828–5

Conversation No. 828-5

Date: December 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:47 am and 10:12 am
Location: Oval Office

The President dictated a memorandum to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

Instructions
-Talking paper
-Original and copies

The President’s schedule
-[Presentation of mementos]

The President replayed the dictation.

The President resumed the dictation.

The President’s schedule
-Presentation of mementos
-Cessation
-Cabinet Room, Oval Office
-Guidelines
-Commonness
-Appreciation
-1973
-Routine

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:47 am.

The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Col. Richard T. Kennedy

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:20 am.

[The President resumed his dictation]

The President’s schedule
 -5-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-January 20, 1973

[This memorandum continues as Conversation No. 828-6]

Kennedy entered at 9:20 am.

Henry A. Kissinger’s and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s schedule

Haig’s health
-Tiredness
-Puerto Rico
-Age
-Physical fitness

Kissinger’s health
-Work habits
-Energy
-Negotiations
-Temper
-Winston S. Churchill
-Naps
-Handling of staff

Vietnam War
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-B-52s
-Reports
-Number
-December 26, 1972
-Losses
-North Vietnam’s claims
Accuracy
-Damage
-Losses
-Tactics
-Targets
-The President’s conversations with Kissinger
-[Hanoi]
-Defenses
 -6-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Percentages
-Estimates
-Defenses
-Tactics
-Targets
-Time
-Waves
-Number per day
-Directions
-Fighter cover
-MIGCAP [Anti-Mikoyen and Gurevich Combat Air Patrol]
-Iron Hand aircraft
-Electronic countermeasures [ECM]
-Intensity of air traffic
-Tactical Air [TACAIR] sorties
-Number
-Weather
-Electronic guidance
-Long Range Airborne Navigation [LORAN]
-Visual bombing
-F-4s and PATHFINDERS
-A-7s
-Accuracy
-Compared to visual bombing
-Laser guidance
-Weather
-Weather
-People Republic of China [PRC]
-B-52s
-Expectations
-North Vietnam
-February, March 1973
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Monsoons
-December 26,1972
-December 27, 1972
-Number of sorties
-Targets
-Timing
 -7-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-TACAIR sorties
-Number
-Targets
-Timing
-Weather
-Cancellation
-Changes
-Aircraft losses
-F-4s


*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 3s ]
[Subject: Intelligence]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************


-MIG-21s
-Search and Rescue [SAR]
-Helicopter
-Laos
-Crew
-MIG-21s


*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National security]
[Duration: 2s ]
[Subject: Intelligence]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
 -8-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Attacks on MIG fields
-Soviet Union
-Location
-Hanoi
-Northwest
-Destruction of cities
-Hanoi
-Effect
-World War II damage
-Germany, Italy
-The President’s trip to Germany, 1947
-Essen
-Krups plant
-Berlin
-Soviet Union
-Living conditions
-Power plants and grids damage
-Hanoi, Haiphong
-Lights
-Gasoline generators
-Shipyard damage
-Haiphong
-Vehicle repair shops
-Hanoi
-Photographs
-Rail yards damage
-Rolling stock damage
-Disruptive effect
-Federal civilians’ morale
-WSAG
-Cambodia
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Negotiations
-Resumption
-Timing
-January 8, 1973
-North Vietnam’s offer, December 26, 1972
-Publicity
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger
 -9-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-William H. Sullivan
-Press relations
-Newspapers
-“Doves”
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th
Parallel
-Annoucement
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-December 31, 1972
-January 8, 1973
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger
-Congressional relations
-Reconvention
-Pre-January 1, 1973
-Experts meeting
-Issues
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Signing problem
-Four parties
-People’s Revolutionary Government [PRG]
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Possible statement
-Recognition of juridical right as a
government
-Changes
-Resumption of war
-North Vietnam’s capacity and determination
-Resiliency
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Tempo of war
-Spring offensive
-Soviet Union, PRC
-Thieu
-Legalistic position
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Survival of government
-Elections
-Attitude, credibility
-North Vietnam’s position
 -10-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-1954, 1962 Geneva Conferences
-Surrender
-South Vietnam
-US sea, air, ground power
-Army
-Will
-Will
-North Vietnam
-South Vietnam
-Response to North Vietnam’s offensive, Summer 1972
-The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Effect
-Trieuphong
-Quang Tri
-US role
-Dependence
-Decisions
-North Vietnam
-Soviet Union and PRC aid
-Moral and material support
-Lessons for US
-US relations with allies
-Paternalism
-Communists
-People’s liberation movement
-Korean War
-Duration
-“Gooks”
-The President’s experience as Senator
-Gen. James A. Van Fleet
-South Koreans
-Toughness
-Relations with US
-Negotiations
-Settlement agreement
-North Vietnam’s demands
-Future of South Vietnam
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of US aid
 -11-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Thieu
-Meeting with Haig
-The President’s letter
-Kissinger
-North Vietnam
-South Vietnam
-Leaks
-North Vietnam
-South Vietnam
-Thieu
-US costs
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Safety of aircraft crews
-Parachutes
-B-52s
-Losses
-Surface to air missile [SAM]
-Hanoi
-POWs
-Duration of bombing campaign
-Size
-Bombs
-Stability
-Control
-Utapao Air Force base
-Lending efforts
-Survivors
-Casualties
-Damage
-Number
-Landings
-Repair
-Number
-Replacements
-Negotiations
-Resumption
-North Vietnam’s offer
-Rhetoric
-Experts, principals meetings
 -12-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Settlement agreement
-Kissinger
-Effect of bombing
-Lack of conditions
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Timing
-US messages
-Tone
-Breakdown
-Resumption of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-North Vietnam’s intransigence
-Record
-Public relations [PR]
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Debate
-North Vietnam
-Discontent
-Demonstration, Christmas 1972
-Ground warfare
-Television [TV]
-Disappointment
-Expectations
-Laos [Lam Son], 1971
-Timing
-Congressional relations
-Christmas
-Press relations
-Christmas
-Football
-Press relations
-Network requests for Hanoi photographs
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Bomb damage
-Editorials and news stories
-Process
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Failure, success
-Access
 -13-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Availability of new material
-NSC
-US Information Agency [USIA]
-Washington Post
-1972 campaign
-Editorials and news stories
-Process
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-B-52s
-Number
-North
-Follow up attacks
-Psychological effect
-Targets
-Bomb damage assessments
-Military, strategic effects
-World War II
-Germany, Japan
-Psychological warfare
-Use of radio
-Leaflets
-Ecology
-Themes
-Negotiations
-Breakdown
-Resumption
-Cadre
-South Vietnam
-North Vietnamese government
-Peace
-Victory
-Purpose of leaflets
-Questioning of cadres
-Effect
-Radio themes
-Peace
-WSAG meetings
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Richard M. Helms
 -14-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Schedule
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-State Department
-U. Alexis Johnson
-William J. Porter
-Defense Department
-William P. Clements, Jr.
-Confirmation
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-State Department
-Effectiveness

Nicaragua earthquake relief
-Engineer company
-Airlift
-Firefighting
-Debris moving
-Water purification
-Plants
-Engineers
-Firefighting
-Population
-Movement
-Epidemic control
-Field hospitals
-Medical supplies
-Food supplies
-Ships
-Guatemala
-Wheat, flour, rolled oats
-Refugees
-Epidemic control
-Deaths
-Estimate
-Compared to Peru
-Homeless
-Managua
-Destruction
-Reconstruction
 -15-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Location
-Anastasio Somoza Debayle
-Fault
-Previous earthquakes
-US efforts

Disaster relief
-Romania
-Yugoslavia
-Peru
-Bangladesh
-Iran
-Earthquakes
-Distribution and collection
-Voluntary agencies
-House of Representatives
-Title II, Public Law [PL] 480
-Church World Services
-World Health Organization [WHO]
-Cut off
-Foreign policy
-Appropriations
-Management problems
-Merit
-Nicaragua earthquake relief
-Red Cross
-Church groups
-Federal government’s role
-Supplements
-Food

Vietnam War
-Press relations
-Network requests for Hanoi photographs
-Bomb damage
-Editorials and news stories
-US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-B-52s
-Number
 -16-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-08)

Conversation No. 828-5 (cont’d)

-Losses
-Timing
-Tactics
-Timing
-Effect
-Radar

Kennedy left at 10:12 am.