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    "localId": "1553021",
    "label": "April 11, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger",
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    "title": "April 11, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger",
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    "collections": [
        "Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)",
        "Ford Administration Memoranda of Conversations"
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    "subjects": [
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        "Vietnam (Republic)",
        "Foreign aid",
        "International relations",
        "Middle East conflicts",
        "Speeches, addresses, etc.",
        "Vietnam War, 1961-1975"
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    "ocrText": "File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nMEMORANDUM\nDECLASSIFIED\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nE.O. 12958 Sec. 3.6\nWASHINGTON\nMR 01-56 #28; st.etr 9/19/01\nSEGRET/NODIS/XGDS\nBy\ndoe NARA, Date 10/11/01\nMEMOR ANDUM OF CONVERSATION\nPARTICIPANTS:\nPresident Ford\nDr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State\nand Assistant to the President\nfor National Security Affairs\nLt. General Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant\nto the President for National Security Affairs\nDATE AND TIME:\nFriday, April 11, 1975\n9:12-10:10 a. m.\nPLACE:\nThe Oval Office\nThe President: Jack told Betty it was my best speech.\nKissinger: What else could you have done? Think of the Presidency if\nyou had said nothing. How would you have justified sticking with the $300\nmillion [request for Vietnam]?\nThe President: I thought I should put the intelligence part in.\nKissinger: I can't campaign directly, but next year I will give foreign\npolicy speeches around the country.\nI will go to the CENTO meeting and then meet with you for NATO.\nThe President: Will you go to Latin America?\nKissinger: I thought I would cut it down and go the week after next.\nThe President: Will you go to Chile?\nKissinger: I think it is not good for me to be gone too long at this time.\nIf you lose the Vietnam aid, you should speak for 10 minutes and\nSEGRET/NODIS/XGDS\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY\nSECRET - XGDS (3)\nCLASSIFIED BY: HENRY A. KISSINGER\nSECRET/NODIS/XGDS\n-2-\nsay you are pulling the Americans out. What are the Democrats going to\nrun on next year? They got us into it, and we got out of it, and they won't\neven fund the poor GVN that they got into the whole thing. They will have\nno issue on Vietnam -- but you will.\nI think you should now got out and sell this the way you did energy.\nThe President: I am christening the Nimitz this month and the Hebert\nLibrary soon.\nKissinger: I would focus on the second part of the speech -- what you\nwant done.\nFrom a posture of detente, you can go to the people and say we\ntried and the bastards wouldn't do it. This keeps the liberals in line.\nI think a series of speeches -- lower on Vietnam and higher on\nthe rest.\nIf Israel doesn't come through soon, I would announce a compre-\nhensive program.\nThis is a message we just got from the Soviets. [He gives it to\nthe President. ] They are scared right now, because they think you might\npull a Nixon and clobber someone. But if they detect weakness.\nThe President: Let's keep them thinking that.\nKissinger: They were anxious you got it before your speech.\nI would send Berger to Taiwan to quiet the flak. I think the Vice\nPresident is too political a signal.\nI will answer Brezhnev: I will say that I will go to Moscow only\n(1) if my meetings are with Brezhnev, (2) if at the end of the meeting we\nmust announce the date of the summit. That is tought, but it' S the only\nthink these SOB's understand. If it is with Gromyko I will meet in Europe.\nI think you should have given your Mideast speech by then.\nThe President: Will you start on it?\nKissinger: I am. One sign of cooling relations with Israel could be to\ndo business through Keating. Eilts is really good. I want to make him\nAssistant Secretary.\nSECRET/NODIS/XGDS\nFORD LIBRARY & GERALD\nSECRET/NODIS/XGDS\n-3-\nThe President: How about Toon?\nKissinger: If Geneva doesn't come off, maybe we can send him to Bonn.\nAllon is coming here next week and Hussein is coming soon. We\nmaybe should invite others here. Or I could go from Turke y to the Mideast\nbefore your speech.\nProposing an overall solution won't be accepted, but then we will\nbe in a good position. I would like to seel your plan to the Arabs first.\nKissinger: Sihanouk is now seeing the need for the GKR and is scrambling\naround. I think maybe the French screwed us in December. He is acting\nas if he heard this balancing idea for the first time.\nBut now we have a problem. Defense is saying they are asking\nyou to pressure me to evacuate. You and I can't decide this. Ambassador\nDean says it is too dangerous to get to the airport -- he has to make that\ndecision. However, we could ask Dean if he thinks he and two or three more\nshould stay behind and work on the Sihanouk angle.\nThe President: We have to execute Eagle Pull. But if Sihanouk won't be\nback in, wouldn't it be good if the Ambassador stayed behind?\nKissinger: Yes.\nThe President: What would happen?\nKissinger: [Described Sihanouk calling for government of national unity. ]\nThe President: What if Sihanouk can't stabilize it?\nKissinger: Dean would be captured. They would sell him back to us.\nIt is a bad idea to let an Ambassador be captured.\nThe President: Call Dean. I am willing to gamble.\nKissinger: The Consumer-Producer preparatory meeting is totally\nscrewed up. They can't even agree on an agenda.\nThe French are hinting about getting an invitation to Geneva.\nSEGREP/NODIS/XGDS\nFORD LIBRARY & GERALD\nSEGRET/NODIS/XGDS\n-4- -\nThe President: No.\nKissinger: They would be worse than the Soviet Union. We now have to\nbe tough. We can't be pushed around.\nSECRET/NODIS/XGDS\nFORD LIBRARY & GERALD\nk\nGst C cabbs showing uneastries aromal C world PeRP.\n2\npik 11 apr 25 912-10'0an\nP\nJack told Betty it my let spuch\nK\nW hat else could you have drue? Think of the\nPresidency if you had find northing? Hourword\nyou home stining w/c 300 mil.\nP\n& tht Ishmld put until past in\nK\n2 can't compaign anouth but rept year Junist give\nF p yuchro around.\nwill go & CENTO enty + then weet w/ you per\nNATO\nP\nLA?\nK\n2tht I would cut it damn 490 wish often next\nP\nnot Chile?\nR\nI think it not good To be your at this time\nIf you lose caid, you should sprak for 10 minute\n& say thing you and purting - Charrisers\nant. What and the Dinronate gerring to runn next\nyear? They got no in to it and such get and jit\nand they won't even from the you GUN they got\ninto - whole thing. They inice have no issue m\nUN - but you will\nIthnish you should what go ant and seld this\nthe way your did energy\nV\nI em christing himits this worth and H ( ehert\nthrong soon,\nK\nI world form on - I wl part of C Hell h- what you\nwant lone.\nFrom - postune of detents, you can to - pingle & 2mg\nw trivel to - horstands wouldn't dont- burpor c librab\nin line.\nDECLASSIFIED\nAUTHORITY per me 01- 56, # 28; students 9/19/01\nBY Wh\nNLF, DATE 5/26/04\nChip Justice & units\nI think a sink of spuches - linner ase VIV r higher\none rest,\nof I dmon't come them your I would annumed a\nproy.\nThis my from su (gonb t P). They are scared\nupit num, become they think you might pull\na Wipm + clother forners, But if thing ditect ariabars.\nP\nhat's hey them thinking that.\nK\nThey who amprins you got it hyoe your sysech\n& would send Berger & Twick to quit flack &\nthink UP too politived a segural.\nI ewill useds Buz ws so to huscorn only of\ninty and are w/ Buz, (2) at but of mty and must\namount date of primmit and That tangh\nhutc only thing these SoB's indication. If it w/\nGroughs I will unet in Eur. 9 Think your\nshould have prin your ME tpuch by then.\nP\nwill you start on it?\nK\nI am. O we sign of cabbing waters w/I could he\nto lo business then Keating Enits in really good\nd want to make him Gost Sicy.\nP\nHomelmet Twon\nK\nIf Garrira dissn't come off, maybe we can send him\nto Born\nafter your spuch, & imight go from Tenhery\nallow eveny here rept anch & Hersin soun. Cru\nmanyle should minito (hopse) others here. Or I could jo form\nTurney to C NIE after Jane spuch.\nParposing an and solution anit he accepted unit\nUnited end of Angeruments but 8 good\nof help Ent going. we annof gaing to\nbromsthing or priceptate He know I's\nthem we him paral poetin smoold Who a\nLell your plan W - asoto / at\nK\nSchanate is wmr whing C evel for c GKR\nand is screwing aromal. 2 ctrip englishe e\nFrank decreased in Dec. H & acting or P he\nhand this balming idea for think.\nBut how me have a prot. Dep is orging they are\nasking you to & pressure me to evarnate. your 2\ncan't diads time. Dean says it to Imagerous to\ngett- amport- he has a make that. Humener, all cauld\nask Dean if her 2 202 3 more that they shimld stay\nbehind & work of on - Scharank\nP\nwe hand excents Eagle Pull. But if Sithman currt\nbrihin consident it he good if and stayed behind\nK\nYes.\nP\nwhat would happen?\nK\n(Described Schools calling for Govt of noth with)\nP\nwhat if Schamb crunt structize\nK\nDean anmull be captured. They world sell him horb\nto ho, Bad ilsa K ht and he coytuned\nP\ncell Dran. & withing & garnles\nK\nThe C-P preparating unty is totally desemed up. They\ncan't has Q you on ayenda.\nFrinch an hinting about irite to Ceneral\nP\nNo\nK\nThey would he werse than - J. we now-hmet me\ntough. Can't he purshed arand."
}