National Security Adviser. Memoranda of Conversations, 1973-1977

The Memoranda of Conversations (memcons) is one of many sub-collections that comprise the National Security Adviser Files. The provenance and nature of the Ford National Security Adviser Files as a whole are described in Appendix A.

The bulk of the memcons are based on Brent Scowcroft’s notes from meetings he attended in his capacity as Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and then Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.  In these meetings, Scowcroft took notes on topics pertaining to foreign affairs and national security matters.  His notes are not complete verbatim transcripts of conversations and at times appear to be somewhat selective.  The notes often include extended quotes from the participants, but occasionally they compress portions of conversations into single sentences such as “Discussion of floating interest rates” or “Described the Angola proposal.” 

Following the meetings, Scowcroft had his notes typed up in transcript form.  Because Scowcroft’s handwriting was often difficult for his secretaries to decipher, an NSC staff assistant, usually Peter Rodman, would compile the first draft of the memcons.  The person drafting the memcons would on occasion make editorial changes to the transcript, such as turning Scowcroft’s notes into complete sentences.  In other instances, blank spaces were left in the final draft when Scowcroft’s handwriting proved indecipherable. 

In his book Presidential Command: Power, Leadership, and the Making of Foreign Policy from Richard Nixon to George Bush (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, page 86), Peter Rodman provides a description and analysis of the memcons:

The frequent Oval Office meetings between the new president and his secretary of state were remarkable, as Kissinger has said, for their lack of psychological undercurrents, complexes, or hidden motivations. Brent Scowcroft took rough notes of these meetings, and when they are declassified they will show a relationship of complete openness and mutual confidence. Kissinger kept nothing back, briefing Ford fully on events and personalities and strategies he was proposing. Ford grasped it easily and expressed his own preferences forthrightly. Where foreign policy issues had domestic political repercussions -- for example, in the debate over detente with the Soviet Union, or majority rule in Southern Africa -- Ford conveyed his judgment of his political circumstances and their implications. Where there was a congressional dimension, Ford himself was the master and educated his subordinates in the ins and outs and personalities that he knew better than anyone. Rough as Scowcroft's notes were, these records will show a relationship of trust and a fullness of deliberation going to the heart of the most sensitive issues of the period.

Scope and Content of the Materials
The collection chronicles the practice of diplomacy and presidential decision-making at the highest level.  There are more than 1,000 memcons addressing US foreign policy and national security issues during the latter part of the Nixon administration through the entire Ford administration.  The memcons are primarily from Presidential meetings in which President Nixon and President Ford met with foreign heads of state and officials, Cabinet members, White House staff members, Congressional leaders, American ambassadors, senior intelligence and national security officials, heads of federal agencies, and other distinguished foreign and American visitors, as well as many private consultative meetings with Henry Kissinger and Brent Scowcroft.  While the majority of memcons are from meetings held in Washington, the collection also has memcons from a number of Presidential trips overseas.  Several of the memcons are from non-presidential meetings in which Henry Kissinger or Brent Scowcroft was the lead participant. 

The discussions documented in the memcons are mostly substantive, but on occasion cover lighter fare.  Many of the meetings discussed multiple topics and were often very candid, such as when participants were critical of other people’s actions and abilities.  Topics addressed in the memcons run the gamut of US foreign policy and national security issues and touch on US relations with many countries from all regions of the world. 

The collection’s largest topic is the Middle East, in particular US-Israeli relations and the interim Sinai Agreement between Egypt and Israel.  There is information on US policy toward Israel and how this policy fit into the administration’s overall policy for the region, and Israeli concerns about US policy toward Israel and the region.  Of particular interest are the numerous discussions between President Ford and Henry Kissinger in which they formulate policy and strategy and candidly express their frustrations with Israel’s negotiating tactics and strategy during the peace process.  There is also much information on the roles and interests of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Another major topic is East–West relations, in particular US-Soviet relations.  There is information on the Vladivostok Summit, Congressional legislation linking US trade policy to Soviet emigration quotas, arms control and SALT negotiations, grain sales, and cultural exchanges.  There is also information on the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and US relations with other Eastern European countries, most notably Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia.

The memcons also provide much information on US relations with Western Europe.  The materials address diplomatic and economic relations with key allies such as the United Kingdom, West Germany, and France, and multilateral relations with the European Community within the context of NATO and the economic summit meetings.  There are important materials on political events in Portugal and Italy, Spain’s transition to democracy, and the Greek-Turkish conflict in Cyprus, including the Turkish arms embargo.

In regard to Asia and the Pacific, there is information on the prospective normalization of relations between the US and the People’s Republic of China and the impact on US-Taiwanese relations, US involvement and withdrawal from Vietnam, and the Mayaguez Incident.  There is also good material on US relations with key allies such as Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia, as well the fragile relationship between India and Pakistan.

In terms of Africa, the memcons primarily focus on the move to independence and the establishment of a new government in Angola, and the transition to majority rule in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.  There is also information on the regional roles and interests of Zaire, Zambia, and South Africa.

For Latin America, the most substantive materials pertain to US relations with Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama.  Topics include economic assistance, energy, trade, narcotics control, and the Panama Canal treaty negotiations.
 
The collection also contains information on a variety of other foreign policy and national security issues, including military base negotiations, mutual defense agreements, arms transfers, the defense budget, the intelligence investigations and the subsequent reorganization of the intelligence community, the US role in a post-Vietnam world, and the impact of the 1976 presidential campaign on foreign policy.

Related Materials (November 2004):
Related materials are located in a number of other fully processed, partly processed, and unprocessed National Security Adviser collections.  For example, the Kissinger Reports to the President on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, the NSC Meeting Minutes, and the NSC International Economic Affairs Staff Files contain additional memoranda of conversations, while background and briefing materials are located in the Presidential Country Files, Presidential Correspondence with Foreign Leaders, Presidential Transition File, Trip Briefing Books and Cables of Henry Kissinger, Trip Briefing Books and Cables of President Ford, and the Presidential Briefing Material for VIP Visits.  Researchers can identify the file locations of related open materials from PRESNET search reports.  As additional collections become available, the information is entered into the PRESNET database.  Researchers can also consult the Ford Library web site for announcements of collection openings.