Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 4 › Conversation 004-097
Nixon, Ziegler & Haldeman on Vietnam War and Melvin Laird
Wednesday, June 9, 1971 · 3:13 PM–3:14 PM ET · White House Telephone · 31 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon consulted with Ronald Ziegler and H.R. Haldeman to identify the source of news reports regarding upcoming Vietnam casualty figures. The participants determined that Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird was responsible for the information appearing in Howard K. Smith's report following a speech at the Air Force Academy. The discussion confirmed that an official announcement regarding the casualty statistics was scheduled for the following Thursday.
- Vietnam War
- Melvin Laird
- Casualty statistics
- Media relations
- Howard K. Smith
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On June 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:13 pm to 3:14 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-097 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 4-97
Date: June 9, 1971
Time: 3:13 pm - 3:14 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Ronald L. Ziegler talked with the President.
[See Conversation No. 255-38B]
Melvin R. Laird's Air Force Academy speech
-Vietnam casualty list
-Source of Howard K. Smith's story
President conferred with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at 3:14 pm.
Casualty figures
-Laird as source of storyAlso recorded on June 9, 1971
- 004-094 2:52 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 2:52 pm to 2:55 pm.
- 255-037 2:53 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:53 pm to 2:55 pm.
- 255-038 2:53 PM · 47 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Ronald L. Ziegler, Manolo Sanchez, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:53 pm to 4:35 pm.
- 004-095 2:55 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:55 pm and 3:07 pm.
- 004-096 3:07 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:07 pm to 3:09 pm.
- 004-098 3:51 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:51 pm and 4:04 pm.
- 004-099 4:04 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone from 4:04 pm to 4:17 pm.
- 004-100 4:17 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:17 pm and 4:38 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 004-097, June 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/004-097 (accessed September 27, 2026).