About this recording
381–3
- President Richard M. Nixon
- Alexander M. Haig
- Manolo Sanchez
December 13, 1972
Conversation No. 381-3
Date: December 13, 1972
Time: 12:28 pm – 1:12 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Timing
-Headwinds
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:28 pm.
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:12 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger
-Haig’s role
-Decision making authority
-The President’s delegation
-Cambodia invasion
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Negotiator
-Emotion
-Caution, objectivity
-Record
-Blame on others
-Settlement agreement
-1972 election
-Objections
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-The President
-Haig
-Saigon
-Messages
-Tone
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Breakdown in talks
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Nguyen Van Thieu’s position
-North Vietnam
-Cease-fire
-Thieu
-Pressure on North Vietnam
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Cease-fire
-Timing
-Christmas
-The President’s meeting with Haig and Kissinger
-US mining of North Vietnam
-Reseeding
-Timing
-Thieu
-Supplies
-Timing
-Reconnaisance
-Signal to Hanoi
-Reaction
-Protective reaction
-US bombing of North Vietnam South of 20th Parallel
-Kissinger’s scenario
-The President’s view
-Military value
-Tone
-Haig’s conversation with Kissinger
-Haig’s conversations with Kissinger
-Options
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Contingencies
-Kissinger
-Future
-Kissinger’s interview with Oriana Fallaci
-Press relations
-William P. Rogers
-“Peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972
-India-Pakistan War
-US-Soviet Union relations
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Effect
-Need to focus on problem
-Recommendations
-Need for suspicion
-Emotions
-Emotions
-Effect on work
-Expectations
-Settlement agreement
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Policy making
-Theory
-National Security Council [NSC]
-State Department
-Mental health
-Current status compared to recent past
-Trip to Saigon
-Haig’s location
-Messages
-Timing
-1972 election
-Long Tien
-Previous trips to Saigon
-Haig’s schedule
-Post-October 8, 1972
-Return from Paris
-Haig’s schedule
-Thieu’s rebuff
-Return from Paris
-Settlement agreement
-October 8, 1972 draft
-Hanoi
-Thieu
-Previous messages to Hanoi
-Settlement agreement
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-The President’s return from Camp David
-Compromise
-1972 election
-Return from Saigon
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Haig’s trip to Saigon
-Settlement agreement
-Thieu’s view
-Thieu’s relationship with Kissinger
-Kissinger’s trip to Saigon
-Back channels
-Haig
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Thieu
-Relationship with Kissinger, the President, Haig
-Trust
-Speech, December 12, 1972
-US theorists, quotation
-Relationship with the President
-Trust
-US-South Vietnam relations
-State Department
-Corruption issue
-Kissinger
-Schedule
-Return from Paris
-“Martyr complex”
-Resignation
-Advisability
-Haig’s role
-Kissinger
-Return from Saigon
-Hanoi’s public statement
-“Peace is at hand” statement
-Timing
-1972 election
-Message from Hanoi
-The President’s schedule, November 4, 1972
-Greensboro, North Carolina
-The President’s statement
-“Peace is at hand” statement
-The President’s pull-back
-Haig’s reaction
-Caution
-The President’s reaction
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Politics
-Haig’s conversation with Kissinger
-Press conference, October 26, 1972
-Technical aspects
-Settlement agreement
-1972 election
-Press relations
-Fallaci interviews
-Italian ambassador
-Haig’s location
-Saigon
-Timing
-1972 election
-Italian government request
-Taping
-Haig’s viewing
-Reproduction
-Washington Star
-Washington Post
-Quotes
-Context
-Kissinger’s relationship with the President
-Legal suit threat
-Tape
-Quotes
-Context
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston’s article
-Meeting with the President
-Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
-Rogers’s and Laird’s view
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Rogers’s, Laird’s and Agnew’s views
-Haig’s meetings with Kissinger
-Timing
-Rogers
-Laird
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Agnew
-“Game Plan”
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Breakdown
-Congressional relations
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Timing
-Christmas
-Statements
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-US action
-North Vietnam
-Violations
-Coalition government
-South Vietnam
-Thieu
-North Vietnamese position
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Effect
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-Settlement agreement
-Kissinger
-Messages
-Timing
-Christmas
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Haig’s view
-Thieu
-Settlement agreement
-Reseeding of mines
-US position
-Credibility
-Signals
-Thieu [South Vietnam]
-US economic and military aid
-US military aid
-Laird’s view
-Carriers
-Sorties
-Effect
-US economic aid
-Credit
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Conversion of Piasters
-Balance of payments
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Advisability
-Pressure on Hanoi
-Possible ultimatum to Thieu
-Settlement agreement
-Necessity to Thieu
-Thieu
-The President’s resolve to support
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Effect
-Soviet Union
-Thieu
-Victory
-Effectf
-Psychological and military aspects
-Targets
-Power and communications stations
-Marshalling yards
-B-52s
-Cessation
-Effect
-Timing
-South of 20th Parallel
-Laotian Trail
-Haig’s conversation with Moorer
-Reseeding of mines
-Effect
-Reconnaissance
-Settlement agreement
-Unseeding of mines
-Statement
-“Routine reseeding”
-Means
-Settlement agreement
-Unseeding of mines
-Haig’s meeting with Kissinger
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Rest
-Kissinger’s reaction
-Haig’s meeting with Kissinger
-Kissinger’s resignation
-Accomplishments
-Future
-Thieu’s speech
-US-South Vietnam relations
-North Vietnam’s view
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Thieu
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Advisability
-Settlement agreement
-Settlement agreement
-Hanoi
-Stalling tactics, delays
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
Haig left at 1:12 pm.
Date: December 13, 1972
Time: 12:28 pm – 1:12 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Timing
-Headwinds
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:28 pm.
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:12 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger
-Haig’s role
-Decision making authority
-The President’s delegation
-Cambodia invasion
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Negotiator
-Emotion
-Caution, objectivity
-Record
-Blame on others
-Settlement agreement
-1972 election
-Objections
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-The President
-Haig
-Saigon
-Messages
-Tone
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Breakdown in talks
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Nguyen Van Thieu’s position
-North Vietnam
-Cease-fire
-Thieu
-Pressure on North Vietnam
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Cease-fire
-Timing
-Christmas
-The President’s meeting with Haig and Kissinger
-US mining of North Vietnam
-Reseeding
-Timing
-Thieu
-Supplies
-Timing
-Reconnaisance
-Signal to Hanoi
-Reaction
-Protective reaction
-US bombing of North Vietnam South of 20th Parallel
-Kissinger’s scenario
-The President’s view
-Military value
-Tone
-Haig’s conversation with Kissinger
-Haig’s conversations with Kissinger
-Options
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Contingencies
-Kissinger
-Future
-Kissinger’s interview with Oriana Fallaci
-Press relations
-William P. Rogers
-“Peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972
-India-Pakistan War
-US-Soviet Union relations
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Effect
-Need to focus on problem
-Recommendations
-Need for suspicion
-Emotions
-Emotions
-Effect on work
-Expectations
-Settlement agreement
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Policy making
-Theory
-National Security Council [NSC]
-State Department
-Mental health
-Current status compared to recent past
-Trip to Saigon
-Haig’s location
-Messages
-Timing
-1972 election
-Long Tien
-Previous trips to Saigon
-Haig’s schedule
-Post-October 8, 1972
-Return from Paris
-Haig’s schedule
-Thieu’s rebuff
-Return from Paris
-Settlement agreement
-October 8, 1972 draft
-Hanoi
-Thieu
-Previous messages to Hanoi
-Settlement agreement
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-The President’s return from Camp David
-Compromise
-1972 election
-Return from Saigon
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Haig’s trip to Saigon
-Settlement agreement
-Thieu’s view
-Thieu’s relationship with Kissinger
-Kissinger’s trip to Saigon
-Back channels
-Haig
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Thieu
-Relationship with Kissinger, the President, Haig
-Trust
-Speech, December 12, 1972
-US theorists, quotation
-Relationship with the President
-Trust
-US-South Vietnam relations
-State Department
-Corruption issue
-Kissinger
-Schedule
-Return from Paris
-“Martyr complex”
-Resignation
-Advisability
-Haig’s role
-Kissinger
-Return from Saigon
-Hanoi’s public statement
-“Peace is at hand” statement
-Timing
-1972 election
-Message from Hanoi
-The President’s schedule, November 4, 1972
-Greensboro, North Carolina
-The President’s statement
-“Peace is at hand” statement
-The President’s pull-back
-Haig’s reaction
-Caution
-The President’s reaction
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Politics
-Haig’s conversation with Kissinger
-Press conference, October 26, 1972
-Technical aspects
-Settlement agreement
-1972 election
-Press relations
-Fallaci interviews
-Italian ambassador
-Haig’s location
-Saigon
-Timing
-1972 election
-Italian government request
-Taping
-Haig’s viewing
-Reproduction
-Washington Star
-Washington Post
-Quotes
-Context
-Kissinger’s relationship with the President
-Legal suit threat
-Tape
-Quotes
-Context
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston’s article
-Meeting with the President
-Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
-Rogers’s and Laird’s view
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Rogers’s, Laird’s and Agnew’s views
-Haig’s meetings with Kissinger
-Timing
-Rogers
-Laird
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Agnew
-“Game Plan”
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Breakdown
-Congressional relations
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Timing
-Christmas
-Statements
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-US action
-North Vietnam
-Violations
-Coalition government
-South Vietnam
-Thieu
-North Vietnamese position
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Effect
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-Settlement agreement
-Kissinger
-Messages
-Timing
-Christmas
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Haig’s view
-Thieu
-Settlement agreement
-Reseeding of mines
-US position
-Credibility
-Signals
-Thieu [South Vietnam]
-US economic and military aid
-US military aid
-Laird’s view
-Carriers
-Sorties
-Effect
-US economic aid
-Credit
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Conversion of Piasters
-Balance of payments
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Advisability
-Pressure on Hanoi
-Possible ultimatum to Thieu
-Settlement agreement
-Necessity to Thieu
-Thieu
-The President’s resolve to support
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Effect
-Soviet Union
-Thieu
-Victory
-Effectf
-Psychological and military aspects
-Targets
-Power and communications stations
-Marshalling yards
-B-52s
-Cessation
-Effect
-Timing
-South of 20th Parallel
-Laotian Trail
-Haig’s conversation with Moorer
-Reseeding of mines
-Effect
-Reconnaissance
-Settlement agreement
-Unseeding of mines
-Statement
-“Routine reseeding”
-Means
-Settlement agreement
-Unseeding of mines
-Haig’s meeting with Kissinger
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 381-3 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Rest
-Kissinger’s reaction
-Haig’s meeting with Kissinger
-Kissinger’s resignation
-Accomplishments
-Future
-Thieu’s speech
-US-South Vietnam relations
-North Vietnam’s view
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Thieu
-Agnew’s possible trip to Saigon
-Advisability
-Settlement agreement
-Settlement agreement
-Hanoi
-Stalling tactics, delays
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Return from Paris
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
Haig left at 1:12 pm.