Conversation: 519-007
Prev:  519-006 Next: 519-008Start Date: 14-Jun-1971 12:26 PM
End Date: 14-Jun-1971 1:09 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:28:40
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:10:26
NARA Description:
On June 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 1:09 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 519-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 519-7 Date: June 14, 1971 Time: 12:26 pm - 1:09 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with William P. Rogers General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s efforts Pentagon Papers -Administration comment -Reflection on government employees -Presidential integrity -New York Times’ responsibility -Brookings Institution role -Leslie H. Gelb -Melvin R. Laird press conference Haig entered at 12:27 pm -Content -”McNamara Study” question -Relevance to current situation -Brookings Institution role -Gelb -Haig call to Walt W. Rostow -Lyndon B. Johnson -Implications for Johnson -Reason for call -Haig’s previous call to Rostow 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Daniel Ellsberg -Background -International Security Affairs [ISA] [?] -Research and Development [RAND] Corporation -Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] -Access to study -Gelb role -Morton H. Halperin role Conv. No. 519-6 (cont.) -[Name unintelligible] -Background -Ellsberg -John F. Kennedy role in Vietnam -Effect on Johnson -Dwight D. Eisenhower role -”Limited risk” policy -Kennedy view of Eisenhower policy -Speech on Laos -Eisenhower policy of noninvolvement -Lebanon -Possible questions -Ronald L. Ziegler -Administration review of Vietnam policy -State Department copy of study -Gelb -Theodore L. Eliot, Jr. -Access -Administration response -Study of Vietnam problem -Laird -Department of Defense [DOD] -Response to New York Times story -Other media -Noninvolvement 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [National Security] [Duration: 28s ] PENTAGON PAPERS Conv. No. 519-7 (cont.) END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ****************************************************************************** -Relation to Alger Hiss case -Congressional role -Comment on substance of leak -Awareness of study -Stance on publication of material -Feelings of press corps -Concern with disclosure -Comment on substance -Further study -Liberal action -Rostow -Johnson supporters Ziegler entered at 12:37 pm -Administration response -Expression of concern regarding publication -Precedent -Investigation -DOD -Laird request for Justice Department investigation -Expression of concern -White House awareness of study -Issue -President’s action regarding Vietnam -Use of material -Focus on President’s policy 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Nature of report -Completion -Focus on President’s policy -Harm done to Prisoners of War [POWs] -Clark M. Clifford -POWs -Dealing with governments -Use of channels Conv. No. 519-7 (cont.) -Rogers’ press conference -Clarification of earlier Laird statement -Clifford -Xuan Thuy -Dr. David K. E. Bruce -US combat role in Vietnam -Casualties -Laird statements -Thuy -Defense of withdrawal operations -Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR] -Navy concerns -Leonid I. Brezhnev -Previous questions -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] -Rogers’ meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -MBFR negotiations -George S. McGovern-Mark O. Hatfield effort -George D. Aiken’s comment -Democratic effort to take credit -President’s efforts -McGeorge Bundy call to Henry A. Kissinger -Executive and Congressional responsibility -Past Congressional actions -Goals of Democrats -Rogers’ reference to Aiken’s remark -Bipartisanship regarding safety of troops and POWs -Casualties -Gratitude for bipartisanship -President’s memorandum regarding Soviet Union -Brezhnev, Aleksei N. Kosygin, Nikolai V. Podgorny statements -US response -Intent -Comparison to Jewish Defense League 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Brezhnev speech -Content -Benefits of US reaction -Effect on NATO Allies -Effect on general relations -Arms limitations negotiations -Prospects -Focus of speech Conv. No. 519-7 (cont.) -Intent -US response -Intent of President’s memorandum -People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Ziegler’s handling of press -Administration stand on Pentagon Papers -President’s actions -National Security Council [NSC] -Number of studies done -President’s new policy -Content -President’s awareness of study -Nature of President’s policy reevaluation -Policies of past administrations -Nature -Results -President’s study of policies -Extent of participation -Use of facts -Study as one opinion -President’s policy changes -Reference to Johnson -Publishing of classified information -DOD comment -President’s policy -Success -State Department studies -Extent Ziegler left at 1:00 pm Personnel matters -Bruce 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Robert F. Ellsworth -Departure -Replacement -Douglas MacArthur, II -MacArthur replacement -Joseph M. Luns -Second-in-command -NATO Conv. No. 519-7 (cont.) -Bruce -Foy D. Kohler -Schedule for departure -NATO Impact -Peter M. Flanigan -MacArthur -Willy Brandt [?] -Bureaucratic skill -Ellsworth -Bruce ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [National Security] [Duration: 46s ] GREAT BRITAIN END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ****************************************************************************** President’s travel schedule -General Nguyen Van Thieu -Scheduling -Talk to Ellsworth F. Bunker -Combat situation -Bunker preparations 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Combat situation -Laos -Defense tactics -Offensive action -Wilbur D. Mills -US role -South Vietnamese role -Kissinger Conv. No. 519-7 (cont.) -Laird -Thieu -Forthcoming meeting -Criticism -Bunker assessment -Desire for meeting -Delays -McGovern-Hatfield complications Wedding pictures -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins’ skill -Film clips -White House Signal Corps unit Rogers’ press conference -Questions -President’s schedule Rogers and Haig left at 1:09 pm