Conversation No. 452-014
Date: February 19, 1971
Time: 1:09 pm - unknown before 1:39 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Cooper Holt, Herbert R. (“Chief”) Rainwater, Donald E. Johnson,
Charles W. Colson, and General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Trip to California
Vietnam War
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Support for administration’s policies
-Laos
-South Vietnamese position
-VFW leader’s trip to Southeast Asia
-United States’ Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Administration’s actions
-Raid on alleged POW camp
-Information on camp
-VFW leader’s trip to Southeast Asia
-Report
-VFW leader’s view
-Negotiations to end war
-Laos and Cambodia
-Release of POWs
-Withdrawal of United States’ troops
-Administration policy
-Vietnamization
-President’s statement
-President’s policy
-United States’ options
-Public discussion
-Military action in Cambodia
-VFW leader’s view
Page | 22
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Effect on United States’ casualties
-Efforts to end the war
-VFW leader’s views
-Paris peace talks
-President’s position
-United States’ military action
-Bombing
-United States’ POWs
-Protests and critics of war
-Laos and Cambodia
-George S. McGovern’s comments
-Domino theory
-Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia
-Philippines
-McGovern’s remarks
-VFW’s press releases
-Protesters
The President’s schedule
-VFW convention
-American Legion convention
-Date and location
-The President’s possible appearance
VFW
-Composition of organization
-Membership
-Veterans
-Racial composition
-Blacks
-Inclusion
-Desegregation
-President’s view
-Inclusion
-Efforts
Composition of armed forces
-Melvin R. Laird
-Views of military service
Page | 23
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Conscientious objectors
-Quakers’ view of war
-President’s World War II service
-Hannah Milhous Nixon
-Comparison to World War II
-Differences
-President’s view
-Effectiveness of draft
-Recruitment efforts
-Attitudes on service by draftees
-Changes since World War II
-Public attitudes
POWs
-Possible legislation
-Retirement
-Physical condition
-Care upon return
-Brigadier General Daniel (“Chappie”) James, Jr.
VFW dinners
-The Vice President
-National convention
-President’s schedule
Veterans
-Jobs for veterans
-Unemployment
-Administration efforts
-Training
-Department of Veterans’ Affairs responsibility
-Johnson
-Blacks
-Qualifications for skilled jobs
-Training
-Department of Labor statistics
-Compilation
-Status
-Comparison to disadvantaged United States’ citizens
Page | 24
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Minority hiring
-President’s policy
-Classification of veterans
-Vietnam veterans
-Department of Labor
-George Meany, James D. Hodgson, and George P. Shultz
-Hospital facility
-Samuel W. Yorty and [Name unintelligible]
-California earthquake
-Resolution on jobs for veterans
-Creation of jobs for categories
-President’s position
-Preferences
-Classifications
-President’s policy
Holt and Rainwater left at 1:38 pm
Johnson’s efforts
Legislation
-Jobs for veterans
-White House statement
-Public relations
-California
-Johnson
Colson, Haig, and Johnson left at an unknown time before 1:39 pm