China, 1969


31. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL CHICOMUS. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Stoessel. The meeting was held in the White House. Although Stoessel’s memorandum notes that the meeting began at 3 p.m., the President’s Daily Diary indicates that the President, Kissinger, and Stoessel met from 3:15 to 4:05 p.m. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files) According to another copy of the memorandum, Stoessel forwarded it through the Executive Secretariat to Kissinger on September 20. (Ibid., NSC Files, Box 519, Country Files, Far East, China, Vol. III)


32. Minutes of the Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–114, WSAG Minutes, Originals, 1969–1970. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. Drafted by Colonel Robert M. Behr who forwarded the minutes through Haig to Kissinger on September 22. (Ibid.)


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidental Materials, NSC Files, Box 710, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. V. Secret. According to a handwritten notation, the memorandum was returned from the President on October 6. Sonnenfeldt forwarded an attached report to Kissinger on September 12. Kissinger then requested that a memorandum be prepared for Nixon. Attached but not printed is a 3-page “CIA Analysis of the KosyginChou Meeting” that served as the basis for this memorandum.


34. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China and Commander, U.S. Taiwan Defense Command

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 6–2 US. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Froebe (EA/ROC); cleared by Sloss (J/PM), Captain Hayward (Office of the Under Secretary of the Navy), Rear Admiral Behrens (CNO, Ops–61), Colonel Mayland (Joint Staff, J–5), Colonel Karrick (ISA/PP), Rear Admiral Shepard (ISA/EAPR), Dr. Doolin (DASD/EAPR), Green, U. Alexis Johnson, and Kissinger; and approved by Shoesmith (EA/ROC). Repeated to CNO, CINCPAC, CINCPACFLT, and CHMAAG Taipei.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 337, Subject Files, HAK/Richardson Meetings, May 1969–December 1969. Confidential. Sent for information.


36. Minutes of the Senior Review Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–111, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1969–1970. Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. NSC staff member Jeanne Davis forwarded the minutes to Kissinger on October 7, under a covering memorandum in which she noted that Sonnenfeldt had reviewed and approved them. A notation on the covering memorandum indicates Kissinger saw it.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 337, Subject Files, HAK/Richardson Meetings, May 1969–December 1969. Secret. Sent for action.


38. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 518, Country Files, Far East, China, Vol. I. Secret. Sent for action. Concurred in by Hyland. A notation on the memorandum indicates Kissinger saw it on October 10.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 623, Country Files, Middle East, Pakistan, Vol. I. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. According to a handwritten and stamped notation, the memorandum was returned from the President on October 28.


40. Draft Response to National Security Study Memorandum 63

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–040, Review Group Meeting, Sino Soviet Differences, 11/20/69. Secret. For drafting information, see footnote 3, Document 15.


41. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Nutter) to the Chairman of the Senior Review Group (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–040, Review Group Meeting, Sino Soviet Differences, 11/20/69. Secret.


42. National Intelligence Estimate

Source: National Archives, RG 59, INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 99, National Intelligence Estimates, NIE 13–8/1–69. Top Secret; Controlled Dissem. According to a notation on the covering sheet, the Central Intelligence Agency and intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense, AEC, and NSA participated in the preparation of this estimate. All members of the USIB concurred with the estimate on October 30 except for the representative from the FBI, who abstained on the grounds that the subject was outside his jurisdiction. For the full text of this NIE, see Tracking the Dragon, p. 678. See also the earlier version of this estimate, Document 7, and a related report, Document 168.


43. Washington Special Actions Group Report

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 411, National Security Council Contingency Plans. Top Secret. This is the final version of the report discussed in various WSAG and SRG meetings (Documents 29, 32, and 36). The Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff served as coordinator of the report. Even as revisions were being made, Holdridge wrote: “At the time it was begun, the prospects of a clash between Moscow and Peking seemed greater than they are today—perhaps the Soviets were actively considering taking some form of action, but now have resolved not to do so, or to defer pending the outcome of the talks in Peking.” Holdridge also noted that the paper discussed short-term actions and was compatible with NSSM 63, which focused on longer term issues. He suggested that the Department of State’s Policy Planning Council keep the study current. (Memorandum from Holdridge to Colonel Behr of the NSC Staff, October 20; ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–071, WSAG Meeting, 10/21/69, Middle East/Sino-Soviet/Berlin.) For more information about the organization and activities of the Policy Planning Staff during the first Nixon administration, see William I. Cargo and Margaret L. Cargo, Wherever the Road Leads: A Memoir (Published by William and Margaret Cargo, 1997), chapter 21, “Again Washington—Directing the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff (1969–1972).”


44. Memorandum for the President—Evening Report

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 13, President’s Daily Brief. Secret. An Evening Report memorandum was forwarded daily to the President under the signature of the Secretary or the Under Secretary. The reports discussed overseas developments as well as budget issues and congressional relations. The information was sometimes placed into the daily briefing memorandum for the President produced by NSC staff under Kissinger’s signature, but the President rarely read the Department of State’s Evening Report itself.


45. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 751, Presidential Correspondence File, Republic of China, President Chiang Kai-shek. Secret. A notation on the memorandum indicates Kissinger saw it. The document was date-stamped “Nov 17 1969.” No record of this conversation has been found.


46. Memorandum From Roger Morris of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–040, Review Group Meeting, Sino-Soviet Differences, 11/20/69. Secret. Sent for information. Morris sent the memorandum to Kissinger through Robert Osgood of the NSC staff. A handwritten notation on the first page notes that copies were sent to Sonnenfeldt, Watts, Holdridge, and Kennedy. Attached was another copy of the first page of this memorandum, upon which Kissinger wrote: “But basically this is Option C–2, or is that wrong? HK.”


47. Minutes of the Senior Review Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–111, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1969–1970. Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. Davis forwarded the minutes to Kissinger on November 25 under a covering memorandum, in which she noted that Sonnenfeldt and Holdridge had reviewed them. (Ibid.) Cargo also prepared a short report on this meeting. (Ibid., RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, National Security Files, NSSM 63)


48. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 700, Country Files, Europe, Poland, Vol. I, Warsaw Talks up to 1/31/70. Secret; Nodis. Sent for action. According to another copy of the memorandum, it was drafted by Grant on November 21. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Chronological File, Box CL 3, Folder: November 17–30, 1969)


49. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL CHICOMUS. Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. Kreisberg drafted the memorandum on October 6 and sent it under Green’s signature to Richardson. On October 23 Winthrop Brown and Morton Abramowitz asked for a shorter, “punchier” version. (Ibid.) In a November 22 memorandum to Rogers, Richardson wrote: “it is very important to move on the attached package right away.” He hoped that the measures could be carried out by the end of the year. Richardson emphasized that “Sino-Soviet border talks are still going on. It might prove difficult to move ahead with these measures if the talks break down.” He also wanted the measures implemented prior to Chiang Ching-Kuo’s visit in 1970 and pointed out that “Congress will be moving out for its Christmas recess and our consultation problems will be much reduced.” (Ibid.) Green revised the memorandum and forwarded it to Rogers on December 1. He attached a covering memorandum, in which he noted that the memorandum to Nixon had been changed to reflect Rogers’ request to delineate more clearly between actions that could be taken immediately and actions that would wait for the resumption of Sino-American talks in Warsaw. (Ibid.)


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 751, Presidential Correspondence File, Republic of China, President Chiang Kai-shek. Secret; Limdis. Sent for action. Kissinger’s handwritten comment on the memorandum reads: “Send out.” A November 24 covering memorandum from Holdridge to Kissinger contains a short, handwritten comment by Kissinger: “Can’t we go a little farther on the F–4’s—Laird has indicated a willingness to proceed.” (Ibid.)


51. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 711, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. VI. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information.


52. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 520, Country Files, Far East, China, Vol. IV. Secret; Exdis. The meeting was held at Chiang’s residence in Shih Lin. Drafted by McConaughy on December 30, passed to Green, who then forwarded it to Kissinger, who in turn sent it to the President. Kissinger wrote, “it would appear that McConaughy faithfully reproduced your ideas to President Chiang.” Kissinger added that he had authorized Green to “make limited dissemination of the MemCon in State, on a need-to-know basis, in the belief that the document will have a useful educational effect in acquainting the appropriate officers in State as to the tone and thrust of your China policy.” (Memorandum from Kissinger to Nixon, February 17; ibid.)


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 700, Country Files, Europe, Poland, Vol. I Warsaw Talks up to 1/31/70. Secret; Nodis; Eyes Only. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1031, Files for the President—China Material, Exchanges Leading up to HAK Trip to China—December 1969–July 1971. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1031, Files for the President—China Material, Exchanges Leading up to HAK’s Trip to China— December 1969–July 1971. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Saunders forwarded this memorandum to Kissinger on December 24 for transmittal to the President.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1006. Alexander M. Haig Chronological File, Sino-Soviet Relations. Secret; Sensitive. Notations on the memorandum indicate that it was to be taken to San Clemente and that the President saw it.