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On February 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, and White House photographer met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 4:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 412-007 of the White House Tapes. Topics include: The President met with Thomas H. Moorer. Prisoners of War [POWs] returning from Vietnam - Debriefing - POWs' attitudes - Support for President - Bombing - Support - December 26, 1972 raid World War II - Prisoners of Japanese - Hokaido Bombing - North Vietnamese reaction - POWs' morale POWs' return - Statements - Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. - Capt. James A. Mulligan, Jr. - Impact on critics of bombing - Bombing - POWs' appearance - Release of POWs' reactions Bombing - North Vietnam's reaction - May 8, 1972 bombing - Bombing halt - Delays in negotiations - Cambodia - Purpose - Result - Impact on the People's Republic of China [PRC] and Soviet Union - Statesmen - Winston S. Churchill - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Allied attitudes - Japan - Australia - Ian O. smith - Great Britain - Portugal - Greece - Turkey - Spain - Latin America - Brazil - European Socialists - Germany - Netherlands - Latin America - Australia - Military Canada's military - Reaction to bombing - Relations with US military - Military missions - Participation - US Marine Corps - Strength European military - Strength - Denmark Socialist countries - Parliamentary coalitions Vice President Spiro T. Agnew - Trip to Southeast Asia - Report - Moorer's visit Far East - Indonesia [?] - Thailand - Moorer's travel - PRC - Negotiations POWs - Photograph - Washington Star - Corsages for wives or mothers - Future careers - Military - Denton - Contact with Moorer - President's call to Mrs. Denton - Families' reaction to the President's policies - Knowledge of bombing Bombing - B-52, tactical aircraft - Damage to Hanoi - Pictures - Harold E. Hughes - Allegations of carpet bombing - Civilian casualties - Compared with World War II - Refusals to fly POWs - Heroism - Korean War - President's policies - Peace with honor - Defeat of North Vietnam - Debriefing - Col. Al Lynn - Attitudes - Uniforms and bearing - Pay bonuses - Congress - Recommendations - Military institutional support - Legal advice - Career options - Educational commitments - Graduate schools - War colleges - Duty stations - Citations - Presidential Unit Citation - Moorer's recommendations - Gen. Brendt G. Scowcroft - Individuals - Years of captivity - Bravery, performance - Pay - Congressional opposition - Bonus - Defense Department recommendations - Historical precedents - World War II - Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS] US foreign policy - Vietnam War - US interests - Southeast Asia - Commitments to allies - Great power status - Attacks on military - Impact of POWs - Pentagon - Heroism - US strength - Patriotism President's Pentagon visit - Effects [?] - Luncheon - Elliot L. Richardson - JCS - Service secretaries - Timing - President's admiration - POWs - Presidential citation - Timing - Congress - Alexander M. Haig, Jr. - Patriotism Consultation between military and the President - Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] - L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III - JCS chairman - Richard M. Helmz [?] - Strategic Arms Limitations Talks [SALT] - Direct line to JCS - Moorer's access to the President Vietnam - May 8, 1972 bombing - Secretary's recommendations - Overruled - Continuation - Weather - Moorer's recommendations - B-52 losses - June 5, 1972 raid - Number of sorties - Halt - December 1972 bombing [Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN- T- MDR-2014-019. Segment declassified on 07/23/2019. Archivist: DR] [National Security] [412-007- W001] [Duration: 2s] Vietnam - December 1972 bombing - Intelligence Vietnam - December 1972 bombing - The President's role - Unpredictability The President's conversation with Scowcroft and Haig - Military missions abroad - Foreign arms sales - Church amendment - Competition - France - Latin America - State Department - US military ties - Uruguay - Chile - Indonesia - Communism - Population - Lt. Gen. T. N. S. Suharto - Military aid - Contacts - Alliances - Socialist countries - Brazil - US military aid - Conditions - Destroyers - Missiles - Preference for US advisors, arms - US arms Foreign policy planning - President's discussion with Haig - National Security Council [NSC] - Military field grade officers - Think tanks - Broader thinking - State Department - Arms sales - Latin America - Psychological operations - Contribution of military people - Air force - Europe, PRC, Soviet Union - Think tanks - Differing views - Impact on NSC - Role of JCS - Styx missile - Naval officers - Mediterranean - Memorandum - Israeli ship - Richardson - Conventional weapons - Usefulness - Korea - Nixon Doctrine - Small nations - Self defense - Conventional warfare - Prolonged war - Navy, air force - Sophisticated, expensive weapons - Tactical air power - Cost effectiveness Conventional weapons - Europe - Mutual and balanced force reduction [MBFR] - Japan, Asia - Tactical nuclear weapons - Military planning group - Study results The President's foreign policy decisions - May 8, 1972 decision - Henry A. Kissinger - Haig - Impact on US- Soviet relations - US- Soviet summit, May 1972 - Preemptive cancellation - President's speech - Television [TV] - Fear of Soviet Union reprisals - The President's deliberations - Need for outside counsel - John B. Connally - December 1972 bombing - Breakdown in negotiations - Kissinger's cable and recommendations - President's speech - TV - Compared with May 8, 1972 decision - Impact on negotiations - North Vietnam - Success of US- Soviet summit, Vietnam settlement - White House staff, NSC Presidential advisors - Need to hear different opinions - Department of State [DOS], Defense Department [DOD] - Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] - NSC's role - NSC - Haig - Management skills - Knowledge Military advisory capacity - Younger officers - Age - Experience - New ideas - Moorer's staff - Transfers - POWs - Abilities - Insights - JCS - Air force, navy, personnel - Independent initiative - No fear of reprisal - Leaking to press - Bureaucracy - Kissinger - NSC - Haig - Talent in military Defense budget - Wilbur D. Mills - Cuts in post- Vietnam War period - Personnel costs - Mills - Support - Moorer's speech - Commonwealth Club - International interests - Energy crisis - Middle East instability - Negotiations - Strength of US - Budget - Decreases - TV press conference by Moorer - Vietnam War's effects on US military morale - War conditions - Public criticism of the war - Attack on the press Moorer - San Francisco - Visit to Brigham Young University - Salt Lake City - Spokesman for Defense Department - Timing - POWs - Foreign policy Amnesty - Policy regarding pardon - Moorer's statement - Selective Service Act - Impact on POWs - Divisiveness of issue - Patriotism - Military service personnel - Conscientious objection - Desecration - Legal consequences Richardson The White House photographer entered at 4:03 pm. Photograph session - Scowcroft Bombing - Decision - Cambodia - May 8, 1972 decision - North Vietnam The White House photographer left at 4:04 pm. Moorer left at 4:05 pm. Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Moorer, Thomas H. (Adm.); White House photographer.