451–23

Conversation No. 451-23

Date: February 18, 1971
Time: 6:16 pm - 6:37 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger

Vietnam
-Military developments
-Troop deployment
-Tactical situation
-Melvin R. Laird
-President’s view of war
-Presidential election
-Bombing
-Missions
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Khe Sanh
-Laos
-North Vietnamese losses
-South Vietnamese Army
-Effect


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 41s ]


CAMBODIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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-Troops
-Reserves
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Helicopter losses
-Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Laos operation
-Communist influence in United States’ government
-John W. Gardner
-Morton H. Halperin
-William A. K. (“Tony”) Lake
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Halperin
-Role on Kissinger’s staff
-Gardner
-Lyndon B. Johnson’s comment
-Kissinger’s forthcoming luncheon with John Dutton
-Gardner
-Effect of liberal positions on the war
-South Vietnamese military activity
-Laos
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Progress
-Future prospects


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security] Conv. No. 451-23 (cont.)
[Duration: 2m 43s ]


VIETNAM, ITALY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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The Vice President
-Possible foreign trip
-President’s view
-Priority
-Laos operation

Vietnam
-Kissinger’s conversation with Joseph C. Kraft
-President compared with Democrats
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-1968 election
-Danger of radicals on policy
-George C. Wallace
-Ronald W. Reagan

Peace prospects
-Kissinger’s suggestions
-Forthcoming meeting with Le Duc Tho
-Withdrawal
-Cease-fire
-Prospects
-Bombing
-General Nguyen Van Thieu agreement
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Kissinger left at 6:37 pm