Conversation 731-001

TapeTape 731StartMonday, June 12, 1972 at 5:39 PMEndMonday, June 12, 1972 at 6:07 PMTape start time00:00:26Tape end time00:27:02ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.;  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office

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

On June 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:39 pm and 6:07 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 731-001 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 730-14/731-1

Date: June 12, 1972
Time: Unknown after 5:39-6:07 pm.
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
[This portion of the conversation began at an unknown time while the meeting was in progress.]

     US foreign policy
          -Ratification of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT]
          -Vietnam
          -US-Soviet Union summit
          -Henry Kissinger's trip to the People's Republic of China [PRC]
          -Ratification of SALT
                -The President's role
                      -Kissinger’s view
                      -Joint session of Congress
                      -Senate
                -Kissinger's role
                -Gerard C. Smith
                -Political implications
                -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                -Jacob K. Javits
                -Charles H. Percy, Jr.
                -George D. Aiken
                -Michael J. Mansfield

     The President's schedule
          -Press meeting
                -PRC trip announcement
          -Television press conference
                -Timing
                -California
                -PRC trip
                -Purpose
                -The President's standing
                      -Kissinger’s view


     Japan
          -Kissinger’s visit
                -Japanese newspapers
                                           2

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Jan-02)


                -Kissinger's appearances
           -Eisaku Sato
           -Takeo Fukuda
           -US-PRC relations

PRC
      -US flights over North Vietnam
           -Note
                 -Incursions
                 -Haig
           -Defense Department
           -Military commanders
           -Note
                 -Tone
           -Impact
           -Publicity
           -Responsibilty of US military
           -Note
                 -US response
                       -Haig
           -Kissinger's trip
                 -Incidents
           -Restrictions on US flights
           -Damage
           -Public complaints
           -Restrictions
                 -Importance

Soviet Union
     -Nikolai V. Podgorny
          -North Vietnam visit
                -Bombing
                     -Hanoi
                          -Overflights
                     -Haiphong
                     -Kissinger’s view
                     -The President’s instruction
                     -Timing
                     -Hanoi

PRC
      -Incident
            -Haig
                                         3

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Jan-02)


                 -US response
                 -Previous incursions
      -Kissinger's trip
            -Time
      -US flight over North Vietnam
            -Haig
            -Complaints
                 -PRC notes
            -US response
                 -Kissinger’s view
                        -Thomas H. Moorer
      -US restraint
            -Bombing
                 -Locations
                        -White House approval
                 -North Vietnam
                        -Hanoi
                 -Kissinger’s message to PRC
      -Kissinger's PRC trip
            -New York Times stories

Vietnam
     -Bombing
         -Podgorny's visit to Hanoi

PRC
      -Soviet Union
            -Podgorny
      -Normalization of relations
      -North Vietnam
            -US bombing
      -Statement at the United Nations [UN] Conference on the
         Human Environment, Stockholm, Sweden
            -State Department
            -William P. Rogers
            -Haig
            -Olaf Palme

Japan
     -The President’s previous trip
           -Donald M. I. Kendell
     -Foreign ministers
     -Kissinger's trip
                                                 4

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Jan-02)


                -Reception
                -Fukuda
                -PRC

     1972 campaign in US
          -the President's re-election
                -Rowland K. Evans and Robert D. Novak
                     -Poland
                -Japan
                     -Sato
                -Communists
                     -North Vietnam


     Vietnam negotiations
          -North Vietnamese
          -Public meetings
          -Timing
               -Democratic convention

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:40 pm.

     The President's schedule
          -Sequoia trip
          -The President's sport coat
          -Weather

Bull left at an unknown time before 6:07 pm.

     Tricia Nixon Cox
           -Wedding anniversary
                -Television coverage
                -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                -Dan Rather
                -Barbara Walters
                      -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
                      -"Today" show
                -J. Edgar Hoover
                -Kissinger

     The President’s possible press conference

     Ratification of SALT
                                             5

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jan-02)


           -The President's view
                 -Senate
           -Kissinger’s view
           -Kissinger's appearance
                 -Vietnam
                      -Pentagon Papers
           -H.R. Haldeman
                 -Budget
           -Kissinger's view
                 -Melvin R. Laird
                 -Rogers
                 -Smith
           -SALT
           -Kissinger’s possible statement
           -The President's statement

     Kissinger’s schedule
          -Previous trip to Japan
          -Forthcoming trip to Hawaii

     U.S. News and World Report Article
          -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
          -Editorial review
          -Effect


     PRC
           -US bombing in North Vietnam
                -Incursions
                     -US response
                           -Kissinger

     Kissinger's trip

Kissinger left at 6:07 pm.

No transcript is available for this conversation.