Conversation No. 723-1

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  10:03 am - 10:04 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger,

Soviet trade delegation
-Seating arrangements
-Meeting with the President
-Length

Kissinger left at 10:04 am.

Conversation No. 723-2

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 10:04 am and before 10:06 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

Alexander M. Haig. Jr.
-Telephone call
-Time
-Purpose

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:06 am.

Conversation No. 723-3
Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  10:06-10:07 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

Soviet trade delegation
-Press picture
-Ziegler's presence
-Size of group

Ziegler left at 10:07 am.

Conversation No. 723-4

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 10:07 am and before 10:08 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

Gifts to Soviet representatives
-Cuff links
-Time to present

Meeting with Soviet representatives
-Time

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:08 pm.

Conversation No. 723-5

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  10:08-11:01 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Nikolay S. Patolichev, Anatoliy F. Dobrynin, Peter G. Peterson, Henry A. Kissinger, and Peter M. Flanigan; the White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

Greetings

President's knowledge of Russian

President's forthcoming Soviet trip
-Russian language

Photographs
-Seating arrangements

Dobrynin

Interpreter

US-Soviet Union relations
-Trade
-Peterson's report
			-Previous meetings between Kissinger and Leonid I. Brezhnev, Kissinger and Dobrynin

Photographs
-Arrangements
-Copies

[Photograph session]

Russian language
-Compared with Polish

Seating

Soviet Union
-Meetings with the President
-Patolichev report to Politburo
-Central Committee
-The President’s view
-Trade relations with US
-Peterson’s meetings with Patolichev
-Expansion
-New era
-Discussion between US and Soviet officials
-Peterson
-Meetings with Maurice H. Stans
-Patolichev
-Dealings with Peterson
-Benefits
-Economic relations
-Expansion
-Recent figures
-Obstacles
-Most Favored Nations [MFN] status for Soviet Union
-Importance
-Political problems in US
-Other nations
	-Patolichev
	-Report to Central Committee
	-Value of US trip
-Economic relations
-Credit
-Current problems
-Benefits
-Expansion
-Current problems
-Soviet problems
-Resolution of problems
-Reciprocity
-Foreign trade
-Cost of machinery
-Need for credit
-Machinery
-Imports
-Amount of credit
-Credit in foreign countries
-France
-Italy
-West Germany
-Great Britain
-Japan
-Amounts
-Bargaining
-Oil pipelines
-Gas pipelines
-Copper ore
-Problems
-Private solutions
	-Example of Far East seaport
	-Construction
-Credit for Soviet Union
-Orders for goods
-Effect on US-Soviet trade
-Economic relations with US
-President's trip to Soviet Union
-Kissinger's meeting with Brezhnev
-Grain trade
-Terms
-Credit for Soviet Union
-Agricultural problems
-Patolichev's view
-Current conditions
-Frost in Siberia
-Seasons
-Patolichev's work during World War II
-Location
-Credit for Soviet Union
-Grain
-Purchases by Soviet Union
-Exports
-Amounts
-Costs
-Future trade
-Problems
-US-Soviet resolution
-Credits
-Terms
-President's comments
-President's approval of previous meetings
-Patolichev, Earl L. Butz, Stans, and Peterson
-Kissinger, Brezhnev and Dobrynin

US-Soviet relations
		-World War II alliance
			-Cooperation among leadership
-Military might
-Economic strength
-Differences
	-Philosophy
	-Areas of conflict
	-Resolution
-Future relations
	-Reciprocity
	-Trade development
-Long-term interests
-Resolution of differences
	-Objectives
	-Tactics
-US-Soviet Union Summit
-Significance
-Soviet leadership and people
-President’s respect
-President’s meetings with Brezhnev
-Goals
-Future cooperation
-Export-Import [Ex-Im] Bank credits
-MFN status
	-Congressional approval
	-President’s position
-Differences
	-Resolution
	-Mutual interests
-Long-range goals
	-Economic relations
	-Distractions
		-Areas of conflict
	-Economic agreement
		-Importance
	-President’s meeting with Brezhnev
	-President’s authority
-Patolichev's report to Brezhnev and other leaders
-A joint commission

Gifts
-Cuff links
-President’s seal

Artifacts in Oval Office
-Walter H. Annenberg's gift [“Star of the President”]
-Steuben glass design
-Crewelwork by Julie Nixon Eisenhower

Patolichev, et al., left at 11:01 am.

Conversation No. 723-6

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 11:01 am and before 11:02 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

Signatures

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 11:02 am.

Conversation No. 723-7

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  11:02-11:21 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

	President's previous meeting with Nikolay S. Patolichev
-Ziegler's statement
-Meeting description
-Trade relations
-Agriculture
-Industrial products

Vietnam
-Blockade
-President's decision
-Press commentary

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:02 am.

President's previous meeting with Soviet trade representatives
-Ziegler's briefing
-Soviet summit
-Questions

Refreshment order

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:08 am.

President's previous meeting with Soviet trade representatives
-Ziegler's statement
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s suggestion
-Bilateral discussions
-Arms limitation
-Trade 

-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Purpose of meeting
-Trade
-Wording of statement
	-Progress
	-Trade expansion
-Vietnam discussion
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 11:08 am.

-Wording of statement
	-Kissinger’s view
-Brezhnev, Aleksei N. Kosygin, Maurice H. Stans
-Exchange of representatives
-Vietnam topic
-Ziegler's comment
	-Soviet Summit
-New announcements
-Significance for North Vietnam

Ziegler left at 11:10 am.

Soviet summit
-Poland’s prediction
-Significance
-Kissinger’s call to Jerzy Michalowski
-President’s meeting with Patolichev and Dobrynin
-US-Soviet relations
-President’s comments on World War II alliance
-Winston S. Churchill’s experience
-Kissinger’s meeting with Brezhnev
-Adolph Hitler
-Kissinger’s call to Michalowski
-Ships in Haiphong
-Polish response
-Significance
-President’s trip
-Likelihood of cancellation
-Press comments
-Alarmist
-Ziegler’s reports
-The President’s view

Vietnam
-Blockade
-President’s letters to Brezhnev and Chou En-lai
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] statement
-Tone
-Wording
-Message to Chou En-lai
	-US goals
-PRC statement
-Restraint
-Soviet statement
-Wording
-PRC statement
-Kissinger’s view
-Press reaction
-Soviet summit
-Political repercussions
-Press
-Democrats
-Agreements
-Benefits for president
-Blockade
-Decision 
	-Kissinger’s view
-Kissinger staff's assessment
-William P. Rogers
-Soviet summit
-President’s previous decision
-Risks
-Election
-Soviet response
-Motives
-Previous decisions
-Cambodia
-India-Pakistan war
	-Risks
-Soviet summit
-Likelihood of Cancellation
-North Vietnam offensive
-Military region one
-B-52 strike
-Time
-Extent
-Location
-South Vietnam marine landing
-Number
-World War I and II
-President’s expertise
-Suggestion for Haig and military
-Tanks
-Use in World War I
-US tanks
-Use in South Vietnam
	-The President’s suggestion
-An loc
-B-52 attacks
-Time
-Impact
						-Forthcoming Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] meeting
						-Kissinger’s view
-Hue
-Use of President's suggestions
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Soviet summit
-President’s preparations
-Kissinger meeting with Dobrynin
-Likelihood of Cancellation
-Kissinger’s view
-Previous meeting with Patolichev
-Significance
-President's preparations

Kissinger left at 11:21 am.

Conversation No. 723-8

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 11:21 am until 11:22 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with an unknown person.

President's schedule
-Executive Office Building [EOB]

The President and the unknown person left at 11:22 am.

Conversation No. 723-9

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 3:03 pm and 3:09 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President talked with an unknown person.

An unknown person’s return
	-Return call

Conversation No. 723-10

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  3:09 pm - 3:24 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

Vietnam
	-Soviet Union response to the blockade
	-Kissinger’s previous meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
	-Leonid I. Brezhnev message
	-Content
	-Meanings
	-Wording
	-Major point
	-Soviet ships
	-US attacks
	-Interference
	-Kissinger’s reassurance

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 3:09 pm.

Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 3:24 pm.

US-Soviet Union relations
-Brezhnev's message
-Soviet Summit
-Reply by Dobrynin
-US statements
-German Treaty
-Dobrynin references
-US position
-Soviet Summit
-Cancellation
-Timing
-Likelihood
	-Kissinger’s view
-Dobrynin's assessment of diplomatic moves
-President's letter
-Comparison to Cuban missile crisis
-Public statements
-President's peace proposals
-Soviet Summit
-Impact on North Vietnam

Vietnam
-North Vietnamese offensive
-US countermeasures
-Effect
-President's trip to Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip to Peking
-Blockade
-Press response
-Ronald L. Ziegler's report
	-World War III predictions
-President's meeting with Nikolay S. Patolichev
-Significance
-Politburo decision
-Mining
-US air strikes
-Cessation in Hanoi and Haiphong
-Time
	-Damage
-Timing
	-Soviet Summit 
-Soviet ships
-Instructions to Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Reason
-Soviet Response
	-Soviet Summit
-Demonstrations
-Inspiration
-William P. Rogers
-Forthcoming meeting with the President
-Time
-Substance
-Peace proposals
-Instructions for Rogers
-Comments before Soviet Summit
			-Soviet Summit
			-Rogers's knowledge of Polish response

President's forthcoming meeting with Rogers
-Time
-Substance of discussion
-Soviet response to blockade
-State Department
-Statement
-Release
-Time

Vietnam
-Blockade
-Soviet response
-Tone
-US response to Soviet note
-Timing
-Delivery
-Study
-Dobrynin
-Attitude
-Soviet Summit
-Dobrynin's stake
-Kissinger's forthcoming meeting with Dobrynin
-Soviet note
-US response
-Time
-German Treaties
-Ratification
-Soviet moves
-Time
-Cancellation
-Likelihood
	-Kissinger’s view
-Polish response
-Interpretation
-Timing
-Press response
-German Treaty vote

President's meeting with Rogers

Kissinger left at 3:24 pm.

Conversation No. 723-11

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 3:24 pm and before 3:25 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

President's schedule
-Meeting with William P. Rogers
-Time
-Meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
-Camp David helicopter
-Time
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:25 pm.

Conversation No. 723-12

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  3:25pm - 3:39 pm
Location:  Oval Office

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

Meeting with William P. Rogers
-Time
	-Henry A. Kissinger

Manolo Sanchez
-Health
-Schedule
	-Key Biscayne

Vietnam
-Blockade
-President's meeting with Rogers
-Rogers's public statements
-Peace offer
-Kissinger’s view
-President's line
-Rogers's line
-Melvin R. Laird's line
-Administration's stance
-Prisoners of war [POWs] wives
-Forthcoming events
-Locations
	-Boston, Richmond, Washington
-President's presence
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
-Press reaction
-Congressional strategy
-Clark MacGregor's recommendation
-Sense of Congress resolution
-Similarity to Clifford P. Case-Frank F. Church Amendment
-Fund cutoff
-Timing
-Advantages for administration
-Kissinger's advice
-Instructions to Haldeman
-MacGregor
-"Hawks"
-President's goals
-South Vietnamese morale
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Effect of Congressional actions
-Congressional actions
-Administration actions
-Case-Church Amendment
-John Sherman Cooper-Church Amendment
-Resolution to cut off funds
-Administration response
-Kissinger's advice
-President's decision
-Time
-Rogers meeting
-Delay
-Blockade
-Thomas W. Benham poll results
-Difference between student demonstrators and general
 public
-Demonstrations
-Administration response
-Minnesota
-President's meeting with Rogers
-Haldeman's and Kissinger's presence
-Press conference
-Haldeman’s forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
-Strategy with Congress
-Lyndon B. Johnson's policies
-Concern for Senate, Soviet Union
-Congress
-Administration stance
-Blockade
-Press response
-Alarmism
-Ronald L. Ziegler's report
	-Fear of World War III
-Laos
-Cambodia
-People's Republic of China [PRC]

Haldeman left at 3:39 pm.

Conversation No. 723-17

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  3:39 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 24-79]

Conversation No. 723-13

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 3:39 pm and 3:40 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President talked with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon.

[See Conversation No. 24-80; one item has been withdrawn from this conversation]

Conversation No. 723-14

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  Unknown after 3:40 pm and before 3:45 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

President's trip to Camp David
-Arrangements for secretarial services

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 3:45 pm.

Conversation No. 723-15

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  3:45-3:51 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

Woods's location
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo

President's schedule
-Camp David
-Departure time

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  42s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**********************************************************************

-Manolo Sanchez
-President's previous visit
-Sanchez's response
-Sanchez's health
	-Knee operation
	-Recovery time
	-Possible trip to Florida

Vietnam
-Blockade
-Elmer H. Bobst's letter
-Support for the President
-Support for peace
-Walter Williams
-President's speech
-Message to the President
-Public support
-Public support for the President

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal-Returnable]
[Duration:  41s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**********************************************************************

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:45 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with William P. Rogers
	-Rogers’s arrival
	-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s attendance
	-Arrival

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:51 pm.

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  2m 7s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

**********************************************************************

Soviet Summit
-President's attitude
	-Possible cancellation

President's meeting with Rogers
-Instructions to Woods
-Bull

Woods left at 3:51 pm.

Conversation No. 723-16

Date:  May 11, 1972
Time:  3:51-4:44 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

Greetings

Weather
-Lack of privacy for the President
-Lyndon B. Johnson's greeting tourists

Vietnam
-Rogers's statements
-Business Council
-Forum
-Support for the President
-Peter G. Peterson
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Problems in getting support
-Plans
-Similarity to subcabinet meeting
-Response
-Difficulty of decision to blockade
-Political risks
-Effect on business market morale

-Need to support the President
	-Peterson and Flanigan’s roles
-Congressional testimony
-Timing
-Kissinger
-Melvin R. Laird
-Press conference
-Timing
-Reason
-Soviet Summit
-President's meeting with Nikolay S. Patolichev
-Significance
-Politburo awareness
-Polish message
-President's suspicions
-Parallel to John F. Kennedy and Cuban missile crisis
	-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-President's meeting with Patolichev
-Substance of discussions
-Vietnam
-Ronald L. Ziegler's questions
-Length
						-Previous discussion by Patolichev with Peterson, Maurice H. Stans
-Patolichev's statements
	-The President’s view
-Peterson
-Flanigan
-Control of Peterson and Earl L. Butz
-Possible change in Soviet policy
-Bank credits
-Most Favored Nation [MFN] status
-Official statements compared with action
-Soviet response to the President's letter
-Official Response
-US response
-Delay
-Interim response
		-Soviet statement
		-Tenor
			-Richard M. Helms’s view
-Alfred L. Atherton draft
-Distribution by Ziegler, Robert J. McCloskey
	-Soviet statement
		-Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union [TASS]
-Coordination between Rogers and Kissinger
-Timing
-Soviet Statement
-Method of distribution
-Motives
-Summit cancellation
-Timing
-Risks
-Challenge to blockade
-Soviet statements
-US official's response
-Media reports
-Leaks
-White House sources
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Check of Kissinger's office
-John A. Scali
-Ziegler
-National Security Council [NSC] staff
-Robert B. Semple story in New York Times
-NSC meeting details
-Kissinger, John B. Connally
-Handling of leaks
-Official comments
-State Department
-President's schedule
-Camp David
-United Nations [UN] Security Council action
-Soviet Union, People's Republic of China [PRC] positions
-Incidents at sea
-Negotiations with Soviets
-Department of Defense [DOD] position
-John W. Warner
-Soviet ships
-US ships and aircraft proximity to Soviet ships
-Limitations on US forces' overflight
-Problems
-Intelligence units’ position
-Negotiations With Soviets
	-Dangers
-Delay
	-Paper For The President
-Negotiations
-Indochina
-Ceasefire
-Other parties
-Cambodia, Laos
-Blockade
-British statement
-Pierre E. Trudeau's statement
-Belgian statement
-Malaysian statement
-Negotiations
-Geneva-type convention
	-Participants
-British
-French
-Soviets
-PRC
-US
-Laos
-Cambodia
-North and South Vietnam
	-Timing
	-British proposal
	-Sir Alec Douglas-Home
	-Soviet response
	-PRC
	-US stance
-Soviet Summit
	-President's previous offers
	-Details
	-Laird
	-Public comments
	-Soviet Summit discussions
	-1954 Geneva Convention
	-Issue
	-Ceasefire
-Guidelines
	-Soviet response to Geneva-type conference
	-Paris negotations
	-Limitations
	-Scope of conference
	-Laos
	-Cambodia
	-British proposal
	-Possible response
	-Rogers's and Kissinger's advice
	-1954 conference
	-French role
	-Study of proposal
	-British initiative compared with French initiative
	-US response
	-Previous negotiations
-Supporters in Congress
-John C. Stennis
-Funds termination
-Current proposal
-President's terms
-White House reaction to funds cut-off proposals
-Possible effects of cutoff
	-Ceasefire
	-Withdrawal of US troops
	-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Timing
-Negotiations
-President's stance
-Actions in Congress
-Problems for South Vietnam
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-President's proposals
-Congressional proposals
-Problems
-Blockade
-President's decision
	-Potential opposition
	-Effect on South Vietnam
-Support for President's peace proposals
-Stennis and Robert C. Byrd's stance
-Public statements
-Wording
-Clifford P. Case-Frank F. Church amendment
-Stennis's position
-Byrd proposal
-Congressional action
-Sense of Congress resolution
-Provisions
-Support for President
-President's concerns
-Public opinion
-Negotiating position
-House Armed Services Committee
-Need for Congressional appropriations
-Delay in White House response
-Stennis and Byrd
-Importance
-Public statements
-Adm Thomas H. Moorer [?]
-Instructions to Haldeman for White House staff
-Laird
-Military action
-Plans for weekend
-Railroads
-Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants [POL]
-B-52 strikes
-Number in South Vietnam
	-An Loc
	-Kontum
-An Loc
-Kontum
-Plans for future
-Haiphong
-Soviet ships
-Railroads
-POL
-Power plants
-Washington Special Action Group [WSAG] discussions
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Limitations
-B-52s strikes
-Public support
-Erosion over time
-Effect on North Vietnam
-Congressional action
-Time
-Threat to negotiations
-Danger to Summit
-Message to Congress from White House
-Effect on President's negotiations
-Incentives to North Vietnam

Rogers left at 4:27 pm.

Vietnam
-A Geneva-type conference
-Kissinger's assessment
-British, French, Cambodian, Soviet, and Chinese roles
-Congressional action
-Stennis
-Blockade
-Public support
-Congressional support
-Press comments
-Soviet Summit
-Congressional resolution effect
-Timing of Patolichev's visit
-NBC news report
-Distribution
-Jerrold L. Schecter's comment
-Dobrynin
-Rogers's comments
-Kissinger’s view
-Cancellation
-Timing
-German treaties
-Public support for the President in event of cancellation
-Timing
-Damage to Soviets
-Timing
-Leonid I. Brezhnev note
-Rogers's knowledge
-Tenor
-Soviet ships
-US guidelines
-Dobrynin letter
-Interpretations
-Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Soviet Summit
-Parallel to John F. Kennedy and Cuban missile crisis
-Cancellation
-Timing
	-German treaties
-Soviet actions
-Possible scenarios
-Press campaigns
-Demonstrations in US
-Effectiveness
-Soviet Summit
-Soviet response
-Tone
-Cancellation
-Kissinger's expectations
-Press reports
-Rogers's report about leaks
-Connally at NSC meeting
-Leaks
			-Rogers's knowledge
-Marvin L. Kalb story
-Sources
-White House
-State Department
-Content
-Stories on Summit
	-Kalb story
	-Ziegler
-Soviet Summit
-Cancellation
-Time
-Likelihood
-Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Advance party in Moscow
-Preparations
-Cancellation
-Timing
-Likelihood
-Blockade
-Press relations
-Connally
-White House staff
-Strategy for Congress
-Kissinger’s forthcoming call to Stennis
-Appeal for support
-Congress
-Role in foreign policy
-Support for President
-Church
-Motives
-Blockade
-North Vietnam response
-Necessity for US
-North Vietnamese offensive
-South Vietnam collapse
-The President’s efforts
-Likelihood
-North Vietnam collapse
-Likelihood
-An Loc
-Capture of North Vietnamese commander
-Interrogation in Saigon
-Similarity to The Godfather
-Soviet Summit
-Patolichev
-Kissinger’s view
-NBC
			-Dobrynin

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 4:41 pm.

Haldeman left at 4:43 pm.

Trip to Camp David

The President, Kissinger and Butterfield left at 4:44 pm.