Conversation No. 477-13

Date: April 12, 1971
Time: 4:30 pm - 5:22 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Victor and Patricia (Pratt) Lasky and an unknown man [Stephen B.
Bull?]

     Greetings

The unknown man [Bull?] left at an unknown time before 5:22 pm

     P. Lasky
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                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)




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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 14s ]

                                                             Conv. No. 477-12 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


    Lasky’s book on President
         -Coverage
         -Administration
         -Possible title
               -The Man and the Myth
         -Writings on President
         -Knowledge of President
               -1948 to present
               -Alger Hiss case
         -Outline
         -President’s preparation for office
         -Difficulties in 1968
               -Internal situation
               -Vietnam
               -Middle East
               -Economy
                     -Dangers
                     -Inflation/depression
         -Emphasis
               -Dramatic moments
               -Crisis handling
         -Publication schedule
         -Possible paperback edition
               -1972 campaign
         -President’s approaches to problems
               -Handling
               -Risks
               -Vietnam
               -Economy
                                        61

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)




Economy
    -Confidence
    -Controls
    -Inflation
    -Business community
    -Inflation
    -Growth                                                    Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
          -Rate
    -Administration’s emphasis on steadiness, responsibility
          -Growth
          -Peace
          -Foreign policy
          -Avoiding extremes, sudden shifts
    -Controversy
    -Wage and price controls
          -Cabinet
          -President’s policies
                -Office of Price Adminstration [OPA]
                -Effect on US economy
    -Foreign affairs
          -Nuclear equality
          -US advantages
    -Inflation
    -Harmful actions
    -”Diet”
    -Unemployment
    -Inflation
    -Optimism
    -New York Times financial writers

Vietnam
     -Vietnamization
     -Troop withdrawals
     -Vietnamization
          -Timing
          -General William C. Westmoreland
          -Comparison with Korea
          -South Vietnamese
          -Theory
     -Troop withdrawals
          -President’s announcements
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               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 9/08)



            -US military
            -South Vietnamese
      -President’s policy
            -Timing
      -Melvin R. Laird
            -1969 trip to Vietnam
            -Recommendations
      -President’s meeting with General Nguyen Van Thieu Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
            -Midway
      -Announcements
            -First withdrawals
            -Difficulty
      -Defense Department
      -Thieu
      -South Vietnamese
      -Pentagon
      -US policy
            -Steady course
      -Flexibility
      -Troop levels
-Support for President
      -Henry A. Kissinger
-Establishment
      -Criticism of the President
-Overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem
      -John F. Kennedy
-Partition of Laos
      -W[illiam] Averell Harriman
-American involvement
      -Kennedy
      -Beginnings
            -1963
      -Lyndon B. Johnson
      -Diem
      -Laos
      -Ho Chi Minh Trail
      -Diem
      -Consequences
-Establishment
      -US withdrawal
      -”Domino Theory”
      -President’s statements
                                             63

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



                   -November 3, 1969
                   -Cambodia [April 30, 1970]
                   -April 7, 1971
              -Support for President
                   -Compared with previous administrations
                   -Life
              -Opposition to President
                   -Television networks                       Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
                   -Columnists
              -Kissinger
              -”Guilt complex”
                   -Spanish Civil War
                         -Comparison with Vietnam
                               -General Francisco Franco
                   -Isolationism
                   -Foreign involvements

Israel
         -Compared with Vietnam
         -Support for President’s policies
         -Yitzhak Rabin
         -Golda Meir
         -[V.?] Lasky’s visit to Israel
         -Liberals
         -View of Israel
         -J. William Fulbright
              -Statement
         -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield

Middle East
    -Prospects
    -[V.?] Lasky’s visits
    -Negotiations
    -Israeli/Egyptian conflict
    -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
    -Jordan
          -US policy

US position in world
    -Jordan
    -Cambodia
    -Trust in US
                                         64

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 9/08)



     -Vietnam
           -Future
     -Indonesia
     -Thailand
     -Philippines
     -Japan
     -Trust in the US abroad
     -American spirit                                     Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
     -Vietnam
           -Withdrawal
     -Pacific area
     -South Vietnam
     -Future of US
     -Future of Middle East
     -American spirit
           -US role in world
           -World peace
           -World freedom
     -Germany and Japan
           -Economic power
           -Military power
     -Europe
     -USSR
     -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
     -Establishment
     -America’s role
     -Vietnam
     -Need for American strength
     -Economy
     -Military strength

Middle East
    -Jordan
          -Kissinger
    -Israel
          -West Bank
          -Golan Heights
          -Dodoc Kibbutz
          -Liliuri [sp?] Gardens
          -Golan Heights
          -Syrians
          -Jordanians
                                          65

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 9/08)



             -Libyans
             -Israel/Egypt
             -USSR/US
             -Chief of Israeli intelligence
             -Israel
                   -Relations with Arab neighbors
                   -Internal situation
                   -US commitments to                           Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
                   -President’s successor
                         -US policy
                         -Vietnam
                               -US obligations

Staff
        -Kissinger
              -Relationship with the President
                    -V. Lasky’s books on
                    -Kissinger’s books
                    -Memoranda to John N. Mitchell on Vietnam
                          -1968 campaign
                    -Nelson A. Rockefeller
                    -Log
        -President’s concerns
        -Cabinet
        -Task forces
              -Arthur F. Burns’ role
              -Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration
              -Program
        -Domestic Council
              -Purpose
              -Burns
              -John D. Ehrlichman
        -Economic Council
              -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
        -Foreign Affairs Council
        -Domestic Council
        -National Security Council [NSC]
        -Council on International Economic Policy
              -Peter G. Peterson
              -Importance

US purpose in world
                                       66

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 9/08)



     -Military balance
           -Consequences to US economy
     -Supersonic Transport [SST]
     -Exploration
           -Connection to greatness
           -Historical experience
           -SST/space
           -Scientific research                                Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
           -Need for outward look
     -General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle’s statement on France
     -War
     -Need for great enterprises
     -Environment
     -Standard of living
     -Minorities
     -Great enterprises
     -World power
     -US role
           -Benevolence, dynamism
     -Competition
     -Trade policy
     -Productivity
     -SST
     -Transportation
     -SST
     -President’s relations with Congress
           -Welfare reform
           -Revenue sharing
           -Government reorganization
           -Goals
           -Appointees
                -William J. Casey

President’s disappointments
     -Inflation
     -Unemployment
     -Vietnam
     -USSR

V. Lasky’s book publication schedule
     -Possible developments
     -PRC
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                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)




US foreign relations
     -President’s PRC initiative
           -State Department
           -Soviet/PRC radio broadcasts
           -Isolation
           -Trade/travel announcements
           -Recognition                                        Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
           -United Nations [UN]
           -Taiwan
           -Future
           -PRC, USSR, and the US
           -Dangers of isolation
           -State Department
                 -Kremlinologists
                 -USSR
                 -Recognition
                 -Relations with PRC/USSR
           -Ping-pong team visit
           -State Department
                 -USSR
           -Taiwan
                 -President’s conversation with Chow Shu-kai
                 -Difficulites
                 -UN
                 -President’s position

V. Lasky’s book publication schedule
     -Timing
     -Contents
     -President’s possible contribution to book
     -Unofficial

Young people
    -Problem
          -Inherited
    -View of society and the world
          -Disaffection with the “system”
                -Global phenomenon
    -President’s talks at colleges and universities
          -Futility
    -Need for US success
                                                68

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



               -Vietnam
               -Economy
               -Benefits of living in US
               -Comparison with other countries
                     -President’s own travels
                           -PRC
               -Vietnam
               -Draft                                          Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
          -Need for introspection
               -Vietnam
               -Environment
               -System
               -Spirit
          -Solutions
          -Excuses
          -Need for introspection
               -Self reliance

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm

     President’s schedule
          -Albee [sp?] [Surname unknown]

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 5:22 pm

     Democrats
         -Laos
               -Effect
         -Edmund S. Muskie
               -Demonstrations
         -Position on Vietnam
         -Economy
         -Timing
         -Vietnam

Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm

     President’s schedule
          -Meeting with William P. Rogers

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:22 pm
                                                69

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 9/08)



     V. Lasky’s lawyer
     Democrats
          -Unknown man’s book on Muskie
          -George S. McGovern
               -Harold Himmelman
          -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
          -Hubert H. Humphrey
               -Vietnam                                              Conv. No. 477-13 (cont.)
          -Vietnam
          -V. Lasky’s columns
               -Johnson

     Staff
             -President’s address on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
             -Kissinger
             -Support for President
             -Vietnam
             -Carl Sandburg
                   -Book on Civil War
                   -General William T. Sherman
             -Vietnam
                   -Rogers
                   -Troop withdrawal
                   -Public opinion

     Presentation of gifts
          -Golf

     V. Lasky’s schedule

The Laskys left at 5:22 pm