705–9

Conversation No. 705-9

Date: April 10, 1972
Time: 11:45 am - 12:23 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William J. Porter and Henry A. Kissinger.

Greetings

Vietnam
-Negotiations
-The President’s instructions to Porter
-State Department

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:45 am.

Press
-Presence at meeting
-Kissinger's opinion
-Paris

Photograph session
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Distribution
-Press
-Porter
 25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)



Bull left at an unknown time before 12:23 pm.

Atkins entered at an unknown time after 11:45 am.

[Photograph session]

Atkins left at an unknown time before 12:23 pm.

US leadership
-The President’s view
-Department of State
-Partisanship
-Crisis in nation
-Sentimentality
-Tactical concerns
-Foreign service
-Recruitment of young men
-Problems
-Modern education
-Shortsightedness
-Need for risks and strong convictions
-Military
-The President’s previous conversation with Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Bureaucracy
-Need for strength
-Ability to speak up

Vietnam
-Paris peace talks
-Porter’s handling
-US position
-Cessation
-Reasons
-US seriousness
-Porter’s strategy
-Possible statement
-William H. Sullivan
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Timing of Porter's return to Paris
-Public stance
 26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-9 (cont.)


-US position
-Robert J. McCloskey and Ronald L. Ziegler
-The President’s January 25, 1972 speech
-Michael J. Mansfield’s support
-Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu's resignation
-North Vietnamese position
-Escalation of military activity
-Resumption of talks
-Timing
-Escalation of military action
-Announcement
-US conditions
-Past negotiations
-US position
-North Vietnamese position
-Wording
-Porter’s statement
-Build-up for press
-Wording
-Review of negotiating record
-US offers
-North Vietnamese position
-US response
-North Vietnamese violations of international law
-Limits to negotiations
-Porter’s statement
-Preparation of press
-Porter’s record
-Previous trips to Vietnam
-Statement to the press
-Emphasis on positive
-Porter’s handling
-US delegation
-Release of statement
-Television coverage
-Duration
-Peace offer
-North Vietnamese response
-Infiltration
-Offensive
-Possible statement
 27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-9 (cont.)


-North Vietnamese offensive
-State Department response
-US air strikes
-B-52s
-Increase
-Numbers
-Targets
-Vinh
-Size of strike
-Proximity to Hanoi
-Mikoyand and Gurevich [MIG]
-Location of targets
-Saigon area
-New squadrons
-Naval gunfire
-Destroyers
-Number
-Cruisers
-Number
-Targets
-Negotiations
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin's conversation with Kissinger
-Soviet role
-US settlement

US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] relations
-Biological Warfare Treaty
-Dobrynin’s remarks
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] negotiations
-George R.S. Baring’s [Earl of Cromer] remarks
-The President's remarks at signing ceremony
-Disregard of sentimental rhetoric
-Non-proliferation and seabed treaties
-Importance of treaty
-Peace in the future
-Arms limitation
-SALT
-Super powers
-Encouragement not to use force
-Dobrynin
-Press
 28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-9 (cont.)


-Call to Kissinger
-Message to Kremlin
-Biological Warfare Treaty
-The President's remarks at ceremony
-Tone
-Dobrynin's presence
-USSR’s support of India over Pakistan and support of United Arab
Republic [UAR]
-Soviet foreign policy
-The President's remarks at treaty ceremony
-Future SALT agreement

Vietnam
-Battle reports
-Quang Tri
-South Vietnam
-Artillery and infantry
-Damage to tanks
-Air Force
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Reports of problems
-Lack of coordination
-Tanks
-Artillery
-South Vietnam
-Air power
-Military Region Three
-South Vietnamese retreats
-Thieu
-Importance to overall strategy
-US strategy
-Negotiations
-Henry Cabot Lodge and Dr. David K. E. Bruce
-North Vietnamese objectives
-Return of (Madame) Nguyen Thi Binh to Paris
-Major cities
-Quang tri
-Hue
-Thieu
-Cease-fire
 29

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-9 (cont.)


-North Vietnamese objectives
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Critics’ response
-Possible excuses
-Cease-fire offer
-Thieu government
-Capture of cities
-Problems
-Possible US action
-Soviets
-Thieu government
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Kissinger’s view
-Setbacks
-Losses
-Cambodia and Laos
-1970 and 1971
-Prediction for 1973
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Commitment of divisions
-Battle reports
-Logistical problems
-Time factor
-Replacements
-DMZ
-Movement of troops
-325th division
-Location
-Movement of troops
-DMZ
-Training divisions
-Compared with Tet offensive
-Vietcong
-Main forces
-Losses
-Long Tien
-Possible weather concerns
-Troop locations
-Air strikes
-320th division
-Theiu report
 30

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-9 (cont.)


-Concentration
-B-52s and Tactical Air [TACAIR]
-Effectiveness
-Casualties
-Potential number
-Weapons
-B-3
-320th division
-Theiu
-Withdrawal to Laos
-ARVN units
-1st Airborne
-Operations
-Objectives
-Possible political motivations
-Negotiations
-Possible North Vietnamese offer
-Quang Tri province
-Ceasefire
-Thieu government
-Possible resignation
-Porter’s schedule
-Objectives
-Hue
-Soviets

Porter and Kissinger left at 12:23 pm.