Secret White House Tapes

892-009b

About this recording

892-009a
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Lee Kuan Yew
  • Ernest S. Monteiro
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • Manolo Sanchez
April 10, 1973
Conversation No. 892-9

Date: April 10, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:10 am and 12:18 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Ambassador Ernest S. Monteiro, and
Henry A. Kissinger.

Greetings

Photographs

-Arrangements

-Rose Garden

-Types of plants

President’s re-election

-Margin of victory

-Compared to Yew’s election


Photographs

-Arrangements


The President et al. left at 11:11 am.
-16-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

[Photograph session in Rose Garden]

The recording cut off while the President et al. were in the Rose Garden.

The recording system re-engaged.

The President et al. entered at 11:13 am.

Photographs

-White House photograph

-Distribution


Vietnam
-President’s decisions

-Difficulties

-Protest marches

-Number of marchers
-Cambodia, May 8th decision
-Blockade
-December bombing
-December bombing

-Public reaction

-Press reaction
-Press relationship with Democrats
-Portrayal of President
-North Vietnam perception
-December 1972
-“Universal criticism” of President
-Compared to Cambodia
-“Genocide,” “insanity”
-Lee’s reaction
-Location
-Paris, from London
-Conversation with Georges J. R. Pompidou
-Setback
-Ceasefire agreement
-Ceasefire agreement
-17-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-US withdrawal, return of Prisoners of War [POWs]

-Incentives

-Violations

-Failure to withdraw from Cambodia and Laos
-South Vietnam
-Hanoi’s intentions
-US public statements contrasted with private concern
-US-Soviet Union relations
-Politburo
-US withdrawal
-North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos
-Legal justification for continued US involvement
-Bombing of Cambodia
-Violations of ceasefire agreement
-Agreement compared to treaty
-US Senate

-Difficulties

-Press reaction

-US Congress

-Senate

-Need for withdrawal

-Timing

-Kissinger’s assessment

-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield

-Troop drawdown

-J. William Fulbright

-Credibility

-Mansfield

-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.

-Press
-Motives

-US withdrawal

-Southeast Asia

-Journalistic standards
-Lee’s speech to National Press Club
-Technology
-Globalization
-18-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Disengagement with Vietnam

-US sphere of influence

-US withdrawal

-Press coverage


Neo-isolationists
-US withdrawal
-Southeast Asia, Korea
-Implications for South Vietnam

-Treaty with Japan

-“Asia for Asians”

-Europe

-Unilateralism

-Arms limitations negotiation

-“Old internationalists”

-Marshall Plan

-Point Four

-US responsibility

-US isolationism

-Domestic issues

-Education, housing
-Contrasted with Defense Department spending
-Congress
-Veto
-Water and sewer program
-“Leader class”

-Great Britain

-Intellectual leadership

-Contrasted with Edward R. G. Heath
-France, Germany, Western Europe
-Global responsibilities
-Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Europe
-Lee’s assessment
-“Men in authority” contrasted with “establishment intellectuals”
-Heath, Henry A. Carrington, Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”)
Douglas-Home
-19-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Pompidou
-Lord Rees-Mogg [editor of London Times]
-Conversation with Lee
-US withdrawal
-US nuclear response
-Credibility
-Rees-Mogg’s response
-France, Great Britain
-PRC, Soviet Union
-Competition
-Future president [?]
-Winston S. Churchill
-Biography by Charles McMoran Wilson [Lord Moran]
-Candid quality
-Triumph and Tragedy
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Soviet Union
-Geopolitical perspective
-Compared to Roosevelt
-Soviet intentions
-Yalta Agreement
-Charles E. (“Chip”) Bohlen’s conversation
with President
-Adherence
-Poland
-Compared to Indochina

Vietnam
-Threats, incentives
-North Vietnam compliance with peace agreement
-US Congress

-US aid

-Military strike

-Incentive, leverage
-South Vietnam military strength
-US influence on Soviet Union and PRC
-20-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

Southeast Asia
-Lee’s advice
-Conversation with Kissinger
-Confidence in President’s policies
-US Congress
-Press
-Realization of proposals

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 11:13 am.

Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:18 pm.

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 11:13 am.

Southeast Asia

-South Vietnam

-Non-Communist government

-Lee’s assessment

-Leadership


Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:18 pm.

Vietnam

-US withdrawal

-Honorable disengagement

-South Vietnam

-Leadership

-“Great power politics” compared to small nations
-Power relations
-US compared to PRC, Soviet Union
-Change
-Orthodoxy compared to reform
-Possible economic and social policy changes
-21-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-South Vietnam

-Possibility for success

-Reliance on military strength

-Communist preference

-Communists

-Compared to North Vietnam

-Viability

-Social, economic base
-North Vietnam’s support
-Assimilation
-Municipal government
-Police, army
-Distinction between North Vietnam and South Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Autonomy
-Viet Cong
-Possible effects
-US aid
-Allocation
-Funding for social and economic policy compared to
North Vietnam military spending
-Hanoi, Viet Cong
-Military expenditures
-Effects

Refreshments

Southeast Asia
-Danger for South Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Hanoi

-Compliance with peace agreement

-US aid

-PRC, Soviet Union

-South Vietnam

-Arms support

-Expenditures

-22-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-War

-Nguyen Van Thieu

-Peace agreement

-Power-sharing with North Vietnam

-Municipal government

-Peace agreement

-North Vietnam acceptance

-Incentives

-Stick and carrot
-Certainty
-US intentions
-Miscalculations
-Statements by press, US Congress
-Possible miscalculations
-Leadership
-Lee’s assessment
-Disconnection
-Exposure
-Kissinger
-President’s assessment
-Contrasted with Le Duc Tho
-President’s conversation with Prisoners of War
[POWs]

-Experience in prison

-Kissinger’s experience

-Dinners

-Cambodia

-North Vietnam aims

-Compared to South Vietnam
-Risks
-Strategy
-Military troops
-Khmer Rouge
-Likelihood

US foreign policy
-US Congress
-23-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Intellectual class
-Weakness
-Neo-isolationism
-Withdrawal from Europe, Asia
-Korea, Vietnam
-Outcome
-Non-communist state
-Compared to Great Britain

-Heath, Douglas-Home, Carrington

-Intellectual class

-Compared to France

-Pompidou

-Compared to Germany

-US leadership
-Need for strength
-Support of Congress, public
-Framework
-Attitudes about global role
-World War I

-Great Britain, France

-Kaiser Wilhem II

-World War II

-France, Great Britain

-Japan, Germany

-Great Britain, France

-Reluctance

-US rise to power
-Intentionality
-Mao Tse-tung [?]
-Effect on policy
-Vietnam War
-Conduct
-US entry
-Gradual escalation

-President’s doubts

-Completion

-Honor

-24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-US Senate proposal

-POWs, withdrawal

-Effect on US reputation

-Trust, respect
-Cost
-Effect on US role in world affairs
-Isolationism compared to participation
-President’s previous conversation with Lee in Singapore
-Soviet Union, PRC

-Superpower status

-Relations with US

-Desirability
-Relations with Soviet Union, PRC
-Opportunity
-Strategy
-Compared to confrontation, uneasy negotiations
-US position
-Strength, trustworthiness, respect
-Nixon Doctrine
-Interpretation

-State Department

-Mansfield

-Vietnam involvement contrasted with self-reliance

-Asia, Latin America

-Nuclear deterent

-Isolationism
-Press coverage
-Public opinion
-Faculty of Ivy League universities
-Editorial staff of New York Times, Washington Post, Time,
Newsweek
-Leadership at television [TV] networks
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC], National
Broadcasting Company [NBC], Columbia Broadcasting
System [CBS]
-White House Press Corps

-Magnitude of problem

-25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-President, Kissinger

-Agreement

-Leadership

-Kissinger’s assessment
-Europe

-Monetary policy

-Balance of payments

-Currency parity

-Timetable

-End of President’s term

-Scope of planning

-Vietnam

-Effect on public opinion

-Vietnam

-Opponents of President’s policy

-George S. McGovern

-Resilience

-Relations with Communist powers

-Weakness

-Effect on global stability

Japan
-President’s previous meeting with Lee
-Location

-Ambitions

-Compared with Germany

-United Nations [UN] Security Council
-Role in world affairs

-Vietnam peace talks

-Desires

-Kissinger’s preference

-Western alliance

-Western alliance

-Monetary and economic interests

-US relations with Europe

-Monetary and trade policy

-Inclusion of Japan

-26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Economy

-Size

-Military capability

-Hypothetical nuclear capability
-Possibility of offensive weapons
-Independence of Japan foreign policy
-Global stability
-Economy
-Trade relations with Western Europe, US
-Report from institute in Brussels
-Trade with Southeast Asia
-Percent
-Growth
-Imports
-Raw materials
-Exports
-Manufacturing
-Trade with US compared to Western Europe
-Opportunity
-Possibility for peace, prosperity
-Tariffs
-Possible effect
-Need for inclusion
-Role in Western security
-Trade surplus
-Western Europe
-Kakeui Tanaka
-Domestic market
-US
-President’s previous meeting with bipartisan Congressional leaders
US trade legislation
-Trade imbalance with Japan

Singapore
-Exports to US
-Textiles, shoes
-Difficulties for US
-27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Colonial legacy

-Great Britain

-Exports

-Shoes, textiles

-Dependence

-Problems

-Europe, US

-Computers

-Japan markets

-Imports

-Performance

-Response to challenges


Indonesia
-Lee’s forthcoming visit
-Importance
-Leadership
-Jakarta

-Decentralization

-Military generals

-Inclusion

-Technocrats

-Civilians

-Compared with Thailand

-Ruling military generals

-Relationship between power and wealth

-Islamic tradition

-Exception

-Dr. [Unintelligible name]
-Corruption
-Mohammed Hatta’s remarks
-Culture
-Effect on development
-Seminar at Southeast Asia Institute
-Role of corruption
-Rationalization
-28-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

Meeting agenda

PRC
-Lee’s vantage point
-US policy
-Lee’s assessment

-Boundary

-Chou En-lai, Mao Tse-tung

-Longevity

-Possible effect on foreign relations

-Trade relations

-Technology

-Soviet Union

-Boeings from US

-Great Britain

-Boeing

-Diversification

-Japan

-Common market

-Soviet Union

-Second-strike capability

-Compared to US

-Conscience
-Military

-Second-strike capability

-Ground forces

-India

-Population

-Relations with Soviet Union

-Military aid

-Relations with Pakistan

-Southeast Asia

-Vietnam settlement

-Role of North Vietnam

-Japan

-Peaceful direction

-Respect

-29-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

-Fear
-US, Hawaii

-Objection to capitalist system

-Conscience

-Historical relations with Mexico
-Texas annexation
-Spanish-American War
-Twentieth-century foreign policy
-World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
-Territorial expansion
-Perception of threat
-PRC’s propaganda
-Relations compared to Europe, Soviet Union
-US role in Japan, Taiwan
-Future prospects

-Japan, PRC

-Succession

-Consolidation

-Trade relations

-Technology
-Dependence on US
-Compared with balance between US, Western
Europe, Japan
-Supply
-Current leadership
-Lessons
-Soviet Union

Golf
-Lee’s handicap
-Compared to President’s handicap

-Course around official residence

-Benefits

-Physical exertion

-Trees, fresh air

-“Antidote to the Committee Room”

-30-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2012)

Conversation No. 892-9 (cont’d)

Presidential golf balls
-Compared to Lee’s free advice

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:13 am.

Golf balls

-Donald McI. Kendall

-Wilson brand


Request for box of golf balls

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:18 pm.

Golf balls
-Waterholes

Forthcoming State Dinner
-Irish opera singer, Mary Costa
-Prettiness

Presentation of Presidential gifts
-Golf balls

The President et al. left at 12:18 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

892-009b

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