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Conversation 010-026

TapeTape 10StartTuesday, September 28, 1971 at 8:20 PMEndTuesday, September 28, 1971 at 8:26 PMTape start time00:31:06Tape end time00:37:36ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Kissinger, Henry A.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the President’s recent meeting with the National League of Families, where Nixon successfully addressed concerns regarding prisoners of war (POWs). The two strategize on how to respond to potential failures in peace negotiations, with Nixon expressing a willingness to implement a hard-line policy, such as a naval blockade, rather than withdrawing troops. Additionally, they coordinate plans to counter Senator Edward Kennedy's criticisms regarding POWs and discuss upcoming diplomatic maneuvering involving Soviet officials and UN Ambassador George H.W. Bush.

Vietnam WarPrisoners of WarForeign PolicyEdward M. KennedyNaval BlockadeDiplomacy
AudioNARA Description

On September 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 8:20 pm to 8:26 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 010-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 10-26

Date: September 28, 1971
Time: 8:20 pm - 8:26 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

     Henry A. Kissinger

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     President's schedule
          -Dinner with National League of Families
                 -Reception
                      -Robert J. Dole

                    -Prisoners of War [POW]

    Vietnam
         -President's Program
               -Options
                     -Blockade
                          -POWs
                     -Negotiations
                     - Hard line
                     -Support
                     -Troop levels
         -Kissinger's schedule
               -James D. Hughes

    Activities
         -Edward M. Kennedy
               -POWs
         -Charles W. Colson
         -Barry M. Goldwater

    President's schedule

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 10s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

**********************************************************************

    Kissinger's schedule
         -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
         -Meeting with the President
         -William P. Rogers
         -Andrei A. Gromyko
         -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]

     Chinese
          -Announcement, September 29, 1971
              -Soviets

     Kissinger's schedule
          -George H. W. Bush
                -State Department
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yes, and we have Dr. Kissinger there.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Henry?
Just to brighten up your day, well, you already got the report.
Well, as a matter of fact, you know, these women are so nice, and by God, they just cheered when I came in.
When I got through, they were all crying and cheering, and it was amazing, really.
And I just said a few nice, I mean, I took sort of your line, but I did something else.
I said, you know, every
Well, I said one thing, though.
I said, I just want to assure you that from that moment in 69, presidential priority has been given to the POW thing.
Every negotiating initiative, and I can assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that not only publicly, but privately, I have pursued every channel, and we're pursuing them today, and we're going to get them back.
You know, I just put it that way.
But I really think it turned it around.
If it needed to be turned around, it was turned around.
They were so pleased that I came.
But they were just... You should have heard them.
They were screaming and yelling and everything.
That's why I thought you... Yeah, but I didn't have to answer questions.
But that was good.
But anyway... Well, the thing we have to do is to fight this goddamn thing out.
I don't know how else to do it.
And...
On the other hand, I think you should know that if these people turn us down, I'm prepared to turn hard right.
I mean hard right.
We'll blockade the goddamn place and say, get our prisoners or else.
Don't you agree?
And I think the American people are not behind us the hell with them.
But I mean, what I meant is, if after our negotiating initiatives, they turn this last one down, Henry,
We're not just going to go out with tail between our legs.
Then, rather than saying we'll keep the 20,000 until we get our prisoners, we'll blockade the goddamn people and say, all right, get our prisoners and we'll reduce... Don't you agree that that's something we ought to do?
I think a harder line than just getting out is better.
Well, maybe the...
Three-day strike, you mean?
Something like that.
But the other one has a more long-term effect.
The what?
The blockade?
Yes.
Oh, yes.
We may do it.
But either way, I don't think we ought to do that.
Well, we're not going to just do it, though, in terms of saying, well, now we're going to get out, but we're going to keep 20,000 Americans there until you turn over our prisoners.
We're not going to let them do that.
That's too long.
And we've...
We'll find the time.
We'll find the time.
Give it to these people.
Oh, well.
Or yours, at least.
You've got to kick out of it.
No, it's right.
Well, we gave them hope and commitment.
And that little man, Teddy, going in there this morning and saying the blood of these people, and they're rotting in prison camps.
And it didn't really go over these.
They don't want to think their men are rotting in a camp.
But I think, Henry, somebody's got to take Teddy on.
I really think so.
I can't let him get away with that kind of shit.
Don't you think so?
Well, I'm calling Colson now.
I'm going to tell Colson to find somebody to really kick his son to bed.
Maybe Goldwater would.
Right.
What time is that?
Hmm.
Tomorrow, you and I will have a chat.
Yeah, and after that, you and I will have a 15, 20-minute talk and find out where the hell we go.
And then, because we've also got to position Rogers, after we finish with Gromyko, then we've got to call him and you in and tell him that, well... Yeah.
Ha, ha, ha.
But I think we've got to tell Rogers tomorrow that it's on, don't you think so?
I would tell him right after the meeting.
Right.
Call you and him in.
That's right.
All right.
I think that's the end of the talk.
Chinese, you're going to make an announcement in the morning, are they?
Yeah, but that's a different gas.
What the hell is that?
I don't know what the Russians want.
There's more going on than meets the eye here.
That's right, and that's why we also have to strike on that other thing.
I talked to Bush.
Oh, what'd he say?
He thinks he can do it.
He's coming down to see me today.
Right.
I'm telling you, Darvish, from what he hears from the state, he's to do what I say.
He's my ambassador, not the state's.
Absolutely.
He's a member of the cabinet.
He's to do it and not come up just delay.
That's right.
Right.
Okay.
Roger.
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