Secret White House Tapes

497–2

About this recording

497–2
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • William B. Saxbe
  • Alexander M. Haig
May 11, 1971
Conversation No. 497-2

Date: May 11, 1971
Time: 11:20 am - 11:51 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William B. Saxbe and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Greetings

Henry A. Kissinger's schedule
-Saxbe's trip report

Saxbe's conversation with Melvin R. Laird

Military draft
-Saxbe's Senate speech, May 10, 1971
-Views of young people
-Saxbe's press conference
-Public opinion regarding military
-Marines
-Airborne divisions
5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Vietnam
-Saxbe's conversation with Edwin O. Reischaur
-Asia

Saxbe's conversation with Japanese Prime Minister
-Elaine Thayer
US foreign policy
-Asians' views Conv. 497-1 (cont.)
-Marshall Plan
-Europe and Asia
-Wendell L. Willkie
-World War II, Korea, Vietnam
-Europe
-Economy
-Pacific Nations
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Japan
-Southeast Asia
-Indonesia
-Philippines
-India and Pakistan
-Reischauer's
-Vietnam, Japan
-Japan
-Possible military build-up
-Saxbe's May 10, 1971 Senate speech
-Volunteer army
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield's views regarding North Atlantic Treaty Organization
[NATO]
-US military commitments after World War II

Vietnam
-US policy
-Europe
-Germany, Great Britain
-Views of Europeans
-Press
-Saxbe's May 10, 1971 Senate Speech
-Chicago Daily News, West Berlin

Military draft
-Robert A. Taft, Jr.'s, views
6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Timing of volunteer army proposal
-Michael Gravel
-Taft
-Legislation
-Gravel's possible action
-Timing of volunteer army proposal
-Taft
-Barry M. Goldwater Conv. No. 497-2 (cont.)
-Peter H. Dominick
-Re-enlistment rate
-Public opinion of military
-Timing
-Troops

Vietnam
-Saxbe's son
-Service in Vietnam
-Marine platoon service near Da Nang
-Communists
-Compared with World War I trench warfare
-Saxbe's son
-Encounter with Viet Cong
-Military future
-Quantico
-Background
-Southern Methodist University
-Views regarding Vietnam
-President's travels
-US accomplishments
-Marine Pacification Program
-Saxbe's travels
-Community action
-Children
-Cities
-Economy
-Agriculture
-Ford Motors, Honda
-”Gold teeth”
-Peasants
-Polity

Latin America
7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Brazil
-Chile, Peru, Bolivia
-Paraguay
-Argentina
-Colombia, Venezuela
-Resources

Constitutional Democracy Conv. No. 497-2 (cont.)
-Africa
-Development
-Compared with Vietnam
-Development
-Great Britain
-France,
-US
-Germany

World situation
-Views of youth
-”Ivory tower”
-Peace
-Anarchy, tyranny
-Iran
-Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
-Nature of government
-Thailand
-Nature of government

Cities
-Chicago
-Type of government
-Richard J. Daley
-Newspapers
-John V. Lindsay
-Carl B. Stokes
-Cleveland, Ohio
-End of service
-Kenneth A. Gibson
-Newark, N.J.
-Future mayoral election in Cleveland
-Daley's work in Chicago
-Jersey City
8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Frank Hague
-Philadelphia and Pittsburgh bosses

Negotiations
-Prospects
-Vietnam
-Arms control
-PRC Conv. No. 497-2 (cont.)
Military draft
-Legislation for extension
-Current filibuster
-Possible 1972 action
-Democrats, Republicans
-Taft
-Possible effects
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy's views
-Saxbe's conversations with unknown youths
-Abraham Lincoln and Civil War
-Kennedy's statements
-Views of Alan Cranston and Gravel
-Views of Richard S. Schweiker, Taft, and Goldwater
-Saxbe’s exchange with Gravel in Senate, May 10, 1971

Ohio
-Taft
-Military installations
-Florida
-Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
-Federal automotive test center
-John A. Volpe
-Detroit
-Governor James B. Rhodes' offer
-Ohio bond issue
-Ohio vs. Florida
-Volpe, Ohio congressmen

Gifts
-Cufflinks, golf balls, paperweight

The President's desk, Saxbe's desk

Haig and Saxbe left at 11:51 am
9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Secret White House Tapes |

497–2

This recording is currently not available on millercenter.org. To listen to it, please email Mike Greco at mdg4u@virginia.edu

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