf
                       -Germans, Russians, Austrians
                                                14

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 49s ]


    THAILAND                                                             Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

******************************************************************************


    Brazil
         -Possible visit
              -Date
                    -State Department
                    -President’s instructions

    President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
         -News reports
         -Taiwan, People’s Republic of China [PRC]
               -President’s comments
               -United Nations

    Brazil
         -Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters
               -Assignment
         -President’s instructions

    Italy
            -President’s forthcoming letter to Pope Paul VI [Giovanni Battista Motini]

    President’s leadership
         -World role
         -Effect of Vietnam
         -Dutch leader
               -President’s foreign policy report
                     -Impact in Europe
                                       15

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)



President’s “World Report”
     -Distribution
           -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
           -Members of White House staff and Cabinet officers
     -Elliot L. Richardson
     -President’s accompanying letter to foreign leaders
     -Distribution
           -US ambassadors                                       Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
     -Importance
           -US policy
                 -Relations with Soviet Union
     -Contents
           -President’s philosophy
     -Press
           -Joseph W. Alsop and Stewart J. O. Alsop
           -Chalmers Roberts
     -Evaluation
           -Robert S. McNamara
                 -Cyrus R. Vance, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach

Vietnam and Laos (Lam Son)
     -President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
           -Laos (Lam Son)
                 -Prospects for success
                       -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
     -Enemy supplies
           -James C. Hagerty’s press report
           -Moorer
           -Level
           -President’s comments
                 -Rationale for military action
           -Decreases
                 -Effect
                 -Compared to previous year
     -Laos
           -President’s comments
           -Press coverage
     -Military situation
           -Tchepone
                 -ARVN progress
                 -Importance
                 -Effect
                                              16

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)



                    -ARVN progress
         -President’s forthcoming meeting
               -A report from Bunker

    US foreign policy


******************************************************************************
                                                           Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[National Security]
[Duration: 19s ]


    GERMANY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

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         -Letter from President to the Pope
         -Targut Menemencioglu
         -State Department
               -Peter G. Peterson
               -Nathanial Samuels


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[National Security]
[Duration: 21s ]


    GREAT BRITAIN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

******************************************************************************
                                          17

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 9/08)




         -Cevdet Sunay and Suleyman Demirel
              -Domestic situation
         -Greece
              -Henry J. Tasca
         -Pakistan
              -Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
              -A policy review                                     Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Privacy]
[Duration: 3s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

******************************************************************************


              -Khan
                    -The President’s position
              -A possible letter from President to Khan
         -Possible Presidential letters
              -Lieutenant General T. N. J. Suharto
              -Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
                    -President’s previous meeting with Menemencioglu
                    -President’s position
              -Suharto
                    -President’s foreign policy report
                          -Economy
         -The President’s foreign policy report
              -Dissemination to foreign leaders
                    -Accompanying letters from the President
                          -Yahya
                                              18

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 51s ]


     JAPAN                                                          Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14

******************************************************************************


     Vietnam
          -Aleksei N. Kosygin
          -Kissinger’s possible meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
                -President’s press conference
                -US policy
                      -Bombing of North Vietnamese missile sites
                            -Justification
          -President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
                -US bombing
          -Press inquiries to Kissinger
                -Radio broadcasters’ dinner
          -President’s press conference
                -President’s demeanor
                      -Television
                      -Kissinger’s view
                      -Compared with Kennedy
                -McNamara’s previous comments to Kissinger
                      -Cabinet

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:17 am

     President’s schedule
          -Rogers, Helms
          -NSC meeting
                -Possible statement to the press
          -Quadriad meeting
                -Possible press briefing by John B. Connally
                                              19

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)




Ziegler left and Rogers, Laird, Moorer, and Haig entered at 9:19 am

     Greetings

     President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
          -Ziegler
          -Evaluated                                                  Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
          -Question on Executive privilege
                -Rogers’ meetings with Congress
                     -Number

     Meeting agenda
          -Vietnam policy

     Rogers and Laird
         -Forthcoming press conferences
         -Laird’s forthcoming Congressional testimony
               -Anti-ballistic missiles [ABMs]
               -Defense procurement
               -Responses to questions
         -Schedule
         -Press conference
               -Rogers
               -Timing
                     -Press coverage
                           -Wire services
                           -Television
                     -Robert J. McCloskey, Ziegler

     Vietnam
          -Military situation
          -North Vietnamese missiles
                -US response
                      -Bombing
                      -President’s position
                      -Pass area

     Military situation in Laos (Lam Son)
           -ARVN First Armored Division
           -Artillery support
                 -Routes 9, 914, 23, 92
                                            20

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



                     -Location of ARVN troops
                     -Developments
          -Abrams’ reports
               -President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
                     -Comments about ARVN forces
                            -Public relations
               -Rogers’ forthcoming press conference
                     -Bunker and Abrams                              Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
                            -ARVN forces
               -Enemy losses
                     -Abrams’ report
               -Artillery, tanks
                     -Use
                            -Effectiveness
          -An anecdote
          -General John W. Vogt, Jr.
               -Performance
                     -Briefings
          -North Vietnamese supplies entering South Vietnam
          -Enemy losses

Helms entered at 9:25 am

          -Enemy build-up
              -Route 9
              -Abrams
              -Thieu
                   -Possible action
              -DMZ
              -US countermeasures
              -Capability
              -Location
              -Possible US response
              -Trucks, missiles

     Vietnam
          -Thieu
               -Possible ARVN offensive into North Vietnam
                    -US policy
                          -President’s press conference on March 4, 1971
                                             21

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



           -Enemy missiles, trucks, guns
                 -US countermeasures
                       -President’s statements
                       -US aircraft
                       -Supplies and equipment
           -Lessons of military history
                 -Levels of force
                 -President’s position                          Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
           -Enemy missiles
                 -DMZ
                 -President’s Response
                 -US strategy
                       -Area of operations
                       -Public portrayal
                             -Rogers
                             -”Protective reaction”
                       -Bombing
                       -Public statements
                             -Protective reaction
                             -President’s previous statements
                             -Justification
                       -Press inquiries
           -Nguyen Cao Ky
                 -US air support
                 -Bunker
           -Vietnamization
                 -Public relations
                 -ARVN ability
                       -Compared to North Vietnamese forces
           -Cambodia
           -US air power
                 -Amount, type
                 -President’s position
                       -Increases
                       -Public opinion
                 -Duration of increase
                       -B-52 strikes
           -President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
                 -Tricia Nixon’s comments
                       -W[illiam] Stuart Symington’s comments

Rogers left at 9:45 am
                                                22

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 9/08)




An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am

     Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:47 am
     Vietnam
          -US military actions                                   Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
                -B-52 air strikes
                     -Numbers
          -Churchill’s On the Eastern Front
                -Lessons
          -President’s position
                -US military action
          -Possible South Vietnamese military actions
                -North Vietnam

Laird and Moorer left at 9:47 am

     Laos
            -Military situation
                  -Possible outcome
                        -US efforts
                              -Air strikes
                              -Preparations
                  -Long Thieng
                  -Vientiane
                  -Importance of public relations
                        -President’s view
                  -President’s view
                  -Kissinger’s view
                                            23

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 29s ]


    LAOS                                                           Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

**********************************************************************


                   -Vientiane and Long Thieng
             -Need for public relations
         -Cambodia
             -Health of unknown leader
             -Effect of Laotian action
                   -North Vietnamese
                   -Press reaction

    President’s press conference on March 4, 1971
         -Questions
               -Vietnam, Middle East, PRC, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
         -Possible result
               -Press
                     -President’s comments
         -Helms’ view

    Vietnam
         -Vietnamization
              -Helms’ view
              -President’s view
         -Possible future
         -Laos (Lam Son)
              -ARVN forces
                    -The President’s decision
                    -Helms’ view
                                        24

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)



          -Justification
                -North Vietnamese forces
                       -Effect on future operations
                             -I Corps
                -Public relations efforts
          -Helms’ conversation with J. W. Alsop
     -Importance
          -President’s view                                   Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
                -Effect on US position in the world
                       -Possible US withdrawal
                -Need for action
                -Public opinion
                       -Laos (Lam Son)
                       -Polls
                -Possible US withdrawal
                       -1969
                             -Justification
                       -Impossibility
                             -Justification
                                   -”Domino Theory”
                                          -Indonesia
                                          -Thailand
                                          -Malaysia
                                          -Philippines
                                          -Japan
                                          -India
          -President’s policy
          -Haig’s opinion
     -US public opinion
          -Kissinger’s meeting with student body presidents
                -Discussion of President’s policy
          -Media influence
     -Importance for US
          -President’s position
          -Cambodia
          -Helms’ view

US foreign policy
     -Cuba
          -President’s position
                -Effect on Latin America
                     -Chile
                                             25

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)



                    -Cuba’s foreign policy
                          -Communism
              -Helms’ position
                    -US policy
                    -Latin America
                          -Chile
              -President’s position
                                                             Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 36s ]


    CUBA, ITALY, SPAIN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

******************************************************************************


    Catholic Church
         -Ideological change
              -President’s view
              -Latin America
                    -Influence of Marxism
              -American Catholics
                                           26

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[National Security]
[Duration: 17s ]


    SPAIN                                                    Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15

******************************************************************************


         -Study by Roger [Surname unintelligible]
               -Contents
         -Compared to Protestant Church
               -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
               -Quakers
                     -Pacifism
         -President’s policy
         -Eastern Europe
               -Poland
               -Political orientation


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[National Security]
[Duration: 42s ]


    SPAIN, ITALY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16

******************************************************************************
                                         27

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)



US foreign policy
     -Radio Free Europe
           -Senate committee hearings
                 -Clifford P. Case
                 -Kissinger’s previous conversation with Bartlett
     -Brazil
           -Forthcoming visit to the US by Emilio Garrastazu Médici
                 -Department of State                             Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
                 -President’s position
     -Latin America
           -President’s policy
                 -Leadership

Leadership
     -President’s view
           -France
                  -General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle
           -Italy
           -Spain
           -Latin America
                  -Colombia
US foreign policy
     -Latin America
           -Helms’ view
           -Possible 40 Committee meeting
           -Nelson A. Rockefeller’s visit
           -President’s view
                  -Chile
           -Ecuador
           -Brazil
           -Argentina
                                         28

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17
[National Security]
[Duration: 16s ]


    ARGENTINA                                                     Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17

******************************************************************************


                  -Importance
             -Venezuela
                  -Oil
             -Colombia
             -Possible visits
                  -Peru
                        -Announcement
                  -Brazil
                        -Medici
                        -Announcement
                        -President’s view
                              -Population increases
                  -President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board [PFIAB]
                        -Latin America
                        -President’s view
                        -Compared to previous Southeast Asia trip
    PFIAB
        -Possible appointment of Thomas E. Dewey
             -Call from Kissinger
             -Possible call from the President
        -Forthcoming meeting
             -Schedule
        -Dewey
             -President’s view
                                               29

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 9/08)



     Helms’ schedule
         -House and Senate Armed Services Committee
               -Testimony
                     -Soviet Union
                     -PRC

Kissinger, Haig, and Helms left at 10:15 am
                                                               Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)