Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-052

Nixon phone call with Radford on Vietnam War and Naval blockade

Tuesday, May 9, 1972 · 12:05 PM–12:06 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Radford, Arthur W.Conversation024-052 on Tape 24 (tape position 01:07:15–01:08:55)StartTuesday, May 9, 1972 at 12:05 PMEndTuesday, May 9, 1972 at 12:06 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 024-052 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 646314420 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with retired Admiral Arthur W. Radford regarding the recent decision to implement a naval blockade and mine North Vietnamese ports. Radford expressed strong support for the escalation, affirming that the strategic move was necessary despite the potential risks to the upcoming Soviet summit and Nixon's re-election prospects. Nixon noted the success of the initial mining operations and emphasized that the action was taken to bolster South Vietnamese morale and protect American interests.

Audio

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NARA Description

On May 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Arthur W. Radford talked on the telephone from 12:05 pm to 12:06 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-052 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 24-52

Date: May 9, 1972
Time: 12:05 pm - 12:06 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Arthur W. Radford.

[See also Conversation No. 338-23]

     Vietnam
          -Blockade
               -The President's decision
                    -Radford's support
                    -Impact
                    -Necessity
                    -Dangers
                          -1972 election
                          -Soviet Summit

                -Naval action
                     -Mines
                           -Reports from Melvin R. Laird and Thomas H. Moorer
                     -Morale in South Vietnam

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?
Admiral Radford, Miss President.
Ready?
Hello?
Good morning, sir.
Well, I just thought I'd let you know that as I made this decision, I thought, well, this is what Arthur Radford would have recommended.
You are certainly right, sir.
I was delighted.
I listened to every word last night, and I certainly back you 100%.
Well, as you know, we've laid it on the line.
That's right.
It's going to take time.
as all these things do, but we just couldn't stand by and let these bastards roll up the South Vietnamese and endanger our people, and that's the way I feel about it.
Well, I'm glad we had a man with courage at the helm this time, sir.
As you well know, we've laid everything on the line.
That's right.
We've risked the election, risked the summit and the rest, but the election isn't worth winning if the United States goes down the drain.
That's right, sir.
Well, I...
I know what a lot of thought and prayer you put into this, and I'm sure your decision is going to work out all right.
Your old Navy buddies are doing great out there, you know.
They laid those mines.
They told me I got a report from Laird and Moore.
They didn't lose a plane laying them, you know.
No, no.
I've already talked to them over in the Navy Department this morning.
And I tell you, these boys we have out there are good.
All of the services are good.
Right.
And it just hurts me to see them run down by people that don't know anything about it.
Well, I think this helps their morale, don't you think?
Oh, I do.
I do.
They've been itching to have this happen.
Right.
And I certainly wish you the greatest kind of luck in the next few weeks.
Well, let's wish the country luck, okay?
Fine.
Thank you.
Bye.

Also recorded on May 9, 1972

  • 024-051 11:56 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:56 am and 12:05 pm.
  • 338-023 12:05 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Arthur W. Radford met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 12:06 pm.
  • 024-053 12:06 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:06 pm and 12:09 pm.
  • 338-024 12:06 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:06 pm and 12:09 pm.
  • 024-054 12:09 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 12:09 pm to 12:13 pm.
  • 338-025 12:09 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:13 pm.
  • 024-055 12:13 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:27 pm.
  • 338-026 12:13 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:27 pm.

All 72 conversations from May 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 024-052, May 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 646314420). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-052 (accessed November 1, 2026).