Office of the Historian

57. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) for the President’s File1 2

Washington, November 30, 1972, 10:15 a.m.
[Page 1]

SUBJECT:

  • The President’s Meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff

PARTICIPANTS:

  • President Nixon
  • Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • Melvin R. Laird, Secretary of Defense
  • Kenneth Rush, Deputy Secretary of Defense
  • Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, USN, Chief of Naval Operations
  • General Creighton W. Abrams, Chief of Staff, Army
  • General Robert E. Cushman, Jr., USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps
  • General Horace M. Wade, USAF, Vice Chief of Air Staff
[Page 2]

[Omitted here is material unrelated to Latin America]

The President then turned briefly to the subject of Latin America and stated that he would like to have a reevaluation of our policy. The United States has erred seriously in its programs there. We permit and even invited the French and others to get back in with their military programs. The Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America will be departing. We want U.S. military programs back in Latin America. Admiral Moorer agreed, noting that the British, the Germans and the French have not only entered with military equipment but that this has given them additional economic leverage throughout Latin America. The President continued that the Latins want American [Page 3] equipment. Admiral Zumwalt noted that one foreign power even bribed a Latin country with $1 Million which they could then use to buy that country’s equipment.

[Omitted here is material unrelated to Latin America.]

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 862, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)–China Trip/Vietnam, Camp David Memos, September–December 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting lasted until 11:34 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)↩
  2. In a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, President Nixon indicated he wanted more U.S. military assistance for Latin America.↩