Conversation: 474-008
Prev: 474-007 Next: 474-009Start Date: Friday, March 26, 1971 9:09 PM
End Date: Friday, March 26, 1971 9:53 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Laird, Melvin R.; Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.); Packard, David; Kissinger, Henry A.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Connally, John B.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:45:50
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:18:54
NARA Description:
On March 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, David Packard, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:09 pm and 4:53 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 474-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 474-8
Date: March 26, 1971
Time: Unknown after 4:09 pm until 4:53 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Melvin R. Laird, Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, David Packard, Henry A.
Kissinger, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and John B. Connally
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress; discontinuities occur during the
recording]
Vietnam
-US casualties
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Laird’s previous conversation
-Air capabilities
-Helicopters
-Fixed-wing aircraft
-North Vietnamese losses
-South Vietnamese troops
-Supplies
-US role
-Thieu’s election
-Soviet Union
-South Vietnamese forces
Kissinger left at 4:25 pm
-Democrats in Congress
-Connally’s view
-Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Chubb plantation operation
-US withdrawal
-South Vietnamese supplies
-Carl B. Albert
-Caucus, March 30, 1971
-Recess schedule
-Albert
-President’s trip to California
-Laird’s conversations
-President’s previous conversation with Albert and [Thomas] Hale Boggs
-Support for the President
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Laos operation (Lam Son)
-President’s actions
-Vietnamization
-US troop withdrawal
-Date set by President
-Reasoning
-South Vietnamese stability
-Prisoners of War [POWs] Conv. No. 474-8 (cont.)
-Negotiating position
-Effect of possible democratic resolution
-POWs
-President’s view
-Thieu, Nguyen Cao Ky
-President’s Vietnam accomplishments
-Political situation
-US withdrawal
-Date set by Congress
-Effects
-South Vietnam’s future
-President’s view
-Date set by President
-Effects
-Date set by Congress
-Effects
-Possible cutoff of funds
-Possible Congressional action
-Effects
-President’s assessment
-President’s conversation with Boggs and Albert
-US troop withdrawals
-Air power
-Effect on South Vietnam
-Air power
-B-52 strikes
-Number
-Gunships
-Democrat Caucus
-Laird’s meeting, March 30, 1971
-Possible conversation
-President’s policy compared with Democrat actions
-Potential political considerations
-President’s forthcoming speech
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-President’s policy
-Compared with Democrat action
-Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Moorer’s briefing
-Colors on chart
-Representations
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s view
-North Vietnamese forces Conv. No. 474-8 (cont.)
-Casualties
-Effectiveness
-Infiltration routes
-South Vietnamese forces
-Position
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-North Vietnamese tanks
-Number
-Attacks
-Number
-Helicopters
-Military situation
-Khe Sanh attack
-Assessment
-US action
-Withdrawal
-Supplies
-Helicopter
-North Vietnamese Army
-Reinforcements
-Supplies
-Artillery attacks
-DMZ
-North Vietnamese Army attacks
-Compared with Laos operation
-Supplies and artillery
-US air strikes
-Moorer’s assessment
-Weather
-Targets
-Timing
-President’s view
-Future strikes
-President’s view
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Weather
-Reconnaissance
-North Vietnam artillery presence
-US air strikes
-Considerations
-President’s view
-Press coverage
-An Associated Press [AP] dispatch concerning casualties
Conv. No. 474-8 (cont.)
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Number
-Tammy Arbuckle
-Department of Defense response
-Compared with reports on Cambodia
-President’s concern
-Television
-Effect
-Accuracy
-Department of Defense response
-ARVN
-Abrams
-Pentagon action
-Accuracy
-President’s view
-Current stories compared with 1968 Tet offensive
-Reasons
-Civil War, World War II
-President’s view
-Administration policy
-Laird’s call to AP
-Moorer’s March 25, 1971 press conference
-Democrats
-Laird’s forthcoming meeting on Capitol Hill
-Laird’s possible call to Russell B. Long
-Laird’s previous meetings
-Senators
-Briefing for Armed Services Committee
-Senators’ response
-President’s view
Forthcoming Congressional testimony
-William P. Rogers
-Coordination with Laird
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Middle East
-House testimony
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security] Conv. No. 474-8 (cont.)
[Duration: 3m 39s ]
MIDDLE EAST
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
President’s schedule
-California trip
-Weather
-Samuel Goldwyn
-Medal of Freedom award
-Health
Farewells
Laird, et al. left at 4:53 pm