President Nixon consulted with General John W. Vogt, Jr. regarding the status of the Lam Son 719 operation in Laos and the broader military situation in Southeast Asia. The discussion focused on evaluating the performance of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the impact of adverse weather conditions on planned air strikes, and concerns regarding North Vietnamese troop concentrations. Nixon emphasized his desire to be personally informed of any operational limitations and explicitly ordered that air strikes should proceed immediately when weather permits, asserting that budgetary or political considerations should not hinder the military effort.
On March 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and John W. Vogt, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:20 am and 8:32 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 467-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 467-5
Date: March 12, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:20 am and 8:32 am
Location: Oval Office
The President talked with an unknown person
[Conversation No. 467-5A]
President’s schedule
-A meeting in the Map Room
-An unknown person
-Forthcoming call
-Length
General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Location
[End of telephone conversation]
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 8:20 am
President’s appreciation
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 8:32 am
[The President talked with General John W. Vogt, Jr. at an unknown time between 8:20 am and
8:32 am]
[Conversation No. 467-5B]
Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-President’s call to Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Military situation
-Possible withdrawal
-North Vietnamese troop strength
-Moorer
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Military viewpoint
-Compared with World War I
-Washington Post coverage
-Duration of operation
-Air strikes
-President’s instructions
-Weather
-President’s instructions
-Effect
-Tchepone
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Vogt’s assessment
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Cambodian operation
-Air strikes
-Possible limits
-Budget
-President’s role
-Moorer
-Air strikes
-Budget
-President’s role
-President’s instructions
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)This 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.