34–114

Conversation No. 34-114

Date: December 17, 1972
Time: 10:49 am - 11:11 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth dinner
-Guest list
-Kissinger
-Joseph W. Alsop and [Susan Mary Jay (Patten) Alsop]
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Howard K. Smith
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
-Stuart J. O. Alsop
-Richard L. Wilson
-William S. White
-Wilson
-Stephen B. Bull
 -91-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec.-07)

Conversation No. 34-114 (cont’d)


Vietnam negotiations
-Letter for Nguyen Van Thieu
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-The President’s reading
-Haig’s schedule
-Tone
-The President’s reading
-Church service
-Cabinet dinner, December 16, 1972
-Return to Kissinger
-Kissinger briefing, December 16, 1972
-Settlement prospects
-Hanoi reaction
-Paris delegation
-Press coverage
-Radio coverage
-Charles W. Colson
-Television [TV]
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Press coverage
-The New York Times
-Kissinger’s demeanor
-Compared to Kissinger’s October 26, 1972 briefing
-The President’s press conferences
-Dan Rather
-[US bombing]
-Timing
-Christmas
-1973 Inauguration
-Congress
-December 18, 1972
-Settlement prospects
-Intelligence report
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] official
-Pressure on Hanoi
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-Hanoi’s conversations with Soviet Union
-Settlement timing
-1973 Inauguration
 -92-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec.-07)

Conversation No. 34-114 (cont’d)

-October 26, 1972 draft
-US bombing
-Hanoi’s possible reactions
-Enforceability of agreement
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Civilians
-Weather
-B-52s
-Precision bombing
-Power plant in Hanoi
-Intelligence
-Cancellations
-The President’s recent conversation with William P. Clements, Jr.
-Aircraft
-Types, cost
-Air strikes
-Cancellations
-Dry season
-B-52s
-Bomb load
-Compared to World War II
-Effect
-Hanoi
-Compared to Saigon area, 155s
-Targets
-Power plants
-Marshalling yards
-Shipyards in Haiphong
-Railyards
-Radio Hanoi
-Transmitters
-Power plant in Hanoi
-Moorer
-Aircraft
-Reaction
-US
-Ziegler
-Enemy offensive
-Le Duc Tho
 -93-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec.-07)

Conversation No. 34-114 (cont’d)

-Messages
-Schedule
-Timing
-November 23, 1972
-Removal of “administrative structure”
-Cabinet
-Sub-cabinet
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Recommendations
-Congress, Thieu
-US bombing
-Thieu
-Haig
-Thieu
-US commitments
-Presidential meetings, letters
-November 1972
-Sovereignty
-Haig’s letter
-US option [bi-lateral deal]
-Timing
-January 1973
-Thieu
-Possible collapse
-Possible perception
-Defeatism
-Military and economic aid
-Thieu letter
-US military withdrawal for Prisoners of War [POWs]
-George S. McGovern
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Separation of military and political issues
-October 8, 1972
-Vietnamization
-Thieu
-POWs
-US bombing
-North Vietnamese reaction
-US reaction
-Media
 -94-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec.-07)

Conversation No. 34-114 (cont’d)

-1972 election
-North Vietnam
-PRC pressure
-Compared to Soviet Union
-US note
-Reply
-Intelligence
-Thieu
-Reaction to Kissinger briefing
-Radio
-Collapse of talks
-Resumption
-Haig letter
-Two party military commission
-Communists’ intention
-Cadres
-Press coverage
-Thieu
-November 1972
-Thieu
-Relationship with the President
-Nguyen Phu Duc meetings, November 29, 1972
-Midway meetings invitation
-Haig letter
-Tone
-US bombing
-Reaction
-Timing
-Effect
-Enforceability of agreement
-Regional countries
-1972 election

Longworth dinner
-Timing
-Black tie
-Joseph Alsop
 -95-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec.-07)