799–23

Conversation No. 799-23

Date: October 16, 1972
Time: 3:59 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., Melvin R. Laird and Alexander M. Haig,
Jr.

Seating

[Photographic session]

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:59 pm.

The President's telephone calls

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:30 pm.

[Photographic session]

Vietnam Negotiations
-Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule
-Political settlement
-International Control Commission
-Changes in language
-Settlement
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Abrhams’s view
-Casualties
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Timing
-Political pressures
-1972 election
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger
-Thieu
-US relations with South Vietnam
-History
-Military forces
 35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)

-Tradition, training, leadership
-Government
-US aid
-North Vietnamese situation
-Hanoi
-Political structure
-Manpower
-Thieu
-Conclusion of war
-US military presence
-Compared to Europe
-Legal system
-South Vietnam
-Abram’s view
-Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China [PRC]
-US domestic conditions
-Future military resupply
-Petroleum, oil, lubricants [POL]
-Compared to recent past
-POL
-Ammunition
-South Vietnamese leadership
-Thieu's responsibilities
-Justification
-Abrams's schedule
-Ellsworth F. Bunker, Thieu
-Discussions
-South Vietnam's political future
-North Vietnam
-Coalition government
-The President’s view
-Survivability of South Vietnam
-Thieu
-Possible scenario
-Cease-fire
-Command of Army
-Vietcong [VC]
-Prisoners in South Vietnamese prisons
-Status and numbers
-C category
-Kissinger, Thieu
-Cease-fire supervision
 36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)

-Effectiveness
-Survivability of Thieu
-North Vietnam
-Spring offensive
-Casualties
-South Vietnam
-Mining, bombing effect
-1972 election effect
-PRC, Soviet Union
-Effect of long war
-1972 election effect
-South Vietnamese situation
-Military considerations
-Thieu’s concern
-Saigon area
-Ben Cat, Nam Trop [sp?]
-Political considerations
-Thieu’s concern
-US relations
-Conversations with Haig
-Thieu
-Psychological considerations
-Handling of possible settlement
-Time required
-Kissinger’s point
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-1972 election
-US support
-1968 election
-1953
-1963 Ngo Dinh Diem's assassination
-Diem’s generals
-Diem’s view of communism
-Kissinger
-1972 election
-As possible obstacle to peace
-North Vietnam
-US public opinion
-US economic aid, replacements
-Bunker, Abrams's role in negotiations
-North Vietnamese stance
-Possible effect on Thieu’s tenure
 37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)

-Abrams’s and Bunker’s role
-Previous meeting with Haig
-Differences in political terms
-Coalition government
-The President’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-Coalition government
-Abrams's schedule
-Alaska-Tokyo-Saigon
-Thieu and US relations
-Publicity
-North Vietnam
-History of war
-The President requesting Abrams’s opinion
-Cambodia, Laos, May 8, 1972 decision by the President
-US domestic opposition
-Demonstrations
-Establishment
-Support for Thieu
-US public opinion
-Communist government in South Vietnam

Abrams
-Office
-US Army
-Morale
-US Army football
-Support from the President

Vietnam War
-Conclusion
-US bombing
-Civilians

The President’s regards for Bunker


Abrams et al. left at 4:30 pm.