Conversation: 472-023
Prev:  472-022 Next: 472-024Start Date: 23-Mar-1971 6:02 PM
End Date: 23-Mar-1971 6:40 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; White House operator; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 05:00:28
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:29:30
NARA Description:
On March 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:02 pm and 6:40 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 472-023 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 472-23 Date: March 23, 1971 Time: Unknown between 6:02 pm and 6:40 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Alexander P. Butterfield [Unintelligible] The President left at an unknown time after 6:07 pm [Pause] The President entered at an unknown time before 6:10 pm Items for President’s signature President’s schedule -March 23, 1971 evening -An unknown man -Edwin D. Etherington 56 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) [Pause] Butterfield left and Henry A. Kissinger entered at 6:10 pm Laotian operation (Lam Son) -Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] meeting -Purpose -Admiral Thomas H. Moorer and General John W. Vogt, Conv. Jr. No. 472-23 (cont.) -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] -U. Alexis Johnson -Future meeting An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 6:10 pm Refreshment order The unknown person left at an unknown time before 6:14 pm Laos operation (Lam Son) -Upcoming WSAG meeting -Purpose -Public relations -Moorer -General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Military actions -April plans -Raids -Purpose -Publicity -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] ability [The President talked with the White House operator at 6:14 pm] [Conversation No. 472-23A] Call to the Vice President [End of telephone conversation] 57 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) [The White House operator talked with the President at 6:14 pm] [Conversation No. 472-23B] Call to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew [End of telephone conversation] Conv. No. 472-23 (cont.) Haldeman left at 6:15 pm Vietnam -Laos operation -WSAG meeting -Johnson, General Robert E. Cushman, Jr., Moorer -Effect -Participant’s view -Public relations efforts -President’s interview with Howard K. Smith -President’s April 7, 1971 speech -National Security Council [NSC] role -Compared with Smith interview -Charts -William P. Rogers -Chart preparation -Nixon Doctrine in Asia -Effect -President’s interview with Smith -President’s position -President’s credibility -Lyndon B. Johnson -Speeches -Public opinion -Press -L. B. Johnson -Smith’s comment -Public opinion -Press -Call to Kissinger from Washington Post’s Phil Shelan [?] -Kissinger’s previous lunch at Washington Post -David S. Broder -Kissinger’s comments 58 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Shelan’s [?] call to Kissinger -Laotian operation (Lam Son) -Position on Vietnam -Call from Shelan [?] -Kissinger’s comments President’s previous interview with Smith -NSC staff’s response Conv. No. 472-23 (cont.) -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s response -Call to Kissinger at Soviet embassy Vietnam -US forces -Haig’s assessment -President’s assessment -President’s statement to Smith -Support for ARVN -Kissinger’s view -Air support -ARVN forces -Laotian operation (Lam Son) -General Do Cao Tri -Cambodia, Laos -Laos operation (Lam Son) -US forces -Abrams’ trip to Bangkok -President’s role -Moorer’s role -Effect -WSAG meeting -Public statements -Administrative comments -Forthcoming US troop withdrawals -Rogers -Relations with President -Melvin R. Laird -View of Administration position 59 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [Privacy] [Duration: 23s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 Conv. No. 472-23 (cont.) ****************************************************************************** -President’s role and plans -Laird’s role -Kissinger’s comments to Rowland Evans -President’s meeting with General Nguyen Van Thieu -Abrams -President’s record -Compared with 1968 anti-war Democrats’ platform -Evans’ recollections -President’s April 7, 1971 speech -Effect -Public opinion -Figures -Negotiations -Troop levels -Prisoners of War [POWs] -Kissinger’s actions -Withdrawal of forces -Timing -Cease fire -President’s previous comments to Smith -Mark O. Hatfield, George S. McGovern -President’s previous interview with Smith -Laird -Troop levels -Negotiations -Negotiations -Timing -POWs 60 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Laird’s role -Future -Kissinger’s relationship with Laird -Laos operation (Lam Son) -Publicity -US support for ARVN -President’s view -Abrams’ previous interview Conv. No. 472-23 (cont.) -Haig’s conversation with Kissinger -Lieutenant General James W. Sutherland, Jr. -Abrams’ actions -Kissinger’s cables -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Abrams -Response to President’s previous interview with Smith -Kissinger’s forthcoming call to Bunker -Report to President -President’s schedule -Morale -ARVN -US forces -Support for ARVN -Performance in Laos and Cambodia -Chup area of Cambodia -Success -General Do Cao Tri -Laotian operation -North Vietnamese -South Vietnamese forces -Withdrawal -Kissinger’s assessment -Number -Press coverage -Status -US air support -Future US military actions -Timing -Weather -Scope -Laos operation (Lam Son) -Purpose -President’s position 61 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Effect -Forces employed -US military support of ARVN -Effect on North Vietnamese Army -Effect -Military assessment -Richard M. Helms -Cushman Conv. No. 472-23 (cont.) -ARVN -Tactical air support -Military supplies -ARVN air power -Laird -US surplus military equipment -US program -David Packard President’s interview with Smith -Kissinger’s call to Bunker -Time -Report to President Kissinger left at 6:40 pm