726–1

Conversation No. 726-1

Date: May 19, 1972
Time: 10:30 am - 11:42 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

Vietnam
-Press coverage
-Response
-Spiro T. Agnew's speech
-Wording
-New York Times
-Kenneth W. Clawson response to Anthony Lewis column
-North Vietnam propaganda
-Ship movements
-Administration response
-Criticism of President's policies

Henry A. Kissinger
-Location
-Jacob K. Javits
-Dinner with Kissinger
-Lack of support for President's policies
-Dinner with Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Joseph W. Alsop

Pentagon
-Bomb explosion
-Suspects
-\"Weathermen\"
-Note
-Telephone call
-Washington Post

Vietnam
-Press reports on Soviet ships
-Administration response
-Charles W. Colson
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Robert J. McCloskey
-Coverage
-St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 2

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-New York Times
-Washington Post
-Wire reports

West Wing waiting room
-Current situation
-Shared with a secretary
-Separate room for distinguished guests

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 10:36 am.

Agnew's trip
-Meeting with press
-Tone
-Content
-Report on Saigon and South Vietnam

George C. Wallace
-President’s visit
-Wire reports
-Ziegler’s press briefing

Ziegler left at 10:38 am.

Public support for President
-Meeting with unidentified black woman
-Vietnam
-Possible trips throughout US

Soviet trip
-Television reports
-Charles W. Colson
-Administration response
-Speeches
-Articles
-Press speculation

Wallace
-President's visit
-Handling
-Discussion
-President's Soviet trip
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 59s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Kissinger
-Location

Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 10:38 and 10:48 am.

[Conversation No. 726-1A]

[End of telephone conversation]

-Meeting with President and Agnew

George S. McGovern

Van Cliburn
-Possible appearance
-Soviet Union trip
-Soviets' response
-Carnegie Hall concert
-Playing of Star Spangled Banner
-Audience response
-Possible appearance
-President's dinner in Soviet Union
-Parallel to dinner for Gen. Charles A.J.M. DeGaulle
-Jascha Heifetz

Radio Free Europe
-Uses
-Kissinger's views
-Soviet Union
-Poland
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Kissinger
-Meeting with President
-The President’s view
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Poland
-Soviet Union
-Mention of freedom
-President's trip
-News reports
-Wording
-Poland
-Mention of freedom, religion
-Kissinger
-The President’s view
-Briefing books

Agnew's schedule

Haldeman talked with Kissinger at unknown time between 10:38 and 10:48 am.

[Conversation No. 726-1B]

Kissinger
-Meeting with President and Agnew
-Time
-Message

[End of telephone conversation]

Wallace
-Harry S. Dent's analysis

President's policies
-Support
-Busing
-Welfare
-Vietnam
-President's attitude
-Resignations

Soviet trip
-William P. Rogers
-Adele (Langston) Rogers
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Poland trip
-Soviet Union trip
-Future trips with President
-Adele Rogers's schedule

Kissinger entered at 10:48 am.

President's message

Agnew entered at 10:48 am.

Greetings

Time

Agnew's trip
-Itinerary
-Japan
-Bangkok
-Vietnam
-Fundraiser
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
-Press briefing

Haldeman left at 10:51 am.

Vietnam
-North Vietnam offensive
-Kontum
-B-52 strikes
-Number
-Intelligence reports
-North Vietnam attacks
-Delays
-Statements for Agnew
-Loss
-An Loc
-Possible loss
-Hue
-Possible loss
-An Loc
-Kontum
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Possible loss
-Pleiku
-Casualties
-New York Times coverage
-Lewis
-The President;s view
-Blockade
-Lewis column
-Failure
-New York Times article
-Polish ship
-East German ships
-Unloading difficulties in Haiphong
-Time in harbor
-Polish ship
-Date of arrival in Haiphong
-Mining
-Effectiveness
-Kissinger’s view
-Previous National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Melvin R. Laird
-Pentagon
-Rogers
-Richard M. Helms
-Intelligence community
-Agnew
-John B. Connally
-Parallel To 1968 Report
-The President’s view
-Guerrilla war compared with mechanized war
-Supply lines
-Sihanoukville
-Transport of war material to III and IV Corps
-Cambodia incursion
-Precision bombing of North Vietnam
-Blockade
-Impact
-Supplies
-Air strikes
-Railroads
-Destruction
-Petroleum, oil, and lubricants [POL]
-Destruction
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Percentage in Haiphong, Hanoi and Environs
-Photographs
-Pumping stations
-Hanoi
-Power Stations
-Rails
-Bridges to PRC
-Effect
-Trucking of POL
-Problems
-Blockade
-Use of PRC ports
-Destinations
-Haiphong
-Vladivostok
-Odessa
-Agnew's use of information
-Report from French Ambassador
-India-Pakistan War
-Reports from North Vietnam
-Sources
-Soviet Summit
-Impact on North Vietnam
-Air strikes
-Bridge destruction
-PRC response
-Chou En-lai
-Limits
-American pilots in PRC
-PRC response
-Soviet ships
-Overland movement to North Vietnam
-Blockade
-Public support for President
-Poll percentages
-Soviet Summit
-Impact
-North Vietnam morale
-US troop morale
-Television reports
-South Vietnam Morale
-Improvements
-US press reports
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Impact on North Vietnam
-North Vietnam offensive
-Gains
-Quang Tri
-Limits
-An Loc
-Kontum
-Impact of air strikes and blockade
-Hue
-US holding action
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. report
-Kontum

Agnew's previous trip to Japan
-Report to President
-Japan
-Reversion ceremonies
-Agnew’s view
-Eisaku Sato
-Remarks
-References to US
-[Unintelligible]
-[Emperor of Japan] Hirohito
-Audience
-Protocol for Agnew
-Emperor Hirohito
-Anchorage Visit
-Possible visit to US
-Support for the President’s Southeast Asia policies
-Relations with US
-Sato
-Takeo Fukuda
-Kakuei Tanaka
-Fukuda
-Liberal Democrats
-Sato
-President's visit to PRC
-Impact on Japan
-Japanese-US ties
-Economic
-Fukuda
-United Nations [UN] Security Council seat for Japan
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-US position
-Possible successor to Sato
-Tanaka
-Foreign Minister
-Agnew's meeting
-Tanaka
-Agnew's meeting
-Future leaders
-Stance toward the US
-Sato's report
-Liberal Democratic Party
-Strength
-Opposition
-Communist and Social parties
-Demonstrations
-Reversion
-Police handling
-Indochina
-Lt. Gen. T.N.J. Suharto visit to Japan
-Sato
-View of Indochinese
-Agnew’s response
-Suharto compared with Thieu
-Thieu
-Ellsworth F. Bunker's view of Thieu
-Sato
-View of Indochinese leadership
-Vietnam
-Meeting with Thieu, Bunker, and Abrams
-Meeting with Bunker and Abrams
-Tan Son Nhut
-View of Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] capacities
-Thieu
-Demeanor
-Briefing on North Vietnam offensive
-Response to North Vietnam
-Counter attacks
-Time
-North Vietnam offensive
-Strategy
-Territorial forces
-Political structure
-Quang-Tri
 10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Hue
-An Loc
-Kontum
-Pleiku
-Coalition government
-Thieu
-View of mining
-South Vietnam capacities
-Timing
-Air Strikes
-Effectiveness
-South Vietnam morale
-North Vietnam supplies and morale
-B-52s
-Impact
-Effectiveness
-Kontum
-North Vietnam Losses
-Intelligence reports
-North Vietnam regiments
-Thieu, Bunker and Abrams view on retention
-Pleiku Road
-Military Region One
-Gen. Ngo Quang Truong
-South Vietnam defense
-Strategy
-Air strikes
-Surface-to-air [SAM] missiles
-Movement
-Hanoi, Haiphong, demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Air strikes
-Commando operations in North Vietnam
-The President’s view
-Discussion in State Department
-South Vietnam force
-Discussion with Thieu
-Meeting with Thieu
-An Loc, Kontum, Hue
-Strike into North Vietnam
-Thieu's position
-Air strikes
-Bridges
-Haiphong, Hanoi, Paul Doumer bridge
 11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Effectiveness
-POL
-Rail lines

The President signaled the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:51 am and
11:16 am.

[Conversation No. 726-1C]

[See Conversation No. 24-156]

-Limits place on Air Force bombing

[The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No.
726-1C].

-Reaction by US Air Force [USAF]
-Kissinger’s view
-Air Force Chief of Staff
-Kissinger’s view
-Kissinger’s orders
-Adm. John S. McCain, Jr.

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:51 am and
11:16 am.

[Conversation No. 726-1D]

[See Conversation No. 24-157]

[End of telephone conversation]

-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Location
-Targets
-Buffer zone
-Restrictions
-Hanoi area
-Reluctance
-Reasons
-Moorer
-Meeting with President and Kissinger
-Location
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)


Stephen B. Bull entered at 11:16 am.

Bull talked with Moorer between 11:16 am and 11:17 am.

[Conversation No. 726-1E]

[See Conversation No. 24-158]

[End of telephone conversation]

Moorer
-Location
-Meeting with President and Kissinger

Bull left at an unknown time at or before 11:17 am.

Agnew's trip
-Vietnam
-Air strikes
-M-36s

[The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No.
726-1E]

Vietnam
-Air Force
-Limits
-President's orders
-The President’s view
-Responsibility
-Problems
-Gen. John D. Ryan
-Replacement
-The President’s view
-The President’s view
-Attitude
-Compared with the Israeli Air Force

Moorer entered at 11:17 am.

Greetings
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

Vietnam
-Air strikes
-Limits
-Comments from South Vietnam and Pearl Harbor
-Reports to Agnew
-Ryan
-Replacement
-The President’s view
-Ryan’s son
-President's orders
-Restrictions
-Reasons
-Hanoi
-Distance
-Duration
-Air Force
-Reasons For Performance
-The President’s view
-Press reports
-Reports to Agnew
-Commanders
-Replacements
-Air Force Chief of Staff
-President's orders
-Ryan
-McCain
-Retrictions
-Reaction
-Reasons
-Air Force
-Performances
-Moorer’s view
-Reason
-The President’s view
-Israeli Air Force
-B-52s
-Location
-Abrams's report
-Attitude
-Support of President
-Ryan
-Possible resignation
-The President’s view
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Hanoi
-POL
-Comments to Agnew
-Restricted areas
-Implementation
-Date
-Changes
-Moorer's responsibility
-Time
-Methods

Moorer left at 11:22 am.

Vietnam
-Air strikes
-Raids
-President's orders
-Attitude
-Weather
-Number of sorties in past week
-Ceiling
-Blockade
-Reaction
-Laird, Defense Department, State Department, Central Intelligence Agency
[CIA]
-Air strikes
-Air Force
-Changes
-Ryan
-Moorer
-Restrictions
-Implementation
-Date and duration
-PRC border
-Bridges
-Hanoi
-Soviet Embassy
-Power plant

Kissinger
-Meeting with Congressional Leaders
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
 15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

Vietnam
-Air strikes
-Authorization
-Power plants
-Hanoi
-Haiphong
-Restrictions
-Number of targets
-Time
-Reason for action
-Losses
-B-52s
-Hanoi area
-SAMs
-Air Force responsibility
-Compared with US Navy and Haiphong
-Air Force
-Hanoi
-President's orders
-Haiphong targets compared with Hanoi targets
-B-52 strikes
-President's orders
-Abrams's attitude

Kissinger
-SALT meeting

Kissinger left at 11:25 am.

Vietnam
-Air strikes
-Air Force responsibility

Agnew's trip
-Vietnam
-Abrams
-South Vietnam bombing
-The President’s view
-Thailand
-Leaders
-Attitude towards blockade
-US air bases
-Economic benefits
 16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-North East insurgency
-US military aid
-Helicopters
-Congress
-Funds
-Agnew talk with Laird
-Need for action
-Agnew report to President
-Armored vehicles
-Number unused
-Significance
-Small unit communications equipment
-Drug traffic
-Opium
-Lester L. Wolff
-Opium Destruction Program
-Credit
-Thais
-PRC
-Military briefing by Agnew
-Support for President's policies
-Leonard Unger
-Views on Vietnam
-Replacement
-The President’s view
-Beliefs
-Ambassador Bunker
-Attitude toward President's policies
-Attitude toward Thieu

Vietnam
-Agnew's press briefing
-President's policies
-Success
-Vietnamization
-North Vietnam offensive
-Failure
-US Pacification Program
-Reason
-President's policies
-Success
-Soviet Summit
-Soviet attitude toward North Vietnam
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-Settlement
-Failure
-Consequences
-Destruction of Hanoi
-Civilian casualties
-Air strikes
-Hanoi power plant
-Report to Agnew at Guam
-B-52s
-McCain
-Possible retention
-Son [John S. McCain, III]
-POW
-Extension of command
-Abrams
-Agnew’s view
-Meeting with Agnew
-Attitude toward air strikes
-Strategy
-An Loc
-Kontum
-South Vietnam morale
-Targets
-Thieu's position
-President's policies
-Blockade
-North Vietnam bombing
-B-52s
-Use in South Vietnam
-Number
-Limitations
-Carriers
-Marine squadrons
-Number
-Japan
-Thailand

Agnew's trip
-Japan
-Thailand
-Consultations
-Leaks
-Japan
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

-South Vietnam, Saigon
-Agnew's report to press
-Success

Wallace
-President's previous visit
-Possible Agnew visit
-Timing
-Condition
-Paralysis
-Extent
-Doctor's reports
-Attitude
-President's visit
-American flag
-Possible Agnew visit
-President's suggestion
-Agnew's statement
-Call to Cornelia Wallace
-Arrangements
-Dr. William M. Lukash
-Purpose

Agnew's schedule
-Rest
-A dinner
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-John Wayne, Francis A. (“Frank”) Sinatra, Hope, James (“Jimmy”) Stewart
-Fundraiser


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 22s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)

Wallace
-Gun control legislation
-Herbert L. (“Herblock”) Block cartoon
-Sick society
-President's proposed legislation
-Advocates
-Sick society
-Assassination attempt on Franklin D. Roosevelt and [Mayor Anton Cermak]
-Assassination attempt on Harry S. Truman
-Blair House
-Killing of Secret Service agent
-Shooting in House of Representatives
-Price of free society
-Dictatorships
-Soviet Union
-Firearms
-Sick society
-Rebuttals
-Roosevelt
-Truman

John B. Connally
-Plans
-Return to Texas
-Brother


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 48s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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Agnew
-Press briefing

[This conversation continues on Conversation No. 726-2]
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 726-1 (cont.)