523–5

Conversation No. 523-5

Date: June 16, 1971
Time: 4:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield, John M. O'Neill, Melville Stephens and Charles W. Colson met.

The President entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm.

Introductions
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-John F. Kerry

Attendance at meeting
-Henry A. Kissinger

Stephen B. Bull and Butterfield left at 4:31 pm.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:31 pm.

Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:15 pm.
Vietnam
-Polls on peace terms
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Characteristics of Americans
-Nature of war in Vietnam
-Media created attitudes
-Condition of soldiers
-Morality of government
-Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy
-Fashionable attitudes
-Result of war's end
-Reasons for criticism
-Result of support for administration
-US record in Vietnam
-Presentation of Medals of Honor
-Background
-Treatment on talk shows
-Dick Cavett
-Scope of service
-Kerry
-Military
-O'Neill’s educational background
-US Naval Academy, Annapolis
-Time frame
-Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace
-Membership
-Reasons for criticism
-\"War crimes\" talk
-Possibility of negotiated settlement
-Prospects
-Reasons
-Congressional role
-Effect on talk prospects
-Anti-war votes
-David K.E. Bruce
-Confidence of American people
-O’Neill’s appraisal of President's standing
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-O'Neill's family
-Background
-Role of the President
-Constraints
-Critics of President
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-George S. McGovern Conv. No. 523-5 (cont.)
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Constraints
-Nixon’s criticism of earlier policy
-Use of air power
-Overall implication of Vietnam
-Effect on superpower relations
-US and Europe
-US and Soviet Union
-US and Peoples Republic of China [PRC]
-US prestige
-O'Neill schedule
-Speech to anti-war rally
-Kerry
-Effect
-Passage of resolution
-Margin
-Public mood
-Need for truth
-Washington news
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Lack of consistency
-Need for balance
-Reception for O'Neill speech
-Mayors of major cities
-Results of ending war
-Increase in funds for cities
-Geopolitics
-Kerry
-Facing of problem
-Regarding problem solving
-Geopolitical problems
-Problems of cities
-Looking inward
-Effect
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Spokesmen for America
-President’s appreciation for O’Neill’s efforts
-Media
-Eastern establishment
-Yale
-Kingman Brewster, Jr.
-Kissinger analysis of political climate
-Neville Chamberlain and Munich Agreement Conv. No. 523-5 (cont.)
-Public perception of Chamberlain
-Reflection in polls
-Change
-Replacement by Winston S. Churchill
-Presidential leadership
-Necessity
-Polls
-Cambodia
-Comparison with Laos
-Rationale
-Press reaction
-Military results
-Casualty comparisons
-Rationale
-Presence in Cambodia
-O’Neill’s experiences
-Impressions at the time
-Military rationale
-Effect on North Vietnamese
-Scope of operations
-Bombing
-Background
-Effect
-Attacks on Haiphong
-Attacks on dikes
-Effect
-POW's
-O'Neil recollections
-Object of attack
-Enemy jungle \"Pentagon\"
-Objective
-Use of \"Pentagon\" term in briefing
-Supply caches
-Casualty reduction
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Laos operation
-Results of US actions
-Deterrence of North Vietnamese offensive

Kissinger entered at 4:58 pm.

Introductions
Conv. No. 523-5 (cont.)
Vietnam
-O’Neill’s efforts
-Appearance on the “Dick Cavett Show”
-Psychological analysis
-Kerry
-Audience response
-Editing from tape
-O’Neill’s comments
-O’Neill’s demeanor
-Survival of America
-Kissinger’s view
-Need for truth
-National reaction
-O'Neill
-Travels around US
-Popular opinion
-Exit from Vietnam
-Demonstrators
-Kerry
-US history
-Last election
-Vietnamization
-Vietnam veterans
-Class reactions

Pentagon Papers
-New York Times
-Perception of average man
-Necessity of confidentiality
-Effect on foreign affairs
-Necessity of prosecution
-Impact on government

President's appreciation of O'Neill’s efforts
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Morality of critics
-[Unintelligible names]
-New York City
-Future
-Attitude

President's handling of press conferences
-Use of laughter Conv. No. 523-5 (cont.)

Presentation of gifts
-Cuff links
-Tie bar
-Golf ball

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:30 pm and
5:10 pm]

[Conversation No. 523-5A]

[See Conversation No. 5-93]

Expressions of appreciation

An unknown woman entered at an unknown time after 4:30 pm.

Request for copy of Whitaker Chambers's book Witness

The unknown woman left at an unknown time before 5:10 pm.

Call from Egon Bahr to Kissinger
-Nature of relations

[Rose Mary Woods talked with the President at 5:10 pm]

[Conversation No. 523-5B]

[See Conversation No. 5-94]

Alger Hiss case
-Chambers's testimony
-Hiss/Chambers friendship
-Effect on \"duty\"
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Hiss communist affiliation
-Application to O'Neill efforts
-North Vietnamese
-Domestic critics
-Support for war
-Need for maximum effort
-”Play to win” attitude
-Pandering to the crowd Conv. No. 523-5 (cont.)
-Eastern establishment
-Media
-Media composition
-Education
-Morality

O'Neill, Stephen, and Colson left at an unknown time before 5:15 pm.

West German and US relations
-German comments to press
-Willy Brandt
-US role in German defense
-Berlin
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield Amendment
-Muskie
-Humphrey
-Margin of Kurt Kiesinger loss in German election

O'Neill meeting
-John F. Kerry
-O'Neill age
-O'Neill qualifications

Mood of nation
-End of war
-Strength of US

Kissinger left at 5:15 pm.