Date: November 2, 1972
Time: 12:04 pm- 12:16 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Vietnam Negotiations
-Press relations
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-Kissinger’s possible backgrounder
-Ronald Ziegler’s view
-Procedure
-Quotations
-Emissary to Nguyen Van Thieu
-Candidates
-John B. Connally
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Ability to take instructions
-Hawkishness
-Democratic affiliation
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Letter Delivery
-Melvin R. Laird
-Toughness
Thomas A. Pappas talked with the President between 12:07 pm and 12:09 pm.
[Conversation No. 390-1A]
[See Conversation No. 32-148]
[End of telephone conversation]
Vietnam negotiations
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 390-1 (cont’d)
-Connally as emissary to Thieu
-Trip timing
-Haig
-Letter delivery
-North Vietnamese talks with Kissinger
-Message to Theiu
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Public statements about the President
-Trust, confidence
-Possible formal protest
-Bunker
-Choice
-Haig’s role
-Settlement agreement
-Letter delivery
-Timing
-Connally as US emissary to Thieu
-Trip
-Ultimatum
-Announcement
-Leak
-Xuan Thuy statement
-“Message to Garcia”
-Xuan Thuy statement
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-1972 election
-Announcement
-US bombing
-Effect
-Timing
-Northern South Vietnam
-North Vietnamese
-1972 election
-Thieu's stance
-Rationale
-South Vietnam’s viability
-Population, geography
-Vietcong [VC]
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 390-1 (cont’d)
-North Vietnamese forces
-Troop withdrawals
-Antiaircraft units
-Number of divisions
-325th and 711th divisions
-Announcement
-Timing
-Settlement agreement
-Size of force in South Vietnam
-Reinforcements
-Laos, Cambodia
-Thieu
-Thieu
-US option
-Last conversation with Kissinger
-Tone
-Public support in South Vietnam
-Press and media coverage
-Peace terms
-Publication
-Timing
-New York Times, Washington Post
-Kissinger’s forthcoming backgrounder
-The President’s May 8, 1972 proposals
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Statement
-Possible telephone call from Kissinger
-Statement
-News summary
-The President’s appreciation for bipartisanship
-Prospects for success in 1968 or 1969 compared to 1972
-1972 election
-Possible victory margin
-Opponents’ complaints
-Peace terms
-Quality
-Polls
The President’s schedule
-Kissinger’s schedule
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 390-1 (cont’d)
-Health
-Trip to California
-Campaign trips
-Duration
-California
-North Carolina
-New Mexico
-Chicago
-Oklahoma City
-Ziegler's statement
-Vietnam