Conversation: 789-004
Prev: 789-003 Next: 789-005Start Date: 30-Sep-1972 10:17 AM
End Date: 30-Sep-1972 10:34 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Jackson, Henry M. ("Scoop"); [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On September 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:17 am and 10:34 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 789-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 789-4
Date: September 30, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:17 am and 10:34 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger and Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson. This recording
began while the meeting was in progress.
National Defense policy
-The President’s meeting with Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home
-Nuclear weapons
-Bilateral reduction
-Soviet Union
-Multilateral reduction
-Europe
-Netherlands
-Belgium
-Denmark
-Conventional forces
-The President's San Francisco speech, September 27, 1972
-Massive retaliation
-Naval, air forces, army
-Small nations
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 3s ]
-MIDDLE EAST
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Jordan crisis
-Mobilization
-Sixth Fleet
-Airplanes
-West Germany
-Soviets
-Syria
-Soviet Union
-Israel
-Credibility
-Europe
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 14 s]
-NATIONAL DEFENSE
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
-Israel
-Europe
-Soviet Naval Buildup
-Forward Bases
-Conventional forces
-US public opinion
-Soviet buildup
-Pace
-Navy, air power
-Yugoslavia
-Troops cuts
-Defense appropriations subcommittee
-Europe
-Forthcoming talks on Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions [MBFR]
-Congressional awareness
-Defense supporters
-John L. McClellan
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-European responsibility
-Previous resolution for pullback, 1967
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 10:17 am.
Refreshments
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:34 am.
National Defense
-Resolution for force pullback 1967
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Consequences of vote
-Strategic Arms limitation Treaty [SALT] debate
-Nuclear warheads
-Number
-Equality, deliverability
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-William Proxmire
-Tactical nuclear weapons compared to strategic nuclear weapons
-Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA] involvement
-J. William Fulbright
-Gerard L. Smith
-Jackson Amendment
-Hugh Scott
-Plans
-Appropriations
-Transfers
-Soviet Union
-Raymond L. Garthoff
-Helsinki cable
-Soviets
-Arms control jargon
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Position
-Foreign Service
-Uganda
-Possible firing
-Timing
-1972 election
-Leaks
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-John Finney
-New York Times
-Discussions with Soviets
-Garthoff’s background
-Russian language skills
-Wife
-US fallback position
-Smith
-Secor D. Browne
-Possible involvement in administration
-Civil Aeronautical Board [CAB] chairman
-Previous position at Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT]
-Aeronautical engineering
-Soviet negotiations
-Russian language skills
-Weapons system expert
-ACDA
-State Department
-Soviet negotiations
-Consultant to industry
-Commercial aviation expertise
-Conventional weapons knowledge
-MBFR
-ACDA
-Negotiations
-Role of administrator
-MBFR
-SALT II
-Unilateral Disarmament
-Mutual disarmament
-SALT
-Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
-Knowledge
-Jackson’s questioning
-Air Force Chief of Staff
-Gen. John D. Ryan
-Antiballistic missiles [ABM]
-Capitals defense plan
-State Department
-ACDA
-JCS
-Interests
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Weapons system
Personnel management
-Lt. Gen. Edward Rowny
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Background
-Army
-Supreme Headquarters, Allied Power Europe [SHAPE]
-Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster
-Replacement [for Ryan]
-Promotion
-Johns Hopkins University
-US Military Academy at West Point
-Development of air mobile concept
-Yale University
-Engineering
-Political science
-Doctorate [Ph.D.]
-Haig
-Scholar
-Corps commander
-JCS
-Views
-Compared to the President’s
-State Department
-ACDA
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-JCS
-ABM
-Capitals defense plan
-The President’s view
-Rowny
-Haig
-ACDA
-Garthoff
-Plans
-Loyalty
-Ideology
Jackson's forthcoming work with Kissinger
US-Soviet Union trade deal
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Jackson Amendment on Soviet Jewry
-Exit visas
-Amendment to bill
-Timing
-Forthcoming congressional session
-Co-sponsors
-Signal to Soviets
-Senate resolution
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Jacob A. Javits
-George S. McGovern
-Opposition by Jewish community
-Impact on the President
-Compared to Jackson Amendment
-Timing
-Soviet Reaction
-Exit visas
-Kissinger’s forthcoming conversation with Hugh Scott
-Scott
-Administrative assistant, William J. Hildebrand
-McGovern
-Political implications
-Jackson’s conversation with Scott
-Compared to Jackson Amendment
-Voting
-Signal to Soviets
-Toughness
-Co-sponsors
-Withholding
Kissinger's schedule
Kissinger and Jackson left at 10:34 am.