710–4

Conversation No. 710-4

Date: April 17, 1972
Time: 5:02 pm - 5:50 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

Vietnam
-Kissinger’s conversation with John A. Scali
-The president's meeting with People's Republic of China [PRC] table tennis
team
-Location of possible match
-Problems
-Possible cancellation
-Announcement
-Possible cancellation
-Moscow trip
-Bombing in North Vietnam
-Bombing
-Risks
-Consequences
-Kissinger’s and the president's soviet trips
-Necessity
-Kissinger’s conversation with Stewart J.O. Alsop
-The President's Soviet trip
-Scali
-Visit of People's Republic of China [PRC] team
-Possible cancellation
-Michael J. Mansfield’s trip to PRC
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-Possible cancellation
-Hong Kong stopover
-Mansfield’s arrival in PRC
-Table tennis match
-Scali's memorandum
-The President's meeting with Melvin R. Laird and Thomas H. Moorer
-Kissinger’s handling

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 5:10 pm.

PRC
-Table tennis team visit and match
-Arrangements
-Possible cancellation of meeting with the President
-Arrangements
-Announcement
-Possible actions
-Meeting with the President
-Cancellation of team's tour
-Arrangements for team's visit and match
-Scali's memorandum
-Setting
-Time
-Tour of White House
-Meeting with the president
-Graham B. Steenhoven
-Greetings
-Chuang Tse-tung
-Table tennis team
-Schedule
-Tricia Nixon Cox’s attendance at match
-Statements on US bombing of North Vietnam

Haldeman left at 5:12 pm.

Vietnam
-Meeting with Laird and Moorer
-Length

Laird and Moorer entered at 5:13 pm.

Greetings
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)



William M. Colmer luncheon

Vietnam
-Laird’s testimony
-Coordination with William P. Rogers's and the President’s statements
-Possible questions
-Vietnamization
-Failure
-South Vietnamese performance
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Modern Soviet equipment
-Military operations
-Soviet equipment
-US bombing
-South Vietnamese performance
-New South Vietnamese division
-Offensive
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Hue
-Movement
-Damage to North Vietnam
-Fifth South Vietnamese division
-Improvements
-Commander
-Change
-An loc
-Tanks
-Air support
-Air cover
-South Vietnamese Air Force
-Capabilities
-Sorties
-Number
-B-52s
-TACAIR
-Damage to North Vietnam
-South Vietnamese performance
-Laird’s testimony
-Future fighting
-South Vietnamese performance
-Capabilities
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-Destruction of tanks
-Figures
-Weapons used
-Antitank capabilities
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-South Vietnamese tanks
-Number
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Combat teams
-Military Region Two
-Irregular forces
-An loc, Hue and other cities
-Difficulties
-South Vietnamese responsibilities
-US support
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Importance
-Compared with Tet offensive
-Casualties
-US and South Vietnam
-US forces
-Ground elements
-Press
-Medal and citation to unknown Lieutenant Colonel
-South Vietnamese performance
-Improvements
-Laird’s testimony
-Bombing
-Military targets
-Military installations
-Nuclear weapons
-Exclusion
-Bombing
-Targets
-Hanoi and Haiphong
-Soviets
-Ships to North Vietnam
-Caution
-Negotiations
-Rogers and Laird testimony
-Laird position
-Conditions
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-Duress
-Need for substance
-Edmund S. Muskie proposal
-Cease-fire
-North Vietnamese invasion
-DMZ
-Illegality
-Continuation
-US reaction
-Support for South Vietnam
-Protection for US personnel
-Curb of aggression
-South Vietnamese performance
-Cease-fire
-US support
-Risks
-US personnel
-South Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Congress
-Antiwar resolution
-Condemnation of invasion
-Bias
-Charge of assisting the enemy
-Public relations
-Television
-Laird
-John C. Stennis
-Appearance on Today Show
-F. Edward Hebert
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Stennis and Hebert
-Hawks
-Television appearances
-US policies
-Congressional support
-Possible erosion
-Laos operation
-Naval action
-Blockade
-Further discussion
-Newport News
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-Other cruisers
-Effectiveness
-Cruisers
-US forces
-Strengthening
-Public statements
-Confidentiality
-Number of ships
-Navy forces
-North Vietnamese knowledge
-Carriers
-Panama Canal
-Cape Hope
-Arrival
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Withdrawals
-US strikes
-South Vietnamese performance
-Air sorties
-Effectiveness
-Aircraft
-Maintenance
-Training
-US goals
-US support
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Return
-Negotiations
-Conditions
-Previous discussions
-Failures
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Withdrawals
-DMZ
-US position
-Soviets
-Support of North Vietnam
-US reaction
-US credibility
-Middle East
-Surface to air missile [SAMs]
-United Arab Republic
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-North Vietnamese aggression
-Risks
-Precedents
-Soviets
-US response
-Vietnamization
-South Vietnamese performance
-Press reports
-Errors
-Success of program
-Military operations
-An loc
-South Vietnamese control
-North Vietnamese assaults
-21st South Vietnamese division
-Roads
-Clearance
-North Vietnamese units
-271st regiment
-Artillery and tanks
-US Armed Forces
-Honor and confidence of public
-Blockade
-Imposition
-Time
-Mining
-Advantages
-Advantages
-Selectivity
-Mining
-Disadvantages
-Elimination
-Small ships
-Supplies
-US equipment
-Military operation against the Do Son Peninsula
-Commander [Forename unknown] Moss
-Rescue from water

US Navy
-Practice
-Colebra
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 710-4 (cont.)

-Ecological concerns

Vietnam
-US operations

The President's schedule
-Dinner with relatives

The President, Kissinger, Laird and Moorer left at 5:50 pm.