729–2

Conversation No. 729-2

Date: June 10, 1972
Time: 12:45-1:15 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Henry A. Kissinger
-Trip to Japan
-Visit's value
-Future visit of Hirohito [Emperor of Japan] to US
-Timing
-Kissinger's view of trip

People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Note
-Military activity on coast of Vietnam
-Supply ships
-Bombing
-Captured vessels
-PRC merchant ships
-Stockholm Conference
-Problems
-Analysis
-PRC motives
-Soviet Union
-US response
-Joseph Morton
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-Christian A. Herter
-The President’s instructions
-William P. Rogers
-United Nations [UN]
-Note of response
-Jonathan T. Howe
-Content

Vietnam
-Blockade of North Vietnam
-US actions
-Equipment
-Destroyers
-Aircraft
-Bombing
-US actions
-PRC response
-US response


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 4s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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-Progress of conflict
-John Paul Vann
-Death
-Previous meeting with the President
-The President’s view
-Posthumous Medal of Freedom
-Potential problem
-Family
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-Next of kin
-Message to Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Activities
-US policies
-Personality
-Paul D. Harkins
-Haig’s view
-Vann and Fred Ladd
-Reports

Vietnam
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-B-52s
-Raid on power plant
-Accuracy
-Results
-Repairs
-North Vietnam
-US attacks
-Effect
-Reports
-Sources
-Reports on war effort
-Internal signs
-Effect on antiwar groups
-John N. Mitchell
-Strategy
-Public relations efforts
-US policy
-Coverage from PRC and Eastern Europe
-Effect of Kissinger's trip to PRC
-PRC’s possible response to Kissinger's visit
-Nature of visit
-Haig’s view

PRC
-Note from New York
-Arrangements to receive note
-Significance
-The President’s possible response
-Instructions to US delegation in Stockholm
-Firing from merchant ship
-US complaints
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-Need for privacy
-Rogers's reaction to PRC statement in Stockholm
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Nature of Rogers statements
-Value
-Compared to Soviet Union
-Value of Stockholm Conference
-Olaf Palme
-The President’s view

Press
-US News and World Report article
-Kissinger's report
-US policy
-Rationale of Strategic Arms and Limitation Treaty [SALT]
-Quality
-Critics
-Effects of Moscow trip
-Effect of mining

Vietnam
-Effect of mining
-Hanoi
-South Vietnam
-US position
-An Loc
-Army of the Republic of South Vietnam [ARVN] 21st Division
-North Vietnamese strength
-Military operation
-Effects of weather
-Enemy strategy
-Small operations
-Hue
-ARVN military operations
-325th Division
-Location
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Quang Tri
-ARVN
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Kontum
-ARVN response
-Fighting ability
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-ARVN morale
-D'acord (sp? French correspondent) conversation with Haig
-An Loc
-ARVN strength
-Outcome of offensive
-North Vietnam
-Effect on US media

Press
-Newsweek
-Editor
-Coverage of Vietnam War
-Position on mining
-Henry Hubbard
-Relations with editor

Vietnam
-Position of the North Vietnamese
-Peace negotiations
-Effect on election
-Strategy of Administration
-Public relations efforts
-Reporting
-Doves
-Presidential election
-North Vietnam view


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Japan
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-Views of George S. McGovern
-Bombing
-Effect on Hanoi
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Bombing halt
-Length
-Madame Nguyen Thi Binh
-Bombing halt
-Bombing
-Continuation
-The President’s policy
-Mining

Environmental Conference in Stockholm
-Soviet Union boycott
-Motives
-PRC
-East Germany

The President's trip to the PRC
-PRC and Soviet Union policies

PRC statement at Stockholm Conference
-Herter’s response
-Haig’s view

State Department
-Decisions

The President's foreign policy
-May 8, 1972 decision
-Middle East
-Cuba
-Jordan
-South Asia
-India

John B. Connally's trip
-Reception
-Message from the President
-The President’s comments
-Australia
-Press reaction
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)

-Bolivia stopover
-Timing
-Success of trip

Vietnam
-PRC
-Soviet Union
-Trucks
-US action


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 6s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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-Railways
-Truck bridges
-Bombing
-North Vietnam
-Effectiveness
-Casualties in North Vietnam
-B-52 strikes
-Kontum
-An Loc
-Frenchman's report
-Effect on morale

PRC
-Reports

Haig left at 1:15 pm.
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 729-2 (cont.)