298–5

Conversation No. 298-5

Date: November 11, 1971
Time: 11:29 am - 1:16 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

William L. Safire

Patrick J. Buchanan

Safire
-Compared to Buchanan

Recent ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
-Unknown soldier
-Anniversary
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Korean War

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 11:31 am.

-Honor guard
-Unknown member

Education
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Writing
-Books
-Discipline
-Staff
-Speechwriting
-Intelligence
-Teachers
-Curriculum

Vietnam
-Cornell University study
-Author
-The Economist
-Bombing
-Figures cited
-1966, 1967
-1968
-Peter M. Flanigan
-The Administration’s efforts
-Casualties
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] story
-News summary
-World War I
-British casualties
-March 21, 1918
-World War II
-British, German, French
-Kissinger's conversation with Henry A. Grunwald of Newsweek
-People's Republic of China [PRC] and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
[USSR]
-Aid to North Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Possible post-war period
-Kissinger's conversation with Newsweek staff, November 9, 1971
-Grunwald
-Press
-Vietnam as issue
-The Administration
-Staff
-Clark MacGregor's statements
-Melvin R. Laird
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Election
-Use of US volunteers
-Compared to draftees

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming press conference
-[Earl L. Butz]

Secretary of Agriculture
-Clifford M. Hardin


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Privacy]
[Duration: 4s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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Cabinet
-John N. Mitchell
-Elliot L. Richardson
-John B. Connally

Latin America
-Trip
-Robert H. Finch
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Charles A. Meyer

The President's schedule
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-French possessions
-Canary Islands
-Europe
-Willy Brandt
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Key Biscayne
-Compared to Chicago
-Accommodations
-Europe
-Economics
-Pompidou
-Virgin Islands
-French possessions
-Martinique
-Europe
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] meeting
-Kissinger's previous conversation with Arthur K. Watson
Economics
Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR]
-State Department
-Pompidou
-Possible message from the President
-French Guiana
-Martinique
-Guadeloupe
-San Martin
-Possible state visit
-Unknown Ambassador
Chief of mission’s meeting
-William P. Rogers's view
-Pompidou
-Brandt
-Forthcoming announcement
-Edward R.G. Heath
-Bermuda
-Pompidou
-Separate meetings
-Brandt
-Chicago
-State Street
-The President’s trip to Berlin

International monetary situation
-Japan
-Connally
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 35s ]


JAPAN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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-Brandt

The President’s schedule
-Trips
-Summarized
-Key Biscayne
-Heath
-Kissinger's forthcoming conversation with The Earl of Cromer
-Pompidou
-Possible message
-Foreign visits
-Possible demonstrations
-Netherlands
-Japan
-France
-Europe
-Timing
-USSR and PRC trips

International monetary situation
-Connally
-Arthur F. Burns's view
-Price of gold
-Speculation
-Peter G. Peterson
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-George P. Shultz
-Connally
-Shultz
-Price of gold
-Convertability
-US responsibility
-Connally's views
-International system
-Structural reform
-Past grievances
-Balance of trade
-West Germans
-Defense Minister [Helmut Schmidt]
-Possible US action
-Possible consequences


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 4s ]


JAPAN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

*****************************************************************


-Western Europe
-Texans
-Connally and Lyndon B. Johnson
-The President's methodology
-Burns
-Methodology
-The President's schedule
-Europeans
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Privacy]
[Duration: 11s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

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-Kissinger's role
-Shultz's role
-Phase II
-Peterson
-Staff
-Position papers
-Textiles
-Eisaku Sato
-Connally, Shultz and Burns
-Strategic outlook
-Kissinger's conversation with Shultz, November 10, 1971
-Kissinger's forthcoming conversation with Connally
-The President’s schedule
-Connally
-Trade
-As percentage of Gross National Product [GNP]
-Basis for decision
-Peterson and Shultz
-Connally
-Views
-Trade
-US corporate activities
-Paul A. Volcker
-Staff
-International Monetary Fund [IMF] meeting
-Paper
-Volcker
-Peterson
 10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-The President’s schedule
-White House staff
-Shultz and Roy L. Ash
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Politics
-Shultz
-Peterson


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[Privacy
[Duration: 21s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14

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-Staff papers
-Possible role with administration
-Commerce Department
-John N. Mitchell
-Flanigan
-Connally
-Peterson
-Flanigan
-[Richard V. Allen]
-Flanigan
-Shultz, Kissinger
-Peterson
-Conversation with Haldeman, November 11, 1971
-Connally
-Shultz
-Views regarding Connally’s position on convertability
-Convertability
-France
-Connally
-Connally
 11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Shultz
-Forthcoming conversation with Kissinger
-Price of gold
-Rogers's conversation with the President
-Meeting with businessmen
-US program
-Connally
-Views
-Forthcoming speech
-New York Economic Club
-Connally’s schedule
-Phase II
-Charls E. Walker

Kissinger's schedule
-Japanese ambassador
-Gerard C. Smith

Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 12:50 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5A]

Smith

Japanese ambassador [Nobuhiko Ushiba]

[End of telephone conversation]

Peterson
-Role with administration
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Mitchell
-Commerce Department
-Shultz's schedule
-Nassau, Jamaica
-Possible role with administration
-Connally
-Shultz, Kissinger
-Bureaucracy
-Activities
-Congress
-Wilbur D. Mills
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Papers
-Distribution
-Possible role with administration
-Commerce Department
-Mitchell
-Harvard School of Business
-David Rockefeller
-Meeting with Katharine L. Graham

Washington Post
-New president [John S. Prescott, Jr.]
-Philadelphia Inquirer

Graham
-Conversation with Kissinger
-The President's demeanor
-Forthcoming election
-New York

Peterson
-Possible role with administration
-Secretary of Commerce
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Mitchell

Maurice H. Stans
-Tenure in office
-Mitchell's view
-USSR trip
-Mitchell
-Views
-Forthcoming position
-The President's candidacy
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Mitchell
-Richard G. Kleindienst

Mitchell
-Tenure in office

The President's schedule
-Pompidou
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Paris
-Europe
-Rogers's schedule
-Jamaica
-Rogers
-Latin America
-Meetings
-Panama
-Highway
-Darrien Gap
-Colombia
-Mexico
-Jamaica

Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 12:50 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5B]

Request to speak with an unknown person

[End of telephone conversation]

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with European leaders
-Purpose
-The President’s forthcoming trips
-Unknown person's schedule
-Pompidou
-Europe
-Rogers

Kissinger talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:31 am and
12:50 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5C]

[See Conversation No. 14-35]

[End of telephone conversation]

The President's schedule
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Unknown Ambassador
-Message

Congress
-Schedule
-Rogers

Kissinger talked with Helmut Sonnenfeldt at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 12:50 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5d]

[See Conversation No. 14-36]

The President and Haldeman continued their conversation during the telephone call.

[End of telephone conversation]

The President’s schedule
-Sonnenfeldt's efforts
-The President's conversation with Rogers, November 10, 1971
-Forthcoming trip to PRC
-Preparation
-PRC
-Mao Tse-tung
-Brandt
-Pompidou
-Europe
-Possible problems
-Pompidou
-Announcements
-Timing
-Secretary of Agriculture
-Secretary of Agriculture
-Hardin
-Wife, Martha L. (Wood) Hardin
-Mary E. (Powell) Butz
-Press coverage
-Television
-[Vietnam]
-NSC meeting
-The President's involvement
 15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Agenda
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Smith
-Rescheduling
-Press conference
-Ronald L. Ziegler's schedule
-Handling
-Ziegler

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:31 am and
12:50 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5E]

[See Conversation No. 14-37]

[End of telephone conversation]

The President's schedule
-Vietnam announcement
-Timing
-NSC meeting
-Location
-Technical considerations
-Press Room
-Oval Office
-Pool camera
-Press Room
-Timing
-Press follow-up
-Location
-Congressional reaction
-NSC meeting
-Duration
-Ziegler's possible conversation with Frank Cormier
-Timing

Haldeman left at 12:50 pm.

Vietnam
-Troop withdrawals
 16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Conversation with Laird
-Forthcoming announcement
-Timing
-Rogers’s view
-Rogers
-Relationship with Kissinger
-Berlin
-Negotiations
-Conversation with Laird
-Timing
-Negotiations with North Vietnam
-Congress's possible reaction
-Residual forces
-Possible January 1972 announcement
-Residual forces
-Draftees
-Volunteers
-Ground combat
-The President's trip to PRC
-Congress
-Negotiations with North Vietnam
-Disclosure
-Residual force
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Peace proposals
-Terms
-Forthcoming announcements
-Timing
-Level
-Forthcoming announcement
-Laird's views
-Paper
-Timing
-Possible motives
-Rogers's views
-Timing of announcements
-1972 campaign
-State of the Union Address
-John Foster Dulles's meetings with Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Kissinger's conversation with Haig
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Laird
-Richardson Dilworth
-Joseph R. (“Dick”) Dilworth
-Nelson A. Rockefeller

Haldeman talked with the President between 1:01 pm and 1:02 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5F]

[See Conversation No. 14-38]

[End of telephone conversation]

Vietnam
-Joseph Dilworth and wife, Elizabeth (Cushing) Dilworth

Kissinger's schedule
-[Nobuhiko Ushiba]

Kissinger talked with an unknown person in his office at an unknown time between 1:02 pm and
1:16 pm.

[Conversation No. 298-5G]

Request for a call to the Japanese ambassador
-Kissinger's schedule

[End of telephone conversation]

Vietnam
-Joseph and Mrs. Dilworth
-Conversation with Kissinger
-The President's actions
-As issue
-Grunwald
-Conversation with Kissinger, November 10, 1971
-Morality
-The President's forthcoming announcement
-The President's demeanor

United Nations [UN] vote on Taiwan, Republic of China
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Effect
-Grunwald's views
-Senate

Foreign aid program
-Rogers's conversation with the President, November 10, 1971
-Senate vote

India-Pakistan relations
-Aid
-State Department
-John F. Kennedy


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[National Security]
[Duration: 9s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

*****************************************************************


-The President's schedule
-Connally's schedule
-Foreign Secretary Sultan Khan
-Message

Vietnam
-Troop withdrawal
-The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Kissinger’s conversation with Haig, November 10, 1971
-Future announcements
-Negotiations
-Rogers's knowledge
 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)


-Laird
-Haig
-Bombing
-Blockade
-POWs
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-1972 campaign
-Negotiations with North Vietnam
-Troop withdrawal
-Record

November 9, 1971 dinner
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Speech
-The President's speech
-Rogers
-Attendees
-Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Rockefeller
-Conversation with Kissinger, November 10, 1971

The President's foreign policy
-Laird
-The President's opponents
-Unknown reporter
-Vietnam
-Troop withdrawal
-Forthcoming announcement

Rogers's schedule
-Europe
-Rogers
-New York Times
-John N. Irwin, II's [?] trip
-Arthur K. Watson's conversation with Kissinger

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming NSC meeting
-Agenda
-European security
-India-Pakistan relations
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 298-5 (cont.)



Kissinger's schedule
-Possible backgrounder

Rogers
-Schedule
-Council on Foreign Relations
-Role

1972 election

Appointments
-Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
-Possible role with administration
-David Packard
-Seamans
-Laird
-Dr. Curtis W. Tarr
-Seamans
-Packard

Kissinger left at 1:16 pm.