107. Minutes of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–116, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 1–3–72 to 7–24–72. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. All brackets are in the original.

108. Paper Prepared in the Department of Defense

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–77–0094, 385, Viet (May 1–15, 1972). No classification marking. Secretary Laird probably saw this point paper since documents on Vietnam generally and routinely crossed his desk. Moreover, the three handwritten sentences referred to in footnotes 2, 3, and 4 are in the hand of Laird’s military assistant, Major General Pursley. A key adviser to Laird on the war in Southeast Asia, Pursley drafted many of the Secretary’s important memoranda and correspondence on Vietnam. Therefore, it is likely that he drafted the paper (or supervised its drafting) and that Laird saw it. All brackets are in the original.

109. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 864, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David Memcons, May–October 1972 [5 of 5]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at 11 Rue Darthe, the North Vietnamese residence in Paris.

110. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 854, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David, Vol. XIII. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.

111. Editorial Note

112. Memorandum From John D. Negroponte of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 23, Chronological File, 22 Apr.–31 May 1972. Secret; Sensitive. The memorandum is on White House stationery but both Negroponte and Kissinger were in Paris.

113. Summary of Conclusions of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–116, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 1–3–72 to 7–24–72. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

114. Telephone Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation 23–114. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portion of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume.

115. Minutes of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–116, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 1–3–72 to 7–24–72. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

116. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 56, Geopolitical File, Vietnam, Situation Reports, Feb.–July 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.

117. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 14, Chronological File, May 1–5, 1972. No classification marking. The transcript is printed in full in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XIV, Soviet Union, October 1971–May 1972, Document 191.

118. Message From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Abrams) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer) and the Commander in Chief, Pacific (McCain)

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Records of Thomas Moorer, Box 62, COMUSMACV General Service Messages, March 1972. Top Secret; Flash; Specat; Exclusive. When he attended the WSAG meeting at the White House the morning of May 4, Moorer brought Abrams’s and McCain’s messages with him (the latter’s message is cited in footnote 2). In an 11:28 a.m. conversation with Rush he said: “While we were away those two messages I showed you from Abrams and McCain? Pursley came down and ordered my Exec not to send them over to the White House. Of course, I had already taken them over. My orders from the President are all evaluations from the Field Commanders are to be sent to the White House. I did not see anything extraordinary about it but Pursley said that the SecDef is pleased with the messages because he did not think strikes should go anyway but did not want them to go to the White House. I am probably going to get a blast but I don’t care.” (Moorer Diary, May 4; National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman)

119. Minutes of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–116, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 1–3–72 to 7–24–72. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. All brackets, except those that indicate the omission of material, are in the original.

120. Diary Entry by the Assistant to the President (Haldeman)

Source: Haldeman Diaries: Multimedia Edition. Also printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XIV, Soviet Union, October 1971–May 1972, Document 192.

121. Editorial Note

122. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to South Vietnam (Bunker)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 44, Geopolitical File, Vietnam, Cables, 3 Apr–15 Jun 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only.

123. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation 720–4. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portions of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. The transcript is part of a larger conversation, 8:55–10:09 a.m. Portions are printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XIV, Soviet Union, October 1971–May 1972, Document 196.

124. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 45, Geopolitical File Vietnam, Easter Offensive, 1971–1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office. The time of the meeting on the original, 11:30, is incorrect; according to Kissinger’s Record of Schedule, it began at 10:31 and ended at 11:15 a.m. (Ibid., Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76)

125. Conversation Among President Nixon, the Assistant to the President (Haldeman), and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation 720–19. No classification marking. The editors transcribed the portions of the tape recording printed here specifically for this volume. The transcript is part of a larger conversation, 12:44–1:59 p.m.

126. Editorial Note

127. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Office Files, Box 146, US Domestic Agency Files, 1972 Offensive Misc. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Also printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XIV, Soviet Union, October 1971–May 1972, Document 199.

128. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to South Vietnam (Bunker)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 241, Geopolitical File, Vietnam, Cables, January 1970–December 1974. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Drafted on May 6.

129. Memorandum From President Nixon to the Assistant to the President (Haldeman)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, President’s Personal Files, Box 75, May 8, 1972 Vietnam Speech [2 of 2]. No classification marking.

130. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer) and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig)

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Moorer Diary, July 1970–July 1974. Top Secret.