714–22

Conversation No. 714-22

Date: April 20, 1972
Time: 4:29 pm - 4:48 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope and Ronald L. Ziegler.

Weather

Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Meeting with the President

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:29 pm.

Haig
-Meeting with the President

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:48 pm.

Vietnam
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Strength
-Number of divisions
-US retaliation
-Compared to Inchon landing

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:29 pm.
 48

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)



Haig
-Location

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:48 pm.

Vietnam
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Effects on North Vietnam
-Objectives
-US reaction
-South Vietnamese collapse
-South Vietnamese performance
-US reaction
-Bombing
-Size of force
-Carriers
-Destroyers
-Cruisers
-B-52s
-Number of sorties
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Hanoi and Haiphong
-Retaliation
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-Regular troops
-Compared to Vietcong [VC]
-US reaction
-Bombing
-Cessation
-Conditions
-US casualties
-Rate
-US participation
-Air and sea support
-Vietnamization
-South Vietnamese response
-Air sorties
-Number by South Vietnam
-Ability to resist
-Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong
-Soviets
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Soviet summits
 49

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)



-Stakes of war
-The President’s stature
-Bombing
-Dwight D. Eisenhower’s evaluation
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Naval response
-Blockade
-Soviet and North Vietnamese reaction
-Options for US
-Avoidance of defeat
-US defeat
-Consequences
-Impact on Southeast Asia and Middle East
-Middle East
-United Arab Republic [Egypt]
-Threat to Israel
-US policies
-Poker game analogy
-North Vietnamese offensive
-US response
-Negotiations
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-1972 election
-Consequences of defeat
-Peace demonstrations
-Demonstration at Soviet embassy
-American Legion
-Press reports
-Response
-Charles W. Colson
-Press reports
-Press
-Defeatism
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Speech to American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE]
-Attack on Democrats
-Golf ball
-Message

John B. Connally
-Speech to ASNE
-William P. Rogers and Melvin R. Laird
 50

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)



Vietnam
-Future US actions
-Haig briefing for White House staff
-Unknown US Lieutenant Colonel in Vietnam
-Attack on reporters
-State Department
-Reporters’ alleged action
-Helicopters
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Commendation
-Publicity
-US press
-Behavior
-Bob Hope Show
-Visit to Vietnam
-Response
-Press distortions


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


Jack N. Anderson
-Hope's joke
-Henry A. Kissinger

Photograph album
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins

Golf game
-Arrangements
-California

Well wishes
 51

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)



-The President's family
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Delores (Reade) Hope

Vietnam
-US policies
-1972 election
-Bombing

Hope and Ziegler left at 4:48 pm.