869-010b

Conversation No. 869-10

Date: March 6, 1973
Time: 10:00 am - 11:20 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Capt. and Mrs. Jerry A. Singleton, Maj. and Mrs. Robert D. Jeffrey and
Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the
meeting.

Greetings and introductions

Photograph session
-Arrangements
-Copies
-Seating
-Ranking officer

Former guests of Oval Office
-Prime ministers, presidents

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 10:00 am.

Refreshments

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 10:36 am.

Foreign visitors

Tour of White House
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Previous tours, meetings
-Meetings with Julie Nixon Eisenhower

Unknown woman’s hometown
-Dallas

Prisoners of War [POWs]/Missing in Action [MIAs] wives’ activism
-Previous 1969 meeting with President
-Trip to Paris

POWs
-Appearance
-Marriage [?]
-Press reaction
-Accusations of programming, brainwashing
-Newspaper column
-President’s letter to Dallas newspaper
-Col. Robinson Risner
-Telephone call to President
-Clark Air Force base
-Oklahoma
-President's meetings
-Avoidance
-Reasons
-Time with families
-Exploitation
-Remaining POWs
-Release
-Public negotiations
-William P. Rogers
-Paris
-International Conference on Vietnam
-Private actions
-Message to Pham Van Dong
-POW release
-Mining, withdrawal
-Publicity
-North Vietnam’s negotiating position
 -23-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)




December 1972 bombing of North Vietnam
-Publicity
-Explanation
-Effect on North Vietnam’s negotiating position
-Christmas halt
-Resumption
-Difficulties of decision
-Criticism
-Targets
-President’s assessment of previous bombing halts
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Changes in North Vietnamese attitudes
-Cambodia
-Mining, blockade
-May 8, 1972 decision
-North Vietnam filibuster
-192 US election
-Congress, peaceniks
-President's actions
-Risks
-North Vietnam conditions
-POW release
-Tied to US withdrawal
-South Vietnam’s release of civilian prisoners
-Resumption of bombing
-Intensity
-Resumption of negotiations
-Criticism
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-New York Times
-President as “mad bomber”
-Impact on North Vietnam

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[NATIONAL SECURITY]
[DURATION: 15 S]
 -24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)




Intelligence

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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-Protests
-Melvin R. Laird
-Military targets
-Necessity
-Failure of negotiations, escalation

POWs
-Wives
-Meetings with President
-Spirit
-Christmas meeting
-Support for President's policies
-National honor

President's policies
-South Vietnam
-Communist government
-Success
-Impact
-Allies, Union of Soviet Socialist republics [USSR], People’s Republic of
China [PRC]

POWs
-Ordeal
-Wives
-Knowledge of outside world
-Bad news
-Riots
-Demonstrations
-Jane Fonda
-Photograph displays
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Purpose
-Age
-Compared to President
-Maj. Jeffrey
-Letters received, sent
-World War II
-System of numbering letters
-President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Mail received by wives
-Peace groups
-Release
-Peace groups
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Nicknames
-Camps
-PRC border
-Length of captivity
-May 8, 1972 bombing
-Son Tay camp
-Col. [Arthur D. Simons]
-US raid
-Vacant
-Solitary confinement
-Meals
-Sleep
-Medication
-Parachute injury
-Treatment
-Improvements
-1969
-US pressure

Cambodia
-Protest marches
-Sanctuary
-Operation
-Impact
-Casualties
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)




Military action
-May 8, 1972 operation

Public opinion
-Confidence in US
-Critics of Vietnam policies
-Television [TV]
-Brainwashing
-Compared to “Hanoi Hilton”
-POWs’ return

World leaders
-Winston S. Churchill, Gen. Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle, Konrad
Adenauer, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Achmed Sukarno
-Periods of adversity and imprisonment
-Compared to POWs

POWs
-Period of readjustment
-Family, pro-football, instant replays
-Problems
-Strengths
-Personal strengths
-Compared with statements by John V. Lindsay, senators
-Compared with draft resisters

US role in world
-Military sacrifices
-Vietnam
-Goals, successes
-Power, credibility
-Japan, Europe
-Actions of US in Vietnam
-Military, wives
-Goals

POWs
 -27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Enemy's view of president and US
-Assessment of Nixon
-Roger Shields
-December 1972 bombing
-Singleton and Jeffrey’s experiences
-Witnesses to bombing in Hanoi

December 1972 bombing
-Necessity
-Losses
-Casualties
-B-52s
-Weather
-Crews
-Support
-Necessity
-Casualties
-North Vietnam
-Civilian
-B-52 raids
-Compared to North Vietnam’s actions in Cambodia, Laos
-US policy
-Military targets
-Compared to An Loc, Quang Tri, Hue

POW's support for President’s policies
-Public opinion

POWs
-Reception at White House
-Guests
-Date
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Attire
-Transportation
-Entertainment
-Mementoes
-Reunion
 -28-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Timing
-Rose Garden
-Tricia Nixon Cox’s wedding
-News reels

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 10:36 am.

-Age of one POW
-Future plans
-Military service
-Publicity tour
-Youth
-Restore confidence in US
-Future residence
-Dallas
-Dallas Cowboys
-President's support for Washington Redskins
-Son
-Children
-Reception
-White House
-Children's event

Introduction to Kissinger

POW wives
-Telegrams to President
-Support for President’s policies

POWs
-Camps
-PRC border
-December 1972 bombing of Hanoi
-Singleton’s and Jeffrey’s experiences
-Christmas time
-Dental care
-Tricia Nixon Cox's, Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s conversation with President
-Problems
 -29-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Quality
-For returning POWs
-Quality
-President's experiences in the navy
-Respect for President
-Christmas

George S. McGovern

Mementoes
-Gifts
-Golf balls
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Golf game
-Jokes

POWs
-Relaxation
-Appearance
-Wife
-John S. McCain III
-Imprisonment
-Languages
-Survey of duty assignments
-Scowcroft
-Defense Intelligence Agency [DIA] [?]
-Sudan
-Kissinger
-Exercise
-Diet
-Exercise in prison
-Weight
-Mutual support
-Benefits
-Contrast with Korea
-Officers
-Ability to handle imprisonment
-John S. McCain, III
 -30-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Injury
-POW wives
-Meeting with North Vietnamese
-Photograph
-Concern
-Release
-Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
-Adm. John S. McCain, Jr.
-Shot down in 1966

Oval Office
-Service flags
-Boehm birds
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower's crewel Presidential seal
-Paintings
-White House
-George Washington
-Wig

Music box

POWs
-Flag made in prison
-Maj. Gore [?]

Oval Office
-Seal

Putting green
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Mementoes

Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Marriage
-Date
-Talk with POW wives in 1968
-Impression
 -31-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Time
-1968 election
-Cathy Goldstein
-Activism

Straw poll
-POWs [?]
-President’s victory [?]

[GENERAL CONVERSATION]

President's high school teacher
-Whittier
-Ty Robbs [?]
-Eddie Robbs [?]
-Whittier High School [?]
-Football
-Scout leader
-Extrovert, leader
POW reception
-Format

Scowcroft

[General conversation]

Mementoes

Singleton, et al., left at 10:54 am.

POW meeting with President
-President's impressions
-Qualities
-Impact of 1969 election
-North Vietnam assessments of President
-POW treatment
-Cambodia, May 8, 1972 bombing
 -32-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



Letter
-David [Last name unknown]

President's meeting with Sudanese
-Length
-Substance

POWs
-Brainwashing accusations
-POW reaction

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:54 am.

Arrival of Ambassador from Sudan

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:58 am.

President's meeting with Hugh Scott
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Vote in Senate
-Public support for President's policies

Abdul R. Abdulla, Abdel Aziz al Nazri Hamza, and David N. Newsom entered at 10:58 am.
Members of the press and the white house photographer were present at the beginning of the
meeting.

Introductions

Photograph session
-Arrangements

President's visit to Sudan in 1957

[Photograph session]

-Hospitality

Killing of US diplomats
 -33-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Condolences
-President Gaafar al-Nimeiry
-Punishment of perpetrators
-Justice
-Outside information
-Palestinian issues [?]
-Retaliation against Sudan

US assistance to Sudan
-Request to President
-Security
-Diplomats
-Training, technical assistance

Cooperation between US and Sudanese personnel
-US embassy
-Khartoum
-Officials sent from US
-Training

Terrorists
-Statements
-Foreign collaboration
-Investigations
-Trials
-Court martial, military court
-Retaliation
-Black September
-Difficulty to wage war against
-Support of sympathetic nations

Killing of US diplomats
-Fanatics
-Targets
-US, Jordan
-Sudan’s government
-Actions against terrorism
-Risks
 -34-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Retaliation
-Foreign relations

Terrorism
-Threat to all governments
-Importance of firm response
-Sudan
-Sympathetic governments
-Example of French Revolution
-Sudan
-Nimeiry's condolences
-Abdulla, Hamza’s visit
-Culpability in US casualties

US cooperation with Sudan
-Security for diplomats
-Sovereignty issues
-Requests for assistance
-Exchange of information

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[NATIONAL SECURITY]
[DURATION: 22S]

COUNTERTERRORISM

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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Sudan
-Request from government
-Fear of retaliation
-Embassies
-Security system management
-Help
-Expertise
-Training
 -35-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)




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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[NATIONAL SECURITY]
[DURATION: 2S]

Sudan

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
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-US assistance to Sudan’s government
-Inter-agency cooperation
-Plans
-Training
-Police
-Assistance from other governments

US actions
-Protection of embassies in US
-Executive Protective Service [EPS]
-Sudan
-Terrorist attacks within US
-Canada
-Incident
-President's policy
-Negotiations, concessions
-Exertion
-Release of prisoners
-Jordan
-Criminal penalties

Sudan
-Role in prosecuting case
-US support
-Terrorist retaliation
-Response from US
-Training
 -36-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-President's letter to President Nimeiry
-Content
-US-Sudan relations
-Importance
-East Africa
-Egypt
-Relations with US
-President’s letter
-Peace in Southern Sudan
-Programs cancelled
-US support

Farewells

Abdulla, et al., left at 11:18 am.

National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Kissinger’s meeting with President
-Complexity
-Timing

Sudan incident
-Letter
-Promise
-US actions
-Talks with Egypt
-Prior commitments
-Arab governments
-Private talks
-Joint action on terrorism

Terrorism
-US policy
-Need for hard-line
-Carl T. Rowan
-Statement on release of other terrorists
-Kidnapping of US ambassador
 -37-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 869-10 (cont’d)



-Retaliation
-Bombing of terrorist camps
-Syrians, Libyans
-encouragement
-Diplomatic pouches
-Oil supplies
-US pressure
-Latin America
-News summary
-Action for John A. Scali
-United Nations [UN] terrorist resolution

POWs
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Activities while in prison
-Flag-raising salute
-Church services
-Recruitment in foreign service [?]
-Cambodia
-Bombing
-POW support
-Recognition
-Release
-White House event

Kissinger left at 11:20 am.