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Conversation: 718-009

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Start Date: 3-May-1972 10:59 AM

End Date: 3-May-1972 12:11 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.Sanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:07:23

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:19:19

718a.mp3

718b.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:59 am to 12:11 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 718-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 718-9

Date: May 3, 1972
Time: 10:59 am - 12:11 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Kissinger's meeting

     Vietnam
          -North Vietnamese offensive
               -Briefing on targets
                    -Melvin R. Laird's opinion
                    -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
                    -[David] Kenneth Rush

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:59 am.

     Food order

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:11 pm

     Vietnam
          -North Vietnamese offensive
               -Targets
                    -President's briefing
                          -Moorer
                          -Laird
                                -The President’s view
                          -Rush
                                -Value
                                      -Compared with Laird

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
                                        15

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Dec-01)
                                                          Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

     -Briefing
           -Role of Laird and William P. Rogers
                 -Rush's position
           -Information released
                 -Submarines
                       -Freeze
                 -Amount of detail
           -Rogers's intentions
                 -Reasons
     -Cabinet
           -Role in talks

Vietnam
     -South Vietnam
           -Resupply mission
                -Announcement
                       -Photographs of Soviet equipment
     -Paris peace negotiations
           -Possibilities
                -Accept another meeting
                -Walkout
                -Postponement
                -Kissinger’s view
           -North Vietnamese offers
                -US response
                -Contents
                       -Nguyen Van Thieu
                       -Prisoners
                -Public sessions
                       -Thieu
                -Kissinger's prediction
           -North Vietnam's options
           -North Vietnam's goals
           -North Vietnam proposals
                -US reactions
           -Private meetings
                -Le Duc Tho
                -Kissinger's view
     -Bombing
           -Importance
           -US attitude
                                           16

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. Dec-01)
                                                       Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

                -Soviet interpretation
     -North Vietnamese offensive
          -Negotiations
                -Plenary sessions
                      -William J. Porter
                -Thieu's interpretation
                -Plenary sessions
          -President's options
                -Laird's advice
                      -Thieu

SALT
    -Rush
         -View of Rogers and Laird
         -Work with Rogers
               -Berlin
    -People's Republic Of China [PRC] communiqué
         -News stories
               -Rogers's role
    -Objections
         -Rogers
         -Gerard C. Smith
    -Support
         -Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
         -Secretary of Defense
         -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] Director
    -Objections
         -Rogers
    -News stories
         -Rogers's complaints
         -Credit for agreement

Vietnam
     -President's policies
           -Credit
     -North Vietnamese offensive
           -Paris peace negotiations
                 -Walkout
                 -The President’s view
                 -Kissinger's trip to Moscow
                       -Porter and plenary session
                                       17

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Dec-01)
                                                                    Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

               -Editorial comment
                     Washington Star
               -President's evaluation
               -Possible walkout
                     -Soviet interpretation
                     -North Vietnam's interpretation
                     -US public opinion
                           -Support for walkout
                           -Criticism
                     -Senate Democratic caucus
                           -Position
                           -Robert C. Byrd
                                 -Michael J. Mansfield Resolution
                           -George D. Aiken
                           -J. William Fulbright proposal
                           -Aiken’s view

Soviet Summit
     -Cancellation
          -US public opinion
                -Impact of walkout on Vietnam negotiations
                -President's approach
                       -Possible options
                -Impact on Thieu
                -Impact on Hanoi
                -Impact on Soviets
                -Initial impact
          -Columnists
          -Senators and Congressmen
                -Concerns
                -Suspicions
     -Soviet response
          -Further negotiations
          -Impact of propaganda on public opinion in US and abroad
                -Erosion over time
                       -Reasons
     -Media attacks on President's foreign policy
     -Soviet responsibility
     -Impact on war's outcome
     -Relation to new foreign policy
          -PRC
                                         18

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Dec-01)
                                                                Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

           -Soviet Union
                -The President’s view
     -Effects
           -US public opinion
           -Forthcoming Democratic convention
           -Forthcoming election

Vietnam War
     -Impact on forthcoming election
     -Impact on war's outcome
     -Importance
           -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
     -Military failure
           -Military-foreign policy of successor
     -Soviet Summit
           -Possible effects of cancellation on South Vietnam
                 -President’s evaluation
                 -Place on summit agenda
                 -Domestic impact
     -US options
           -Military action
                 -Effect on Soviet Summit
                       -US public support
                       -Effect on Soviet Union
                       -Effect on South Vietnam
                       -Effect on Soviet Union
                       -Effect on North Vietnam
                 -Perception
                       -Hue
           -Importance
           -Military action
                 -Effects

President's choices
     -Cancellation of Summit compared with military action
     -Risks
     -Impact on war's outcome
     -Kissinger's assessment
            -Effects of cancellation
                 -Vietnam War
                 -Presidency
                                          19

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. Dec-01)
                                                                Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

                 -President's place in history
                 -US role in the world
     -President's trip to Moscow
           -Risks
                 -US credibility with Soviet Union
                 -Allies' perception of US
                 -Soviet supplies to Vietnam
                 -Principles of coexistence
                 -Trade
                 -Middle East
                        -India-Pakistan War
                 -Southeast Asia
                 -Perception of President's policies
           -Relationship to Vietnam War
                 -Peace
                 -Military victory
                 -Military defeat
                        -Hue
           -A letter
                 -Possible Soviet responses
                 -Content
                 -Responses
           -Cancellation of Summit
                 -Further military action

Press relations
     -Response of liberals and press
     -Impact on President and Kissinger
            -Column by Hugh S. Sidey and James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
                 -William P. Rogers
                 -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
            -Kissinger's press briefings
                 -Portrayal by press
                       -Reasons
     -Press
            -Richard [Surname unknown]
            -[Unknown person]
     -Attacks by State Department
            -Rogers
                 -Bernard Gwertzman
            -New York Times article by Gwertzman
                                          20

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Dec-01)
                                                    Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

                 -Sources
                       -Rogers
                       -Haig
                       -Rogers
                 -Content
                       -Murray Marder article
                       -Rogers
     -May 31, 1971 plan
     -Kissinger's press contact
           -Sidey
           -Jerrold L. Schecter
     -State Department press contact
           -Time poll
           -New York Times article by Gwertzman
           -Richard F. Pedersen
           -Robert J. McCloskey
     -Kissinger's press contact
           -Haldeman's views
     -Pedersen
           -Position at United Nations [UN]

Vietnam
     -Military action
           -Effect on Summit
                 -Possible cancellation
     -President's speech
           -Preparation
                 -Conclusions
           -President's options
                 -Bombing Hanoi
           -Kissinger draft
                 -Winston Lord
                 -John K. Andrews, Jr.
                 -Helmut Sonnenfeldt
                 -President's options
     -Paris negotiations
           -Walkout
                 -Timing
                 -Choices for US
           -North Vietnamese offensive
                 -President's response
                                   21

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. Dec-01)
                                                               Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

      -Walkout
            -North Vietnamese response
                  -Lyndon B. Johnson
      -North Vietnamese proposals
            -Contents
            -US rejection
            -US counterproposal
            -US response
                  -Language
      -Benefit of continuing negotiations
            -Thieu
            -Effect on further military action
            -Effect on Soviet Summit
      -May 4, 1972 meeting
            -Issues
                  -Offensive
                  -Ceasefire
                  -Prisoners of war [POWs]
            -Expected response
                  -Thieu
                  -Press freedom
                        -New York Times
-Military action
      -Urgency
      -Timing
            -News coverage
      -Soviet response
            -Impact on Summit
      -Military benefits
      -Signal to Hanoi
      -Message to Soviets
            -Leonid I. Brezhnev's conversation with Gus Hall
            -Possible cancellation of Summit
      -President's visit to Moscow
            -Timing with North Vietnamese offensive
            -SALT agreement
            -Common principles
                  -Possible signature
            -Possible cancellation
-North Vietnamese offensive
      -Weather
                                                22

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Dec-01)
                                                           Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

               -Resupply of South Vietnam
                     -Haig
                     -Tanks
                     -Planes
                           -B-52s
                                -F-4s
         -Message for Porter
               -Wording
                     -Le Duc Tho
         -President’s speech
               -Wording
               -President’s schedule
         -Kissinger's forthcoming trip to Japan
         -President’s summary
               -Forthcoming election
               -Need to avert defeat by Soviets


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 15s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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


    Soviet Summit
         -Risks of military action in Vietnam
         -Ceasefire possibility
              -Possible US response
              -North Vietnam
                    -Hue

    President's foreign policy
         -Negotiating principles
         -Trade, Middle East
         -PRC
         -Vietnam
                                        23

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Dec-01)
                                                                  Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)


Soviet Summit
     -Danger of attending during North Vietnamese offensive
           -Appearance of US weakness
     -US cancellation
           -Consequences for Vietnam
                 -Thieu's defeat
                       -The President’s view
     -Effect of US military action
           -Soviet cancellation of Summit
           -Effect on peace talks
                 -The President’s meeting with Congressional leaders
           -Effect on forthcoming election

South Vietnam
     -Thieu
          -Opposition
               -Duong Van Minh's position
                     -Moorer
          -US relations with Thieu
          -Expendability
     -North Vietnamese conditions

Soviet Summit
     -Cancellation and military action
          -Timing
                -Advantages
                -Disadvantages
                -Relationship to military activities
                      -Hue
                      -Kontum
     -Agreements with Soviets
          -Benefits
                -Health, science
                -Brezhnev
          -Risks
                -Europe, PRC
          -Value
                -Forthcoming elections
          -Response of allies
                -Frank J. Shakespeare's assessment of détente
                                             24

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Dec-01)
                                                                      Conv. No. 718-9 (cont.)

                -Effect on President's prestige
                      -Link to Southeast Asia
                           -Importance of area
                           -Respect for President
           -Cancellation
                -Reasons
                      -Danger of attending during North Vietnamese offensive
                      -Nelson A. Rockfeller and Attica prison comparison

     President's forthcoming speech
          -Decision
                 -Timing
          -Draft of speech
                 -Time of delivery
          -Air strikes
                 -Arrangement with Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. and Moorer
          -Timing of possible Summit cancellation
          -Draft of speech
                 -Effect on President's thinking
                 -Preparation
          -Expected effects of speech
          -Military action
                 -Timing
          -Summit
                 -Cancellation
                       -Effect on military action
          -Preparation of draft
          -Timing of decision

Kissinger left at 12:11 pm.