158–4

Conversation No. 158-4

Date: December 28, 1972
Time: 9:41 pm - 10:47 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

[See Conversation No. 237-7]

Vietnam War
-Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Notification
-William P. Rogers
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Rogers’s location
-Bahamas
-Rush
-Orders
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Rush
-Messages
-Timing
-Possible leak
-Moorer
-Rush
-Rogers
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Announcement
-The President’s and Gerald L. Warren’s location
-Camp David
 -3-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)

Conversation No. 158-4 (cont’d)

-Compared to Washington, DC
-Tone
-Negotiations
-November 1972 round
-White House
-Television [TV]
-Warren
-North Vietnam’s position
-Negotiations
-November round
-White House
-Notification of supporters
-Timing
-Announcement
-Effect
-John C. Stennis
-Tone
-William E. Timmons
-Office
-Concerns
-Forthcoming negotiations
-Tone
-Announcement
-Reading
-Warren
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Leaks
-Howard K. Smith
-Promises
-Timing
-Announcement
-Notification
-Johnson
-Rush
-Moorer
-Leaks
-Moorer
-Timing
-Rush
 -4-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)

Conversation No. 158-4 (cont’d)

-Rogers
-State Department
-Richard M. Helms
-Location
-Mexico
-The President’s attempt to contact
-Middle East oil
-Effect
-Announcement
-Interpretation
-Effect
-Interpretation
-The President’s conversation with Col. Richard T. Kennedy
-Warren’s press conference
-Parameters
-Written answers
-“No comment” instruction
-North Vietnam
-“No comment” instruction
-Interpretation
-Question
-Answer
-Kennedy
-Delivery to Warren
-Timing
-Timing
-North Vietnam
-Negotiations
-North Vietnam’s rhetoric
-Restraint
-Kissinger’s statement
-US statements
-Press relations
-Liberals’ view of bombing
-Effect
-Congressional relations
-Time table
-Reconvention
-Kissinger’s schedule
 -5-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)

Conversation No. 158-4 (cont’d)

-Departure for Paris
-Meeting with Le Duc Tho
-The President’s schedule
-Possible meeting with leaders
-Timing
-Domestic agenda
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Reconvention
-Republicans
-Meeting with Michael J. Mansfield
-Kissinger’s schedule
-The President’s schedule
-1972 election
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Hugh Scott
-Briefing
-The President’s schedule
-Announcement
-Briefing of leaders
-Domestic matters
-J. William Fulbright
-Stennis
-F. Edward Herbert
-The President’s schedule
-Domestic matters, foreign relations
-Kissinger’s telephone call
-Mansfield’s location
-Montana
-Congressional relations
-[Thomas] Hale Bogg’s memorial service
-Harry S. Truman’s memorial service
-Departure for Paris
-The President’s schedule
-Domestic matters
-North Vietnam’s position
-Resumption of talks
-Deadline
-Timing
-Delay
 -6-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-08)

Conversation No. 158-4 (cont’d)

-Le Duc Tho’s departure for Paris
-North Vietnam-Soviet Union relations
-Kissinger’s conversation with Anatoliy F.
Dobrynin
-Le Duc Tho’s health
-Offer of Soviet Union doctor
-US position
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger
-The President’s bombing decision
-Effect on negotiations
-Significance
-Effect on negotiations
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-North Vietnam
-Timing
-Previous US bombing
-Conditions
-Media relations
-Possible resumption of US bombing
-Effect
-Critics’ uncertainty
-Congressional relations
-Mansfield
-Telephone call from Kissinger
-Negotiations
-Sensitivity
-The President’s schedule
-Meeting with leaders
-Domestic matters