Conversation No. 458-010
Date: February 25, 1971
Time: 5:05 pm - 5:43 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with David M. Kennedy and General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting
Greetings
-Introductions
Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Vietnam
-Travel schedule
-Vietnam
-Indonesia
-Micronesia
An unknown woman [Nellie L. Yates] entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm
-Length of flight
-Length of trip
The unknown woman [Yates] left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Assistance
-Goals of trip
-Economic conditions
-Evaluation
-US officials
-South Vietnamese officials
-Vietnamese economic policy
-Post-withdrawal problems
Page | 16
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-South Vietnamese domestic problems
-Economic policy
United States’ aid program to Vietnam
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Kennedy’s conversation with Thieu
-President’s policy
-Economic aid
-Military aid
-Importance of economic policy
-Compared to Korea
-Economics
-Evaluation
-Ability of South Vietnamese to manage their economy
-Different assessments
-Possible solutions
-US advisory group
-Kennedy
-President’s concern
-Post-withdrawal problems
-Goal of Kennedy’s trip
-Personnel evaluation
-South Vietnamese officials
-Bunker
-President’s fear
-South Vietnamese economy
-Communists
Kennedy’s trip to Vietnam
-Goals
-Haig’s view
-Location of expertise
-[Forename unknown] Cooper
-South Vietnamese officials
-Vietnamese election
-Thieu
-Possible effect of economic policy
-US aid
-State Department
Page | 17
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-US goal
-Economic self-sufficiency
-Ability of South Vietnamese
-United States’ staff in Vietnam
-Economists
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Compared to Korea
-Henry J. Tasca
-Bert S. Cross
-Need for more economic knowledge
-South Vietnamese
-Vietnam
-Corruption
-Vietnamese economy
-World Bank
-International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Asian respect for age
-Bunker
-Possible US economic advisors
-Cross
-Robert C. Tyson
-Possible position
-Geneva Conference role
United States’ economic advice
-Business
-Expertise
-State Department
-Economic expertise
-Maurice H. Stans
-Commercial attaché
-State Department view
-President’s view
-Kennedy’s role
-William P. Rogers
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Importance of economics
-Foreign service
-President’s view
Page | 18
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Indonesia
-Commercial attaché
-Kennedy’s goals
-Evaluation
-American businessmen
Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Micronesia
-Self government
-President’s view
-Kennedy’s forthcoming trip
-Hawaii
-President’s position
-Okinawa
-Haig’s view
-Xenophobia
-Size
-Guam
-Hawaii
-Relationship with United States
-Role of Peace Corps
-Kennedy speeches
-Future
-Welfare
-US aid
Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Hong Kong
-Meeting with Chinese businessmen
-Harold Lee
-Kennedy
-Lee’s views
-Forthcoming cable from the President to Lee
-Background
-J. William Fulbright
Marjorie P. Acker entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm
-Cable from the President
-Rose Mary Woods
Page | 19
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Meeting with Kennedy
-Lee’s views
-US-Chinese relationship
Acker left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm
-Trade
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Taiwan contacts
-Consul General
-Kennedy’s schedule
-Kennedy’s entourage
-Department of Treasury personnel
-Department of State personnel
-Economists
-Linden Johnson (American businessman)
-Possible meeting with Kennedy
Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Far East
-Singapore
-Briefing
-Lee Kuan Yew
-President’s view
-Compared to Malaysia
-Kennedy’s meeting with Yew
-The President
-US-Singapore relations
-Military
-Kennedy’s conversations with foreign leaders
-Report to the President
-Confidentiality
-Reasons
-Military survey team
Kennedy’s possible trip to Thailand
-Kennedy’s conversation with Thai leaders
******************************************************************************
Page | 20
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-020. Segment declassified on 09/17/2018. Archivist: MAS]
[National Security]
[458-010-w001]
[Duration: 15s]
Thailand
-Thai leaders
-President’s suggestion for message to be conveyed
-Senators
-Emphasis on importance of Thailand as ally
******************************************************************************
Thailand
-Possible state visit
-King Bhumibhol Adulyadej
-Visit to White House
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-020. Segment declassified on 09/17/2018. Archivist: MAS]
[National Security]
[458-010-w002]
[Duration: 16s]
Thailand
-Reassurances to Thai leaders
-Importance of US-Thai alliance
******************************************************************************
Thailand
-Weather
Page | 21
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Bali (Indonesia)
Kennedy’s visit to Far East
-Need for relaxation
-Southeast Asian contacts
-L. Johnson
-H. Lee
-Hong Kong
Kennedy’s previous trip to Mexico
-Length of stay
Lockheed-Rolls Royce
-George R. S. Baring [Earl of Cromer]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Kennedy’s involvement
-David Packard’s involvement
-Lockheed
-Latest reports
-Peter G. Peterson
-Kennedy’s involvement
-John B. Connally
-Schedule
Kennedy’s role
-Special assignments
-Forthcoming trip to Far East
-Conversations with foreign leaders
-Report to the President
-Messages
-Confidentiality
The President’s previous visit to Far East
-Japan
-Kennedy
Woods entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm
Cable to L. Johnson
Page | 22
White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Kennedy visit to Hong Kong
Woods left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm
Farewells
Kennedy and Haig left at 5:43 pm