Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IX, Vietnam, October 1972–January 1973

Paris Negotiations Collapse, October 24–December 13, 1972

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

Washington, October 24, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 116, Vietnam Subject Files, Vietnam Psychological Warfare Against NVN. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the first page reads: “The President has seen,” and Nixon wrote the following comment: “Good—Keep it up until we settle.”

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

Washington, October 24, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1135, Jon Howe Trip Files, Negroponte Negotiations File. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Urgent; Sent for information. Kissinger and Haig initialed this memorandum.

66. Diary Entry by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer)

Washington, October 24, 1972.

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Moorer Diary, July 1970–July 1974. Top Secret. This diary entry summarizes a telephone conversation between Moorer and Vogt at 8:11 a.m. Admiral Moorer was in Washington; General Vogt was in Saigon.

67. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker)

October 24, 1972, 8:53 a.m.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 16, Chronological File. No classification marking. Kissinger was in Washington; Bunker was in Saigon.

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

Washington, October 24, 1972, 2010Z.

69. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Sullivan)

Washington, October 25, 1972, 5 p.m.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 16, Chronological File. No classification marking.

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

Washington, October 25, 1972, 2115Z.

71. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations and Logistics (Shillitoe)

Washington, October 25, 1972.

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Records of Thomas Moorer, Box 29, Vietnam, October 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to the Service Secretaries and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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

Saigon, October 26, 1972, 1120Z.

73. Editorial Note

74. Memorandum for the President’s File by the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Washington, October 27, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 550, Country Files, Far East, Laos, Vol. 10, Sep–Dec 72. Top Secret.

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

Washington, October 27, 1972, 2325Z.

76. Report of a Conversation Between South Vietnamese President Thieu and the Presidential Private and Press Secretary (Hoang Duc Nha)

Washington, October 28, 1972.

[Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 162, Vietnam Country Files, October–November 1972. Secret. 3 pages not declassified.]

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

Saigon, October 28, 1972, 1120Z.

78. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Sullivan)

Washington, October 29, 1972, 12:10 p.m.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 16, Chronological File. No classification marking.

79. Letter From President Nixon to South Vietnamese President Thieu

Washington, October 29, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 857, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David, Vol. XXI (1). No classification marking. In a conversation with U. Alexis Johnson on October 31, 6:15 p.m., Kissinger commented: “Yeah, we sent a really scorching Presidential message to Thieu.” (Transcript of telephone conversation; ibid., Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 16, Chronological File) Reviewing the letter at Kissinger’s request, Bunker wrote: “I think the President’s letter could not be improved upon in substance or tone. It is exactly what is needed at this moment if Thieu is to be prevented from painting himself inextricably into a corner.” (Backchannel message 241 from Saigon, October 30, 1055Z; ibid., NSC Files, Box 857, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David, Vol. XXI (1))

80. Minutes of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting

Washington, October 30, 1972, 11:13–11:42 a.m.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–117, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 7–27–72 to 9–20–73. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

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

Washington, October 30, 1972, 1746Z.

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

Washington, October 30, 1972, 3:20 p.m.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 16, Chronological File. No classification marking.

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

Washington, October 30, 1972, 2200Z.

84. Memorandum From the Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency (Carver) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Washington, October 30, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 113, Vietnam Subject Files, Vietnam—Ceasefire 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive.

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

Washington, November 1, 1972.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1135, Jon Howe Trip Files, Negroponte Negotiations File. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Urgent; sent for information. Haig also initialed the memorandum.

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

Washington, November 2, 1972, 3:07–4:15 p.m.

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

Saigon, November 3, 1972, 1200Z.

88. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer) and the Chief of Naval Operations (Zumwalt)

Washington, November 3, 1972, 11:17 a.m.

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

89. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Chief of the U.S. Delegation to the Paris Peace Talks (Porter)

Washington, November 4, 1972, 1855Z.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 107, Country Files, Far East, Vietnam Negotiations, Paris Negotiations, January 25, 1972–January 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent via Haig and Guay.

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

Washington, November 5, 1972, 2000Z.

91. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer)

Washington, November 5, 1972.

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Chairman, Records of Thomas Moorer, Box 30, Vietnam, November 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive.

92. Backchannel Message From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker)

Washington, November 7, 1972, 0130Z.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 857, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David, Vol. XXI (1). Secret; Sensitive.