About this recording
157–16
- President Richard M. Nixon
- Richard T. Kennedy
December 6, 1972
Conversation No. 157-16
Date: December 6, 1972
Time: 4:40 pm - 5:31 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with Col. Richard T. Kennedy.
[See Conversation No. 233-21]
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
Kennedy’s schedule
-Sleep
Vietnam negotiations
-Meetings
-Timing
-Henry A. Kissinger’s message on settlement agreement
-Location
-Laurel Lodge
-Summary
-Session
-Tone
-Review of positions
-Settlement agreement
-Changes
-South Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Concessions
-Acceptability
-US conditions
-Le Duc Tho’s position
-Changes
-Details
-Changes
-Maintenance
-Substance
-Previous agreement
-Translation of “administrative structure” [re. National
Committee of National Reconciliation and Concord
[NCNRC]
-Demobilization provisions
-Timing
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Political leverage
-North Vietnam-South Vietnam relations
-Renunciation of force
-Thieu
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-October 1972 agreement
-North Vietnamese prisoners in South Vietnam
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Linkage to US POWs
-Section 8C
-Kissinger’s conversation with Anatoliy F.
Dobrynin
-Cease-fire
-Timing
-International Commission of Control and
Supervision [ICCS]
-Preamble
-Compromise
-US and Provisional Revolutionary
Government [PRG] signing
-Government of South Vietnam [GVN] signing
-US concessions
-Tho
-Withdrawal of US civilians
-Language
-Kennedy’s work with U. Alexis Johnson and Barry J.
Shillito
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Discussion of modalities
-Changes
-Maintenance
-Difficulty
-South Vietnam agreement
-US option
-Military action
-Statement
-Dobrynin
-December 5, 1972 call to Kennedy
-Note on conditions
-Tone
-Soviet Union-North Vietnam relations
-US military action
-Effect
-Tactics
-Stalemate
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Acceptability to South Vietnam, US
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s view
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Stalemate
-US options
-Breakdown in talks
-US bombing and mining
-Cessation
-Return of POWs
-Compared to settlement agreement
-South Vietnam’s refusal
-POWs
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-Kissinger’s view
-The President’s message to Kissinger
-US-Soviet Union summit
-Cancellation
-US bombing and mining
-Announcement
-Return of POWs
-US withdrawal
-Cessation of bombing and mining
-POWs for military disengagement deal
-Timing
-Summer 1973
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of funds
-Bombing
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Timing
-October 8, 1972
-Kissinger’s view
-North Vietnam
-Kissinger’s talks with Soviet Union, People’s
Republic of China [PRC]
-1972 election
-Twelve changes
-Return of POWs
-Timing
-Summer 1973
-Congressional relations
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-North Vietnam
-Blame
-POWs
-South Vietnam
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-US public opinion
-Press relations
-Duration
-Summer 1973
-Effect
-US-Soviet Union and US-PRC relations
-US-Soviet Union summit
-Congressional relations
-Budget
-Aid to South Vietnam
-Bombing and mining
-POWs
-Emotion of issue
-Compared to settlement agreement
-POWs for withdrawal and cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Return of POWs
-Duration
-Summer 1973
-Compared to continuation of talks
-Instructions for Kissinger
-Ultimatum
-US conditions
-Kissinger’s return from Paris
-US bombing
-US bombing
-Announcement
-Announcement
-North Vietnam’s possible reply
-POWs
-Cease-fire
-US reply
-Coalition government
-US bombing, mining for POWs
-Kissinger’s December 5, 1972 message
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Congressional relations
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Acceptability to South Vietnam, US
-Bilateral deal
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-POWs for withdrawal, cessation of bombing, mining
-Thieu’s position
-North Vietnam’s position
-Kissinger’s view
-Cut off of military and economic aid to South
Vietnam
-Bilateral deal
-Thieu’s position
-The President’s meetings [with Nguyen Phu Duc
and Tran Kim Phuong]
-US aid to South Vietnam
-Ultimatum
-Kissinger’s balance
-Recap of arguments
-Tho
-Breakdown in talks
-Reasons
-North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Translation of “administrative structure” re NCNRC
-Kissinger’s backgrounder
-US-Soviet Union relations
-Berlin
-Coalition government
-Compared to administrative structure to run
elections
-Compared to settlement agreement
-October 26, 1972 agreement
-Tho
-GVN
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-GVN’s survival
-North Vietnam, Vietcong [VC]
-Stalemate
-Blame on North Vietnam
-US public opinion
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Withdrawal
-Kissinger’s view
-Settlement agreement
-Contingency planning
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Timing
-Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Tactics
-The President’s recommendations for settlement agreement
-South Vietnam
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Breakdown in talks
-Conditions
-Record
-South Vietnam
-Bilateral deal
-US aid
-Congressional relations
-Breakdown in talks
-Kissinger’s view
-US option
-Bombing
-Congressional relations
-Aid to South Vietnam
-Military costs
-Dobrynin
-Hanoi
-Kissinger
-Continuation of meetings
-Settlement agreement
-Conditions
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Kissinger’s press relations
-Breakdown in talks
-US bombing
-Rate
-Announcement
-Necessity
-Mining
-Cambodia
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Public relations [PR]
-Announcement
-Presidential speech on TV
-Continuation of meetings
-Bilateral deal
-US bombing and mining
-Cessation
-POWs
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-Breakdown in talks
-Kissinger’s proposed actions
-Return from Paris
-Announcement
-Presidential speech on TV
-US bombing
-Rate
-POWs
-Advisability
-Goal
-US bombing
-Funding
-Duration
-Air Force
-South Vietnam’s survival
-US aid
-Congressional relations
-South Vietnam’s rejection of October 8, 1972
agreement
-Publicity
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Thieu’s rejection
-Bilateral deal
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Congressional relations
-POWs
-US relations with PRC, Soviet Union, Congress
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Continuation of meetings
-US options
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Consultation with Kissinger
-Announcement
-Advisability
-US bombing
-Rate
-US bombing
-Escalation
-Effect
-Congressional relations
-PR
-South Vietnam’s survival
-Thieu’s army
-US dependence
-Thieu
-Draft cable to Kissinger
-Kissinger’s message
-Delivery
-December 7, 1972 meeting
-The President’s reading
-Future editing
-Settlement agreement
Date: December 6, 1972
Time: 4:40 pm - 5:31 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with Col. Richard T. Kennedy.
[See Conversation No. 233-21]
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
Kennedy’s schedule
-Sleep
Vietnam negotiations
-Meetings
-Timing
-Henry A. Kissinger’s message on settlement agreement
-Location
-Laurel Lodge
-Summary
-Session
-Tone
-Review of positions
-Settlement agreement
-Changes
-South Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Concessions
-Acceptability
-US conditions
-Le Duc Tho’s position
-Changes
-Details
-Changes
-Maintenance
-Substance
-Previous agreement
-Translation of “administrative structure” [re. National
Committee of National Reconciliation and Concord
[NCNRC]
-Demobilization provisions
-Timing
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Political leverage
-North Vietnam-South Vietnam relations
-Renunciation of force
-Thieu
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-October 1972 agreement
-North Vietnamese prisoners in South Vietnam
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Linkage to US POWs
-Section 8C
-Kissinger’s conversation with Anatoliy F.
Dobrynin
-Cease-fire
-Timing
-International Commission of Control and
Supervision [ICCS]
-Preamble
-Compromise
-US and Provisional Revolutionary
Government [PRG] signing
-Government of South Vietnam [GVN] signing
-US concessions
-Tho
-Withdrawal of US civilians
-Language
-Kennedy’s work with U. Alexis Johnson and Barry J.
Shillito
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Discussion of modalities
-Changes
-Maintenance
-Difficulty
-South Vietnam agreement
-US option
-Military action
-Statement
-Dobrynin
-December 5, 1972 call to Kennedy
-Note on conditions
-Tone
-Soviet Union-North Vietnam relations
-US military action
-Effect
-Tactics
-Stalemate
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-Acceptability to South Vietnam, US
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Kissinger’s view
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Stalemate
-US options
-Breakdown in talks
-US bombing and mining
-Cessation
-Return of POWs
-Compared to settlement agreement
-South Vietnam’s refusal
-POWs
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-Kissinger’s view
-The President’s message to Kissinger
-US-Soviet Union summit
-Cancellation
-US bombing and mining
-Announcement
-Return of POWs
-US withdrawal
-Cessation of bombing and mining
-POWs for military disengagement deal
-Timing
-Summer 1973
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of funds
-Bombing
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Timing
-October 8, 1972
-Kissinger’s view
-North Vietnam
-Kissinger’s talks with Soviet Union, People’s
Republic of China [PRC]
-1972 election
-Twelve changes
-Return of POWs
-Timing
-Summer 1973
-Congressional relations
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-North Vietnam
-Blame
-POWs
-South Vietnam
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-US public opinion
-Press relations
-Duration
-Summer 1973
-Effect
-US-Soviet Union and US-PRC relations
-US-Soviet Union summit
-Congressional relations
-Budget
-Aid to South Vietnam
-Bombing and mining
-POWs
-Emotion of issue
-Compared to settlement agreement
-POWs for withdrawal and cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Return of POWs
-Duration
-Summer 1973
-Compared to continuation of talks
-Instructions for Kissinger
-Ultimatum
-US conditions
-Kissinger’s return from Paris
-US bombing
-US bombing
-Announcement
-Announcement
-North Vietnam’s possible reply
-POWs
-Cease-fire
-US reply
-Coalition government
-US bombing, mining for POWs
-Kissinger’s December 5, 1972 message
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Congressional relations
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Acceptability to South Vietnam, US
-Bilateral deal
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-POWs for withdrawal, cessation of bombing, mining
-Thieu’s position
-North Vietnam’s position
-Kissinger’s view
-Cut off of military and economic aid to South
Vietnam
-Bilateral deal
-Thieu’s position
-The President’s meetings [with Nguyen Phu Duc
and Tran Kim Phuong]
-US aid to South Vietnam
-Ultimatum
-Kissinger’s balance
-Recap of arguments
-Tho
-Breakdown in talks
-Reasons
-North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Translation of “administrative structure” re NCNRC
-Kissinger’s backgrounder
-US-Soviet Union relations
-Berlin
-Coalition government
-Compared to administrative structure to run
elections
-Compared to settlement agreement
-October 26, 1972 agreement
-Tho
-GVN
-October 8, 1972 agreement
-GVN’s survival
-North Vietnam, Vietcong [VC]
-Stalemate
-Blame on North Vietnam
-US public opinion
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Withdrawal
-Kissinger’s view
-Settlement agreement
-Contingency planning
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Timing
-Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Tactics
-The President’s recommendations for settlement agreement
-South Vietnam
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
-Breakdown in talks
-Conditions
-Record
-South Vietnam
-Bilateral deal
-US aid
-Congressional relations
-Breakdown in talks
-Kissinger’s view
-US option
-Bombing
-Congressional relations
-Aid to South Vietnam
-Military costs
-Dobrynin
-Hanoi
-Kissinger
-Continuation of meetings
-Settlement agreement
-Conditions
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Kissinger’s press relations
-Breakdown in talks
-US bombing
-Rate
-Announcement
-Necessity
-Mining
-Cambodia
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Public relations [PR]
-Announcement
-Presidential speech on TV
-Continuation of meetings
-Bilateral deal
-US bombing and mining
-Cessation
-POWs
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Effect on South Vietnam’s survival
-Breakdown in talks
-Kissinger’s proposed actions
-Return from Paris
-Announcement
-Presidential speech on TV
-US bombing
-Rate
-POWs
-Advisability
-Goal
-US bombing
-Funding
-Duration
-Air Force
-South Vietnam’s survival
-US aid
-Congressional relations
-South Vietnam’s rejection of October 8, 1972
agreement
-Publicity
-Compared to settlement agreement
-Thieu’s rejection
-Bilateral deal
-Cut off of aid to South Vietnam
-Congressional relations
-POWs
-US relations with PRC, Soviet Union, Congress
-Withdrawal of North Vietnamese troops from South Vietnam
-Continuation of meetings
-US options
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)
Conversation No. 157-16 (cont’d)
-Consultation with Kissinger
-Announcement
-Advisability
-US bombing
-Rate
-US bombing
-Escalation
-Effect
-Congressional relations
-PR
-South Vietnam’s survival
-Thieu’s army
-US dependence
-Thieu
-Draft cable to Kissinger
-Kissinger’s message
-Delivery
-December 7, 1972 meeting
-The President’s reading
-Future editing
-Settlement agreement