466–12

Conversation No. 466-12

Date: March 11, 1971
Time: 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Henry A. Kissinger
Conv. No. 466-11 (cont.)
Vietnam
-Casualty figures

Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-President’s message to Eisaku Sato
-A Message to the Japanese ambassador
-Timing
-Tone
-Kissinger’s draft
-U. Alexis Johnson’s view
-President’s previous letters to Sato
-Tone
-Wilbur D. Mills


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 48s ]


TEXTILE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JAPAN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:00 pm

Weather
-Effect on Kissinger’s forthcoming trip
 37

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-President’s possible trip to Florida
-Camp David

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:14 pm

Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-John N. Mitchell’s previous conversation with President
-Free trade advocates Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-George P. Shultz
-Peter G. Peterson
-State Department
-Kissinger’s position
-Mills
-Effect on Japanese proposal
-Effect on US position


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 9s ]


TEXTILE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JAPAN


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


-Sato
-Japanese
-Compared with British
-Sato
-President’s view
-Previous policy
-Japanese ambassador
-Statement regarding negotiations with Peter M. Flanigan
 38

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-Casualty figures
-Military situation
-Weather
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s forthcoming trip
-I Corps
-Kissinger’s conversations with Melvin R. Laird and Admiral Thomas H.
Moorer Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Laos compared Cambodia operations
-Casualties
-Captured weapons
-Materiel
-Weapons and ammunition
-Transportation
-Military action
-President’s view
-Timing
-Duration
-Dangers
-Compared with Russians, Bosnians, Austrians, and Battle of the Bulge
-World War II
-Kissinger’s conversations with [Name unintelligible]
-A book on German Army
-Erich F. W. Ludendorff and [Forename unknown] Hoffman
-Battle of Tannenberg [St bark] [?]
-[Forename unknown] Von Schwanslof
-Ludendorff
-Hoffman
-Forthcoming Presidential announcement, April 7, 1971
-Troop withdrawals
-President’s view
-Kissinger’s view

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:14 pm

President’s schedule
-Meeting with John W. Byrnes regarding textiles
-Byrnes’ statement
-Previous meeting with the President
-Possible photograph with President
-Forthcoming meeting with women members of the press
-Transcript
 39

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Use of microphone
-Possible use of stenographer
-Ziegler’s possible presence
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
-President’s previous interview with Cyrus L. (“Cy”) Sulzberger
-Ziegler’s possible presence
-Use of microphone
-Transcript Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Women of press
-Williamsburg speech
-Publicity

Ziegler left at 4:16 pm

-Williamsburg appearance

Press
-Change in attitude
-President’s previous press conference
-Laotian operation
-Tchepone
-Thomas W. Braden’s remarks

Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Withdrawal
-Timing
-Public relations
-South Vietnamese capabilities
-President’s view

Vietnam
-US efforts
-Negotiated agreement
-Effect of military action
-South Vietnamese future
-US troop withdrawal announcement in April
-Possible settlement
-Public opinion
-Effect of military action
-Timing
-April announcement
-Scope of announcement
 40

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Haldeman’s view
-Future announcements
-Draft
-Soviet summit
-Draftees
-Effect
-US military strength
-Volunteers Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II’s graduation
-President’s forthcoming speech

Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-President’s concerns
-South Vietnamese forces
-Withdrawal
-South Vietnamese election
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Military situation
-Effect of weather
-Intelligence
-Effect of US troops
-North Vietnamese troop actions
-Casualties
-B-52 Strikes
-Losses
-Targets
-Weather conditions
-Effects
-South Vietnamese army
-Kissinger’s view

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:16 pm

President’s schedule
-Meeting with Byrnes
-Photographer, Ziegler

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:28 pm

Vietnam
-North Vietnamese military situation
-Lyndon B. Johnson’s actions
 41

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Effect on history
-Nixon’s Presidency
-US troop withdrawal
-White House News Summary
-London Daily Telegraph
-President’s policies
-Peregrine Worsthorne
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
President’s previous interview with Sulzberger
-Television coverage
-John A. Scali
-Probability of future nuclear war
-President’s view
-US
-President’s comments
-Joseph W. Alsop’s response
-Press response
-Reasons
-New York Times
-Dan Rather’s view
-President’s press conference
-Timing of interview
-Sulzberger

Byrnes and Ziegler entered at 4:28 pm; the White House photographer was present for the
conversation

Photograph

Congress

Byrnes’ forthcoming statement
-Byrnes’ previous meeting with the President
-White House staff preparation

Byrnes and Ziegler left at 4:29 pm

Textiles
-Byrnes
-Mills
-Republican opposition
-Possible Democrat opposition
 42

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Congressmen
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Soviet Union
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Gerard C. Smith
-Soviet Union’s position
-US proposal
-Anti-ballistic Missiles [ABM] Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Soviet Union’s offer
-Possible US response
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Laird
-Dobrynin
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Jackson’s position
-Forthcoming meeting with Kissinger


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 53s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


Demonstrators
-Cambodia
-Bombings
-Kent State University
-Flanigan
-White House demonstrators

Laos operation (:am Son)
-Effect
-North Vietnamese
-Military delays
-Army of the Republic of South Vietnam [ARVN]
 43

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Casualties
-Network coverage
-North Vietnamese military situation
-US military action
-Bombing

******************************************************************************
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 56s ]


MIDDLE EAST


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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

A statement on Whitney M. Young, Jr.
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 26s ]


MIDDLE EAST


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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


Kissinger left at 4:40 pm
 44

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



President’s Williamsburg appearance
-Press response
-Crowds
-Demonstrators
-Number
-An arrest by police
-Need for force
-Speech Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Length
-Pace
-Content
-Warren E. Burger
-William L. Safire
-Pace
-Safire
-Length
-Delivery
-Beginning
-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. reference
-Contents
-Tom C. Clark’s speech
-Linwood Holton
-Speaking style
-President’s delivery
-Safire
-Pace
-Length of President’s speech
-Price
-Openings
-Greetings
-Speechwriters
-Safire’s work

President’s forthcoming interview with women journalists
-Content
-Ziegler
-Stuart

President’s Williamsburg appearance
-Coverage
-Safire
-Ziegler
 45

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Importance
-Press presence
-Safire

Polls
-Charles W. Colson
-Possible action by Haldeman regarding Louis Harris
-Colson Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)
-Possible contracts


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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

-Release of current Harris poll
-Colson
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Lag time
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Effect of President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Effect of President’s previous press conference
-Effect of Cambodian operation
-Effect of television network criticism
-Post-1970 election
-George H. Gallup poll
-Effect of television coverage

Vietnam
-US troop withdrawals
-Forthcoming announcement
-Timing
-President’s forthcoming speech to editors
-Coverage
 46

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Laos
-President’s use of charts in announcement
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Casualties

Haldeman left at 4:55 pm
Conv. No. 466-12 (cont.)