Secret White House Tapes

462–5

About this recording

462–5
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • White House operator
  • Alexander P. Butterfield
  • Alexander M. Haig
  • Ronald L. Ziegler
  • William P. Rogers
  • Thomas H. Moorer
  • Richard M. Helms
March 5, 1971
Conversation No. 462-5

Date: March 5, 1971
Time: 8:30 am - 10:15 am
Location: Oval Office
Conv. No. 462-2 (cont.)
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger

Laos (Lam Son)
-Military situation

President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Laos
-President’s performance evaluated
-The President’s preparation
-Kissinger’s view
-President’s statements about the press
-”Today” show
-President’s response to questions
-President’s advisors
-Kissinger’s viewing
-Winton M. (“Red”) Blount’s dinner
-Charles L. Bartlett
-Melvin R. Laird
-Response
-A Democrat Congressman from Oklahoma [John Jarman]
-Response
-Bob Dudley
-President’s acquaintance at Office of Price Administration
-Bartlett’s response
-Cambodia, Laos
-The President’s policies
-Democrats
-John C. Stennis’ call to the President
-President’s performance
-Kissinger’s view
-Middle East
-Possible settlement
-Cease fire
-US guarantee
9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Israelis
-Soviet Union
Vietnam
-Possible US military action
-Bombing of North Vietnam
-Winston S. Churchill’s book on World War I
-On the Eastern Front
-Response to North Vietnamese action
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-President’s comments at press conference
-President’s strategy
-Bombing of missiles sites
-President’s view
-Bombing
-Effect
-Laird, Richard M. Helms, William P. Rogers, Admiral Thomas H. Moorer meeting
-President’s position
-Briefing by Moorer
-Time

[Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 8:30 am and 8:44 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5A]

Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
-Laird, Helms, Rogers, and Moorer
-Calls from General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Briefing on Laos and Cambodia
-Moorer
-Haig’s telephone calls

[End of telephone conversation]

President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Questions about President’s advisors on foreign policy
-Rogers
-Kissinger
-President’s comments
-Garnett D. (“Jack”) Horner
-Kissinger
-Calls from press
-Response
10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 31s ]
Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

CANADA

[The President talked with the White House operator at 8:44 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5B]

[End of telephone conversation]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Preparation
-State Department, Kissinger
-The President’s role
-John F. Kennedy comparison
-The President’s role
-Possible Kissinger press statement
-Kissinger’s staff work
-State Department

Pakistan
-National Security Council [NSC] study
-Rogers, State Department
-Conflicting views
-US policy options
-Kissinger

President’s press conference
-Kidnaping of US soldiers in Turkey
11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-President’s comments
-Kissinger’s view
-Executive privilege
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 9:02 am

President’s schedule

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 9:04 am Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:02 am and
9:17 am]

[Conversation No. 462-5C]

President’s call to Pierre E. Trudeau

[End of telephone conversation]


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 12s ]


CANADA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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Leadership
-On the Eastern Front by Churchill
-German generals
-President’s evaluation
-Erich F. W. Ludendorf
-Paul von Hindenburg
-[Forename unknown] von Schwanslof [?]
-General William C. Westmoreland
12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Compared to General George S. Patton, Jr.
-Kissinger’s view

Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
-Timing
-Congressional meeting
Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
Haig entered at an unknown time after 9:02 am

President’s press conference
-Haig’s view

Haig left at an unknown time before 9:19 am

Forthcoming meeting on Vietnam
-Participants
-Timing

The President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
-President’s response to Executive privilege question
-Rogers
-Congressional testimony
-Private meetings with congressmen
-Relationships with the President
-Public relations
-Foreign policy
-State Department views
-Agency input
-Department of State
-Department of Defense
-Laird
-Vietnam
-Troop levels
-President’s comments
-Number
-Review
-Announcement by President
-Forthcoming meeting with newspaper editors
-Television
-Timing
-Ellsworth F. Bunker’s view
13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-General Nguyen Van Thieu

Vietnam
-Leadership
-President’s reading of Churchill book
-President compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
-Laos (Lam Son)
-Troop levels Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-Tchepone
-Support for the President
-Moorer’s previous conversations with Kissinger
-US victory prospects
-Kissinger’s view
-Military situation
-President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
-Questions on possible peace proposal
-The President’s response
-Possible effects of US withdrawal
-North Vietnam
-Cambodia, Laos
-Possible agreement
-Military situation
-Moorer
-Momentum
-Kissinger’s view
-Churchill book on World War I
-Germans, Russians, Austrians
-History of World War I
-von Hindenburg, Ludendorf
-Germans, Russians, Austrians
14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 49s ]


THAILAND Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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Brazil
-Possible visit
-Date
-State Department
-President’s instructions

President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
-News reports
-Taiwan, People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-President’s comments
-United Nations

Brazil
-Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters
-Assignment
-President’s instructions

Italy
-President’s forthcoming letter to Pope Paul VI [Giovanni Battista Motini]

President’s leadership
-World role
-Effect of Vietnam
-Dutch leader
-President’s foreign policy report
-Impact in Europe
15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



President’s “World Report”
-Distribution
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Members of White House staff and Cabinet officers
-Elliot L. Richardson
-President’s accompanying letter to foreign leaders
-Distribution
-US ambassadors Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-Importance
-US policy
-Relations with Soviet Union
-Contents
-President’s philosophy
-Press
-Joseph W. Alsop and Stewart J. O. Alsop
-Chalmers Roberts
-Evaluation
-Robert S. McNamara
-Cyrus R. Vance, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach

Vietnam and Laos (Lam Son)
-President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Laos (Lam Son)
-Prospects for success
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Enemy supplies
-James C. Hagerty’s press report
-Moorer
-Level
-President’s comments
-Rationale for military action
-Decreases
-Effect
-Compared to previous year
-Laos
-President’s comments
-Press coverage
-Military situation
-Tchepone
-ARVN progress
-Importance
-Effect
16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-ARVN progress
-President’s forthcoming meeting
-A report from Bunker

US foreign policy


******************************************************************************
Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[National Security]
[Duration: 19s ]


GERMANY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

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-Letter from President to the Pope
-Targut Menemencioglu
-State Department
-Peter G. Peterson
-Nathanial Samuels


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[National Security]
[Duration: 21s ]


GREAT BRITAIN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

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17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




-Cevdet Sunay and Suleyman Demirel
-Domestic situation
-Greece
-Henry J. Tasca
-Pakistan
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-A policy review Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Privacy]
[Duration: 3s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

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-Khan
-The President’s position
-A possible letter from President to Khan
-Possible Presidential letters
-Lieutenant General T. N. J. Suharto
-Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
-President’s previous meeting with Menemencioglu
-President’s position
-Suharto
-President’s foreign policy report
-Economy
-The President’s foreign policy report
-Dissemination to foreign leaders
-Accompanying letters from the President
-Yahya
18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 51s ]


JAPAN Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14

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Vietnam
-Aleksei N. Kosygin
-Kissinger’s possible meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-President’s press conference
-US policy
-Bombing of North Vietnamese missile sites
-Justification
-President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
-US bombing
-Press inquiries to Kissinger
-Radio broadcasters’ dinner
-President’s press conference
-President’s demeanor
-Television
-Kissinger’s view
-Compared with Kennedy
-McNamara’s previous comments to Kissinger
-Cabinet

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:17 am

President’s schedule
-Rogers, Helms
-NSC meeting
-Possible statement to the press
-Quadriad meeting
-Possible press briefing by John B. Connally
19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Ziegler left and Rogers, Laird, Moorer, and Haig entered at 9:19 am

Greetings

President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Ziegler
-Evaluated Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-Question on Executive privilege
-Rogers’ meetings with Congress
-Number

Meeting agenda
-Vietnam policy

Rogers and Laird
-Forthcoming press conferences
-Laird’s forthcoming Congressional testimony
-Anti-ballistic missiles [ABMs]
-Defense procurement
-Responses to questions
-Schedule
-Press conference
-Rogers
-Timing
-Press coverage
-Wire services
-Television
-Robert J. McCloskey, Ziegler

Vietnam
-Military situation
-North Vietnamese missiles
-US response
-Bombing
-President’s position
-Pass area

Military situation in Laos (Lam Son)
-ARVN First Armored Division
-Artillery support
-Routes 9, 914, 23, 92
20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Location of ARVN troops
-Developments
-Abrams’ reports
-President’s March 4, 1971 press conference
-Comments about ARVN forces
-Public relations
-Rogers’ forthcoming press conference
-Bunker and Abrams Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-ARVN forces
-Enemy losses
-Abrams’ report
-Artillery, tanks
-Use
-Effectiveness
-An anecdote
-General John W. Vogt, Jr.
-Performance
-Briefings
-North Vietnamese supplies entering South Vietnam
-Enemy losses

Helms entered at 9:25 am

-Enemy build-up
-Route 9
-Abrams
-Thieu
-Possible action
-DMZ
-US countermeasures
-Capability
-Location
-Possible US response
-Trucks, missiles

Vietnam
-Thieu
-Possible ARVN offensive into North Vietnam
-US policy
-President’s press conference on March 4, 1971
21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Enemy missiles, trucks, guns
-US countermeasures
-President’s statements
-US aircraft
-Supplies and equipment
-Lessons of military history
-Levels of force
-President’s position Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-Enemy missiles
-DMZ
-President’s Response
-US strategy
-Area of operations
-Public portrayal
-Rogers
-”Protective reaction”
-Bombing
-Public statements
-Protective reaction
-President’s previous statements
-Justification
-Press inquiries
-Nguyen Cao Ky
-US air support
-Bunker
-Vietnamization
-Public relations
-ARVN ability
-Compared to North Vietnamese forces
-Cambodia
-US air power
-Amount, type
-President’s position
-Increases
-Public opinion
-Duration of increase
-B-52 strikes
-President’s press conference, March 4, 1971
-Tricia Nixon’s comments
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington’s comments

Rogers left at 9:45 am
22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am

Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:47 am
Vietnam
-US military actions Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-B-52 air strikes
-Numbers
-Churchill’s On the Eastern Front
-Lessons
-President’s position
-US military action
-Possible South Vietnamese military actions
-North Vietnam

Laird and Moorer left at 9:47 am

Laos
-Military situation
-Possible outcome
-US efforts
-Air strikes
-Preparations
-Long Thieng
-Vientiane
-Importance of public relations
-President’s view
-President’s view
-Kissinger’s view
23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 29s ]


LAOS Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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


-Vientiane and Long Thieng
-Need for public relations
-Cambodia
-Health of unknown leader
-Effect of Laotian action
-North Vietnamese
-Press reaction

President’s press conference on March 4, 1971
-Questions
-Vietnam, Middle East, PRC, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Possible result
-Press
-President’s comments
-Helms’ view

Vietnam
-Vietnamization
-Helms’ view
-President’s view
-Possible future
-Laos (Lam Son)
-ARVN forces
-The President’s decision
-Helms’ view
24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Justification
-North Vietnamese forces
-Effect on future operations
-I Corps
-Public relations efforts
-Helms’ conversation with J. W. Alsop
-Importance
-President’s view Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-Effect on US position in the world
-Possible US withdrawal
-Need for action
-Public opinion
-Laos (Lam Son)
-Polls
-Possible US withdrawal
-1969
-Justification
-Impossibility
-Justification
-”Domino Theory”
-Indonesia
-Thailand
-Malaysia
-Philippines
-Japan
-India
-President’s policy
-Haig’s opinion
-US public opinion
-Kissinger’s meeting with student body presidents
-Discussion of President’s policy
-Media influence
-Importance for US
-President’s position
-Cambodia
-Helms’ view

US foreign policy
-Cuba
-President’s position
-Effect on Latin America
-Chile
25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Cuba’s foreign policy
-Communism
-Helms’ position
-US policy
-Latin America
-Chile
-President’s position
Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 36s ]


CUBA, ITALY, SPAIN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

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Catholic Church
-Ideological change
-President’s view
-Latin America
-Influence of Marxism
-American Catholics
26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[National Security]
[Duration: 17s ]


SPAIN Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15

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-Study by Roger [Surname unintelligible]
-Contents
-Compared to Protestant Church
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Quakers
-Pacifism
-President’s policy
-Eastern Europe
-Poland
-Political orientation


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[National Security]
[Duration: 42s ]


SPAIN, ITALY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16

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27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



US foreign policy
-Radio Free Europe
-Senate committee hearings
-Clifford P. Case
-Kissinger’s previous conversation with Bartlett
-Brazil
-Forthcoming visit to the US by Emilio Garrastazu Médici
-Department of State Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
-President’s position
-Latin America
-President’s policy
-Leadership

Leadership
-President’s view
-France
-General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle
-Italy
-Spain
-Latin America
-Colombia
US foreign policy
-Latin America
-Helms’ view
-Possible 40 Committee meeting
-Nelson A. Rockefeller’s visit
-President’s view
-Chile
-Ecuador
-Brazil
-Argentina
28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17
[National Security]
[Duration: 16s ]


ARGENTINA Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17

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-Importance
-Venezuela
-Oil
-Colombia
-Possible visits
-Peru
-Announcement
-Brazil
-Medici
-Announcement
-President’s view
-Population increases
-President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board [PFIAB]
-Latin America
-President’s view
-Compared to previous Southeast Asia trip
PFIAB
-Possible appointment of Thomas E. Dewey
-Call from Kissinger
-Possible call from the President
-Forthcoming meeting
-Schedule
-Dewey
-President’s view
29

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Helms’ schedule
-House and Senate Armed Services Committee
-Testimony
-Soviet Union
-PRC

Kissinger, Haig, and Helms left at 10:15 am
Conv. No. 462-5 (cont.)
Secret White House Tapes |

462–5

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