On December 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:45 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 638-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 638-003
Date: December 15, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:38 am and 8:45 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with an unknown person.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 8:45 am.
Conversation No. 638-004
Date: December 15, 1971
Time: 8:45 am - 11:30 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Television program
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/12/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[638-004-w001]
[Duration: 51s]
The President's schedule
-Sleep
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s schedule
-Sleep
-Difficulty of readjusting
**********************************************************************
The President's schedule
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Staff meeting
-John B. Connally
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:45 am.
Pens
Bull left at an unknown time before 8:49 am.
Azores trip
-Media coverage
-Hobart Rowen
-Connally
-Airport statement
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 8:45 am.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Connally
-Timing
-Availability of the President
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 8:49 am.
Azores trips
-Media coverage
-Devaluation of the dollar
-Effects
-US consumers
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 8:49 am.
Oval Office
-Decoration
-“Star of the President”
The President talked with the White House operator at 8:49 am.
Margaret Chase Smith's location
[End of telephone conversation]
Oval Office
-Decoration
-Walter H. Annenberg
-Steuben glass
-Presidential seal
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/12/2019. Segment
cleared for release.]
[Privacy]
[638-004-w021]
[Duration: 15s]
Margaret Chase Smith
-Steuben glass
-Sell and leave to Tricia Nixon Cox
-Value
**************************************************************************
Oval Office
-Decoration
-“Star of the President”
-Location in office
-Birds
Azores trip
-Media coverage
-“Today Show” and “Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] Morning News”
-Explanation of devaluation
-Effects
-Prices
-Jobs
-CBS interview of Connally
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-British
-Japanese
-Germans
-Geroge R.S. Baring [Earl of Cromer]
-Talk with Kissinger
-United Nations [UN] Security Council Resolution
-Comments
-Earl of Cromer’s location
-Edward R.G. Heath
-French and US
-Germans and Italians
-George P. Shultz
-Talk with Kissinger
-Convertibility
-Talk with Connally
-Peter G. Peterson
-Arthur F. Burns
-Kissinger's talk with Connally
-Meeting
-Convertibility
-Numbers
-Pompidou
-Agreement
-French
-Numbers
-Concessions
-Pompidou
-Note about US reaction
-Press
-Joseph C. Kraft
-Previous conversation with Kissinger
-Reaction to coverage
-French
-“Azores Doctrine”
-“Guam Doctrine”
-Difference in policy
-Dan Rather
-Comments
-"Guam Doctrine"
-Editorials
-Rowen
-Stock Market
-Effect of agreement
-Communiqué
-Pompidou
-Connally
-Status of the dollar
-England
-Italy
-Japan
-Pompidou
-"Group of Ten" meeting
-Devaluation
-Briefing
-Connally’s previous conversation with Kissinger
-Ziegler
-Rather [?]
-John A. Scali
-Preparation for questions
-Kissinger
-Pompidou
-Connally
-Praise from Kissinger
-Role
-Liaison with Congress
-Meeting with leadership
-Clark MacGregor
President's schedule
-Florida trip
-Congressional meeting
-Connally
-Percentage of work
India-Pakistan situation
-British resolution
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] assurances
-West Pakistan
-No military attack
-US strategy
-UN
-Possible letter exchange
-Leonid I. Brezhnev and the President
-Effect on People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-West Pakistan
-Summit meeting
-Media coverage
-CBS
-USSR
-Indians
-PRC
-Yuli M. Vorontsov
-Brezhnev
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Ziegler
-Coverage of Summit
-Brezhnev
-Pakistan
-USSR guarantee
-Vorontsov
-Dividing line
-Formalization
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[National Security]
[638-004-w003]
[Duration: 1m 57s]
India–Pakistan
-Intelligence report
-Indian strategy
-West Pakistan
-Indira Gandhi
-Bombing
-Indian ambassador
-Television appearances
-Attacking US policy
-Department of State [DOS]
-Bay of Bengal landing
-Carrier movement
-India
-The President’s assessment of Indians
-John A. Scali
-Use of word “cannibalize”
-United Nations [UN]
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] position
**************************************************************************
Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:49 am.
Smith
-Incoming call
Bull left at 9:12 am.
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/12/2019. Segment
cleared for release.]
[Privacy]
[638-004-w004]
[Duration: 20s]
The President talked with Margaret Chase Smith between 9:12 am and 9:14 am.
[Conversation No. 638-004A]
[See Conversation No. 016-103]
**********************************************************************
[End of telephone conversation]
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/12/2019. Segment
cleared for release.]
[Privacy]
[638-004-w005]
[Duration: 15s]
William C. Lewis, Jr.’s health
**********************************************************************
Azores meeting
-Kissinger comments
-New York Times story
-Tad Szulc
-Pompidou
-Terms discussed
-Percentage of devaluation
-Germans, Japanese, and French
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Connally
-Kissinger opinion
-Shultz proposal
-Germany
-Possible settlement
-Gold prices
-French
-Japanese
-Finance Minister
-Timing
-Peterson report
-Pompidou
-Possible written statement
-Heath
-Pompidou
-“Group of Ten” meeting
-President's stature in Europe
-President's trips to New York and Paris
-French and US relations
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Pompidou
-Maurice Schumann
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[National Security]
[638-004-w006]
[Duration: 3s]
Azores meeting
-French and US relations
-Maurice Schumann
-The President’s opinion of honesty
**************************************************************************
Azores meeting
-French and US relations
-Pompidou
-Upcoming American elections
-George H. Gallup polls
**********************************************************************
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[Personal Returnable]
[638-004-w007]
[Duration: 4m 37s]
1972 campaign
-John V. Tunney
-California
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Perceived invulnerability of the President in 1972
-Setting up Edmund S. Muskie
-Preparing for 1976 campaign
-Henry A. Kissinger's conversation with George Meany
-George Meany’s health
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Nomination
-Possibility of Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy working against
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Effect of President's election
-Next Democrat president
-Need for opposition in the President
-Can’t run against a Democratic president
-Maurice Schumann
-The President's chances in election
-Elite opinion regarding the President
-Polls
-Possibility people lie to pollster
-Uselessness of polls
-Only useful close to the election
-Edmund S. Muskie vs the President
-Democrats
-Strategy
**********************************************************************
Azores meeting
-Media coverage
-Compared to John F. Kennedy
-Nixon Doctrine
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:14 am.
President's schedule
-Connally meeting
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:28 am.
The President's schedule
-Florida
Connally entered at 9:28 am.
Schedule
Azores meeting
-Public relations
-Media coverage
-Ziegler
-Scali
-Upcoming meeting with Connally
-President's instructions about questions
-Publicity
-Haldeman’s opinion
-Compared to "Guam Doctrine"
-CBS coverage
-Rather
-Rowen
-Devaluation of the dollar
-NBC
-Connally interview with Irving R. Levine
-Price rises
-Jobs
-Ziegler
-Scali
-Devaluation
-Trade with Europe
-US progress
-Improvement of American competitive position
-Devaluation
-Imports
-American goods
-Prospects for the future
-Need for modesty
-US position
-Consideration for US trade partners
-Possibility of recession abroad
-Earl of Cromer
-Recent conversation with Kissinger
-UN Security Council Resolution
-President’s instructions
-Connally’s upcoming conversation with the Earl of Cromer
-Karl Schiller
-Quoted in the newspaper
-Need for another meeting
-Willy Brandt
-Relationship with Schiller
-Nobel Prize
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
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[National Security]
[638-004-w008]
[Duration: 1m 40s]
Azores meeting
-Egon Bahr
-The President’s opinion
-Meet with Willy Brandt
-Ability to persuade Willy Brandt
-Weekend of December 18-19, 1971
-Karl Schiller
-Meeting with John B. Connally
-German attitude
-Henry A. Kissinger’s opinion
-Berlin negotiations
**************************************************************************
Azores meeting
-Schiller
-Brandt
-Future meeting with the President
-Pompidou
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 22
[National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN-T-MDR-
2014-033. Segment exempt per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 05/09/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[638-004-w022]
[Duration: 43s]
WEST GERMANY
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 22
**************************************************************************
Azores meeting
-Congress
-Henry S. Reuss
-Possible Action
-MacGregor
-Briefing
-Reuss
-Jacob K. Javits
-Authority to devaluate
-Trade terms
-Potential problems
-Convertibility
-Pompidou
-Congress
-Strategy
-Resolution of authority
-Trade concessions
-Banking and Currency Committee
-Finance
-Ways and Means Committee
-Paul A. Volcker
-Inclusion
-Briefing
-Schedule
-Convertibility
-Strategy
-Convertibility
-Agreement
-Recessions and depressions
-World trade
-Camp David
-Burns
-Predictions
-Stock exchange
-Agreement
-Briefing
-Peterson
-Shultz
-Paul W. McCracken
-Herbert Stein
-Burns
-Kissinger
-State Department
-Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress
-J. William Fulbright
-Involvement in briefing
-India-Pakistan situation
-Haldeman's call to William P. Rogers
-Macgregor and Connally
-Ways and Means Committee
-Nathaniel Samuels
-Volcker
-Haldeman’s call to Rogers
-State Department’s involvement
-Ziegler
-Scali
-William D. Eberle
-Directive about public statements
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Carl B. Albert
-Michael J. Farrell
Haldeman left at 9:47 am.
-Public statements
-Treasury Department
-Press
-Trade
-Tobacco
-Citrus
-Pompidou
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Tobacco
-Grain
-Germans
-Need for his assistance
-Canadians
-Connally's role
-Credit for the President
Connally's schedule
-Call to Germany
-Schiller meeting
-Timing
-Breakfast
-Communications with Egon Bahr
Child care bill
-Media
-James J. Kilpatrick, Jr. column
-News summary
-President's use
-Dallas
-Chicago
-Washington Post
-Kilpatrick
-Column
Azores meeting
-Connally
-Strategy
-Ziegler
-Scali
-Assistance to Connally
-Future
-Jobs
-NBC interview
-Convertibility
-Pompidou
-Shultz
-Instructions
-Conversations with Connally and Kissinger
-Views
Haldeman entered at 9:55 am.
-Levine
-Previous conversation with Connally
-Pompidou
-Congress
-Agenda
-Trade
-Revaluation of exchange rates
-Political strategy
-Inflation
-International monetary conditions
-Employment
-US leadership
-President’s instructions
-Public relations
-US world position since World War II
-Finance
-Monetary importance
-The President’s August 15, 1971 statement
-Press coverage
-European reaction
-Need for co-operation
-Importance
-Pompidou
-European position
-Germany
-Jobs
-Results of meeting
-Time lag
-Currency realignment
-1972 election
-Impact of trade changes
-Burden sharing
Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.
President's schedule
-Congressional briefing
-Peterson
-Ziegler
-Scali
Haldeman, Kissinger, and Butterfield left at 10:00 am.
Azores meeting
-Connally
-Credit for the President
-August 15, 1971 actions
Briefing
-The President’s August 15, 1971 statement
-World markets
-Convertibility
-Jobs in Germany, France, and the US
-Effects on trade
-Need to improve US position
-Attitudes of Europeans
-Economics
-Vitality of all participants
-Importance to US interests
-US stance
-Toughness
-Purpose
-Upcoming agreements
-Japan
-Canada
-Europe
-Devaluation of the dollar
-Scali
-Possible comments by the President
-German deutschemark
-August 15, 1971 actions
-Wage and price controls
-Implications for the future of US currency
-Explanation of US position
-Scali
-Location
Haldeman entered at 10:01 am.
-Photograph
-Scali
Ziegler entered at 10:02 am.
President’s instructions
-Need for unity
-Sensitivity of issues
-Connally
-Scali
-Need for open communication
-Timing
Scali entered at 10:05 am.
-Press coverage
-Upcoming negotiations
-Need for White House clearance of remarks
-Connally
-Wage and price freeze
-Taxes
-International monetary situation
-President's accomplishments
-Historical context
-Timing
-The President’s August 15, 1971 statement
-Economic policy
-Inflation
-Phase I and II
-Jobs
-Tax incentive
-International monetary situation
-Chances for success
-Devaluation
-Meaning
-Effect on US goods and jobs
-Reasons
-US monetary situation since World War II
-Compared to other countries
-US dollar overvalued
-Trade situation
-Effect of monetary reform
-Timing
-Results of Azores meeting
-President's leadership stressed
Kissinger entered at 10:13 am.
-"Azores Doctrine"
-Corollary to “Guam Doctrine”
-Mutuality and burdensharing
-US role in meeting
-Nationalism
-Effects in Europe
-Burns’s view
-Instability
-Possible recession
-US responsibility
-Spending
-Freedom
-Stability
-European viewpoint
-Pompidou
-Perceived victory
Azores meeting
-Dealing with the Germans and Japanese
-National interests
-Reasons for US involvement
-Offset agreement
-Major currency realignment
-Trade concessions
-Realignment
-Fairness to US dollar
-Pompidou
-Result for France
-Washington Star article
-George Sherman
-Heath's upcoming visit
-Pompidou
-Previous conversation with the President
-Simile
-Lebanese
-United Press International [UPI]
-Helen A. Thomas
-France
-Victory in devaluation
-Attitude toward gold
-Press
-Kissinger's opinion
-US objectives
-US results
-French results
-Ideology
-Gold prices
-World market prices
-Raising of price
-French viewpoint
-Connally's opinion
-Hoarding
-History
-French Revolution
-Kissinger's opinion
-Attitude toward own currency
-PRC
-View of money
-Methods
-French
-View of gold
-Pompidou
-Forthcoming election
-Relative revaluation
-Connally’s backgrounder
-US position compared to French position
-Devaluation
-Revaluation
President’s instructions
-Volcker
-Reuss
-William Proxmire
-Javits
-Democrats
-View of agreement
-Possible change
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Revaluation
-Effects internationally
-Prices
-Jobs
-Prices abroad
-US product prices
-Effects in the US
-Common Market
-Japan
-Effects on dollar
-Vulnerability and strength
-Realignment of world currencies
-Effects
-Competitiveness of US goods
-Revaluation
-Semantics
-France
-Connally
-Work toward agreement
-Recommendations
-Negotiations
-President's comments about agreement
-Pompidou
-Great Britain
-US economy
-Compared to other Western powers
-Germany and Japan
-Results
-Credit
-Connally
-Friday meeting with Connally
-Instructions
Connally, Scali, and Kissinger left at 10:38 am.
USSR summit
-Press coverage
-Ziegler’s previous conversation with Haig and Kissinger
-India
-USSR
-Ziegler's strategy
-Kissinger
Haldeman talked with Kissinger [?] at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:41 am.
[Conversation No. 638-4B]
Requested Kissinger return to the Oval Office
[End of telephone conversation]
-India-Pakistan
-USSR role
-UN
-Effect on negotiations
-Potential problems
West Coast dock strike
-Timing of statement
-Settlement from President
-Possible questions
-Congress
-Legislation
-Need for legislation
-Shultz's, Charles W. Colson's opinion
-Farm belt opinion
-Need for transportation legislation
-Strategy
-Ziegler’s opinion
-Congressional action
Kissinger entered at 10:41 am.
India-Pakistan situation
-Ziegler strategy
-USSR Summit
-Possible effect
-Kissinger’s comments to the press
-Negotiations
-Potential for success
-Administration plans
-Rogers
-Effect on negotiations with USSR
-USSR Summit
-Cancellation possibilities
-Kissinger's remarks
-The President’s remarks
-PRC
-Vorontsov
-Meeting with Kissinger
Azores meeting
-Connally
-Compared to rest of Cabinet
-Credit
-Pompidou
-Upcoming Group of Ten meeting
-Publicity
-Negotiations
-Press
-Szulc
-Reaction
-Pompidou
-European press
-Germans
-European press compared to US press
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Skip Isaacs
Ziegler left at 10:54 am.
Release of Richard G. Fecteau from People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Kissinger
-Call to Edward W. Brooke and Edward M. Kennedy
-Kennedy
-Statement
-Human interest story
-Confinement
-Amount of time
-Fecteau and Mary Ann Herbert
-Effect on prisoners of war [POW] wives
-Mao Tse-Tung
-John T. Downey
-Sentence commutation
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
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[National Security]
[638-004-w023]
[Duration: 8s]
Release of Richard G. Fecteau from People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Work as a spy
-Vietnam
**************************************************************************
Release of Richard G. Fecteau from People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Effect on POWs
Kissinger's appointment with Vorontsov
-Timing
-UN Security Council resolution
-Brezhnev letter
-Request for letter about Pakistan USSR intention
-Effect on PRC
-Possible outcome
-Exchange of letters
-PRC
-USSR
-PRC
Personnel
-Scali
-Future assignments
-Ziegler
-Scali
-Importance of public relations
-Reliability
-Compared to Ziegler
-Haldeman
-Ziegler
-Desire to get into Washington Special Action Group [WSAG]
-Abilities
-Kissinger’s forthcoming talk with Haldeman
-State Department
-William L. Safire
-Scali
-President's personnel philosophy
India-Pakistan relations
-Summit with the USSR
-Possible cancellation
-Kissinger’s comments
-British resolution
-Strategy
-Opposition
-USSR
-PRC
-Indians
-US conservatives
President's schedule
-Briefing
-Kissinger's memorandum
-Connally’s talking points
Kissinger's meeting with Vorontsov
-Timing
-Connally
Kissinger left at 11:05 am.
USSR Summit
-Kissinger’s comments
President's schedule
-Florida
-Length of visit
-Time interview
-Time and location
-Press conference
-Value-added tax [VAT]
Connally
-Negotiations
-Pompidou
-Style
Kissinger
VAT
-Press coverage
-Magazines
-Joseph W. Alsop story
-Property taxes
-Sales taxes
-Effect on the poor
President’s schedule
-Press conference
-Questions and answers [Q&A]
-Vietnam announcement
-Timing
-Public opinion
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Heath meeting
-Brandt meeting
-Group of Ten meeting
-Location
-Connally’s schedule
-Heath meeting
-Florida
-Weather
-Camp David
-India-Pakistan relations
-Kissinger
-Public opinion
-Meeting with Congress
Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:05 am.
-Gifts
-Money clips
-Symbolism
-Need for new gifts
-Placement of gifts
-Recipients of gifts
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:30 am.
President's schedule
-John D. Ehrlichman meeting
-Anti-trust action on television networks
-Ehrlichman’s location
-Bill signings
-National Cancer Act of 1971
-Economic Stabilization Act Amendments of 1971
-Alaska claims
-Congress
-Timing of bill signings
-Peterson memorandum
-Commerce Department
-Jobs
-Budget
-Supersonic Transport [SST]
-Ehrlichman
-Possible passage
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Music
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Suggestions
-Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Liszt
-Rose Mary Woods
-“Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty”
-Eugene Ormandy
-London Symphony Orchestra
-Russians
-Departure for Florida
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:05 am and
11:22 am.
[Conversation No. 638-4C]
[See Conversation No. 16-104]
[End of telephone conversation]
The President's schedule
-Congress
-Bill signing
-Budget
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/13/2019. 1m
57s segment cleared for release. 12s remain closed as 638-004-w019.]
[Personal Returnable]
[638-004-w019]
[Duration: 12s]
The President talked with Julie Eisenhower between 11:22 am and 11:25 am.
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
**********************************************************************
[Personal Returnable]
[638-004-w019]
[Duration: 1m 57s]
[Conversation No. 638-004D]
[See Conversation No. 016-105]
[End of telephone conversation]
**********************************************************************
The President's schedule
-Time-Life interview
-Scheduling
-Hedley W. Donovan
-Church service
-Location
-Lincoln Sitting Room
-Staff open house
-Christmas decorating
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Florida
-Meeting with Congressional leaders
-Helicopter
-Possible duration
-Connally
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:25 am.
-Agnew
-MacGregor and an unknown person
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:30 am.
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/13/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[638-004-w020]
[Duration: 1m 14s]
The President’s workload
-Needs more time off
-Doesn’t play bridge, poker, or watch movies during the week
-Azores
-The President’s weekdays compared to other presidents
-Massages
-Swims
-Naps
-Christmas week
**********************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-Forthcoming Congressional meeting
-MacGregor
-William E. Timmons
Haldeman left at 11:30 am.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.