Conversation 730-011

Audio for this conversation has not yet been released by the National Archives.

On June 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Buie Diem, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:03 pm to 3:24 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 730-011 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 730-11

Date: June 12, 1972
Time: 3:03-3:24 pm.
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Bui Diem and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.[Members of the press and the
White House photographer were present at the beginning of the meeting.]

     Greetings

     Departure of Ambassador Diem

     Vietnam
          -Military operations
                -Mekong Delta
          -Weather
                -Rains

     Photograph session

     Diem
          -Feelings about the US
          -The President’s policies
                -1969 moratorium
                -Cambodia operation
                -Laos operation
                -North Vietnamese offensive

     Vietnamese attitudes toward US
          -World War II
          -US foreign policy
          -Diem
               -The President’s policies

                                (rev. Jan-02)

The President's message to Nguyen Van Thieu
     -US policy
     -South Vietnam
     -An Loc
     -Hue
     -South Vietnam morale
     -US policy
     -Negotiations
           -The President’s view
           -North Vietnamese
                 -Military condition
                 -US military operations
     -North Vietnamese military offensive
           -Army of the Republic of South Vietnam [ARVN]
                 -Response
                       -The President’s view
           -Rubicon analogy
           -Ground troops
                 -ARVN
                 -US troops
           -ARVN response
                 -An Loc
                 -II Corps
                 -I Corps
           -Air power
     -Comparison with other battles
           -World War II
           -World War I
           -Battle of the Bulge
                 -German offensive
                       -Allied response
                 -George S. Patton
     -ARVN offensive operation
           -The President’s view
     -1972 election
           -North Vietnam
     -International implications
           -Soviet Union
           -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
           -The President's assessment
                 -Soviet Union involvement
                 -Chinese
                 -North Vietnamese

                                       (rev. Jan-02)

                           -Hanoi position

     South Vietnam
          -Fighting strength
          -Soviets
          -Chinese

     Damage to North Vietnam
         -Air strikes
         -Sea blockade
               Sihanoukville
         -Bombing
               -Effectiveness analyzed

     South Vietnam
          -Morale
                -Comparison to North Vietnamese
          -Thieu
          -Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
          -Military Region [MR] I
          -Quang Tri
          -Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
          -An Loc
          -Saigon
          -Parrot's Beak
                -B-52s
          -Air power
          -Ground forces

     Diem
         -Recollection of seeing the President in 1968
              -US policy

     The President's view of war developments
          -Mining of North Vietnamese ports
          -Conclusion of war

     Gifts

Diem and Haig left at 3:24 pm.

                                        (rev. Jan-02)