Conversation: 466-012
Prev: 466-011 Next: 466-013Start Date: Thursday, March 11, 1971 9:00 PM
End Date: Thursday, March 11, 1971 9:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; Sanchez, Manolo; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.; Byrnes, John W.; White House photographerRecording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:32:29
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:25:41
NARA Description:
On March 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, John W. Byrnes, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:00 pm to 4:55 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 466-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 466-12
Date: March 11, 1971
Time: 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Henry A. Kissinger
Conv. No. 466-11 (cont.)
Vietnam
-Casualty figures
Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-President’s message to Eisaku Sato
-A Message to the Japanese ambassador
-Timing
-Tone
-Kissinger’s draft
-U. Alexis Johnson’s view
-President’s previous letters to Sato
-Tone
-Wilbur D. Mills
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 48s ]
TEXTILE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JAPAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:00 pm
Weather
-Effect on Kissinger’s forthcoming trip
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-President’s possible trip to Florida
-Camp David
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:14 pm
Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-John N. Mitchell’s previous conversation with President
-Free trade advocates Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-George P. Shultz
-Peter G. Peterson
-State Department
-Kissinger’s position
-Mills
-Effect on Japanese proposal
-Effect on US position
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 9s ]
TEXTILE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JAPAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
-Sato
-Japanese
-Compared with British
-Sato
-President’s view
-Previous policy
-Japanese ambassador
-Statement regarding negotiations with Peter M. Flanigan
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-Casualty figures
-Military situation
-Weather
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s forthcoming trip
-I Corps
-Kissinger’s conversations with Melvin R. Laird and Admiral Thomas H.
Moorer Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Laos compared Cambodia operations
-Casualties
-Captured weapons
-Materiel
-Weapons and ammunition
-Transportation
-Military action
-President’s view
-Timing
-Duration
-Dangers
-Compared with Russians, Bosnians, Austrians, and Battle of the Bulge
-World War II
-Kissinger’s conversations with [Name unintelligible]
-A book on German Army
-Erich F. W. Ludendorff and [Forename unknown] Hoffman
-Battle of Tannenberg [St bark] [?]
-[Forename unknown] Von Schwanslof
-Ludendorff
-Hoffman
-Forthcoming Presidential announcement, April 7, 1971
-Troop withdrawals
-President’s view
-Kissinger’s view
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:14 pm
President’s schedule
-Meeting with John W. Byrnes regarding textiles
-Byrnes’ statement
-Previous meeting with the President
-Possible photograph with President
-Forthcoming meeting with women members of the press
-Transcript
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Use of microphone
-Possible use of stenographer
-Ziegler’s possible presence
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
-President’s previous interview with Cyrus L. (“Cy”) Sulzberger
-Ziegler’s possible presence
-Use of microphone
-Transcript Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Women of press
-Williamsburg speech
-Publicity
Ziegler left at 4:16 pm
-Williamsburg appearance
Press
-Change in attitude
-President’s previous press conference
-Laotian operation
-Tchepone
-Thomas W. Braden’s remarks
Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Withdrawal
-Timing
-Public relations
-South Vietnamese capabilities
-President’s view
Vietnam
-US efforts
-Negotiated agreement
-Effect of military action
-South Vietnamese future
-US troop withdrawal announcement in April
-Possible settlement
-Public opinion
-Effect of military action
-Timing
-April announcement
-Scope of announcement
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Haldeman’s view
-Future announcements
-Draft
-Soviet summit
-Draftees
-Effect
-US military strength
-Volunteers Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II’s graduation
-President’s forthcoming speech
Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-President’s concerns
-South Vietnamese forces
-Withdrawal
-South Vietnamese election
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Military situation
-Effect of weather
-Intelligence
-Effect of US troops
-North Vietnamese troop actions
-Casualties
-B-52 Strikes
-Losses
-Targets
-Weather conditions
-Effects
-South Vietnamese army
-Kissinger’s view
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:16 pm
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Byrnes
-Photographer, Ziegler
Bull left at an unknown time before 4:28 pm
Vietnam
-North Vietnamese military situation
-Lyndon B. Johnson’s actions
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Effect on history
-Nixon’s Presidency
-US troop withdrawal
-White House News Summary
-London Daily Telegraph
-President’s policies
-Peregrine Worsthorne
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
President’s previous interview with Sulzberger
-Television coverage
-John A. Scali
-Probability of future nuclear war
-President’s view
-US
-President’s comments
-Joseph W. Alsop’s response
-Press response
-Reasons
-New York Times
-Dan Rather’s view
-President’s press conference
-Timing of interview
-Sulzberger
Byrnes and Ziegler entered at 4:28 pm; the White House photographer was present for the
conversation
Photograph
Congress
Byrnes’ forthcoming statement
-Byrnes’ previous meeting with the President
-White House staff preparation
Byrnes and Ziegler left at 4:29 pm
Textiles
-Byrnes
-Mills
-Republican opposition
-Possible Democrat opposition
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Congressmen
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Soviet Union
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Gerard C. Smith
-Soviet Union’s position
-US proposal
-Anti-ballistic Missiles [ABM] Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Soviet Union’s offer
-Possible US response
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Laird
-Dobrynin
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Jackson’s position
-Forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 53s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
******************************************************************************
Demonstrators
-Cambodia
-Bombings
-Kent State University
-Flanigan
-White House demonstrators
Laos operation (:am Son)
-Effect
-North Vietnamese
-Military delays
-Army of the Republic of South Vietnam [ARVN]
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Casualties
-Network coverage
-North Vietnamese military situation
-US military action
-Bombing
******************************************************************************
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 56s ]
MIDDLE EAST
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
******************************************************************************
A statement on Whitney M. Young, Jr.
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 26s ]
MIDDLE EAST
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
******************************************************************************
Kissinger left at 4:40 pm
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s Williamsburg appearance
-Press response
-Crowds
-Demonstrators
-Number
-An arrest by police
-Need for force
-Speech Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Length
-Pace
-Content
-Warren E. Burger
-William L. Safire
-Pace
-Safire
-Length
-Delivery
-Beginning
-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. reference
-Contents
-Tom C. Clark’s speech
-Linwood Holton
-Speaking style
-President’s delivery
-Safire
-Pace
-Length of President’s speech
-Price
-Openings
-Greetings
-Speechwriters
-Safire’s work
President’s forthcoming interview with women journalists
-Content
-Ziegler
-Stuart
President’s Williamsburg appearance
-Coverage
-Safire
-Ziegler
45
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Importance
-Press presence
-Safire
Polls
-Charles W. Colson
-Possible action by Haldeman regarding Louis Harris
-Colson Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Possible contracts
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
******************************************************************************
-Release of current Harris poll
-Colson
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Lag time
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Effect of President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Effect of President’s previous press conference
-Effect of Cambodian operation
-Effect of television network criticism
-Post-1970 election
-George H. Gallup poll
-Effect of television coverage
Vietnam
-US troop withdrawals
-Forthcoming announcement
-Timing
-President’s forthcoming speech to editors
-Coverage
46
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Laos
-President’s use of charts in announcement
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Casualties
Haldeman left at 4:55 pm
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)