Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 22 › Conversation 022-071

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Naval bombardment

Monday, April 3, 1972 · 7:24 PM–7:26 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation022-071 on Tape 22 (tape position 02:59:08–03:01:22)StartMonday, April 3, 1972 at 7:24 PMEndMonday, April 3, 1972 at 7:26 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 022-071 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss intensifying U.S. naval involvement in the Vietnam War to counter North Vietnamese military advances. Nixon authorizes an immediate increase in naval bombardment, ordering Kissinger to coordinate with Admiral Thomas H. Moorer to deploy all available cruisers, destroyers, and additional aircraft carriers to the region. The primary objective is to maximize firepower, including the precise shelling of coastal areas, to effectively disrupt enemy operations and signal American resolve.

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Henry, I wanted to be sure that...
I think the idea of the Navy taking... Now, that means going in 40 miles, doesn't it?
About 35.
35 miles, fine.
I think that is a very good idea.
First of all, the Navy does know how to do some things.
Second, Moore will love the idea.
He is a naval commander.
And you just tell him to get every damn ship
out there, you know, bring that thing from the Indian Ocean if it's still there, whatever we've got, and just tell them to knock the hell out of that stuff.
Also, they can send their carrier aircraft in there and bomb that road, can't they?
Oh, yes.
Now, that's being done anyway.
But anyway, but I think shelling it, of course, is much more precise.
That's right.
You can get more cruisers and destroyers there.
They can help in the battle for Kwan-Tree because their range goes beyond Kwan-Tree.
Does it really?
Yeah.
Especially the cruisers.
Well, it certainly goes to the Da Nang area, too.
The Da Nang's on the sea.
Also, a huge naval movement would be well noticed.
I wish you would call Moyer right now and tell him it's authorized.
You don't have to send that through Laird now, do you?
Well, we ought to let Laird know, but he won't stop us.
Well, let him know, but just tell Moyer to get a hold of the little admiral out there at Sinkback and get every damn naval ship that can fire guns in that range and get him in there.
and bombard the hell out of that place.
We ought to get another carrier out there, too.
Well, have we got any more?
We've got one more.
Where is it?
Order it out there, right away.
I think at this point...
Put in every...
But I think your idea, though, the carrier is fine.
We've got four.
Order the other carrier.
But order some cruisers and destroyers.
Those guys love to have something to shoot at.
Would you order them down from the Sea of Japan?
Everything.
Tell them that this is it.
This is the time to pour it in.
And also that message will get to the enemy.
I think we can break their back.
Really pour it in.
Okay, pour it in.

NARA Description

On April 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:24 pm to 7:26 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 022-071 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 22-71

Date: April 3, 1972
Time: 7:24 pm - 7:26 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Vietnam
          -Naval bombardment
               -Range to shore
               -Merit
               -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer’s response
                    -Instructions
                           -Indian Ocean
               -Aircraft carrier
                    -Bombing compared to shelling
               -Cruisers and destroyers
                    -Quang Tri
                           -Range
                                 -Cruisers
                    -Da Nang
               -Impact
               -Authorization
                    -Kissinger’s call to Moorer
                    -Message to Melvin R. Laird
                    -Commander-in-Chief, Pacific [CINCPAC]
                           -Bombardment
                    -Carriers
                           -Hawaii
                    -Cruisers and destroyers
                           -Sea of Japan
                    -Impact

Also recorded on April 4, 1972

  • 022-069 7:12 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:12 pm to 7:19 pm.
  • 022-070 7:19 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:24 pm.
  • 701-001 8:31 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:31 am and 9:05 am.
  • 701-002 9:05 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:05 am to 9:43 am.
  • 022-072 9:08 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:08 am and 9:24 am.
  • 022-073 9:24 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone from 9:24 am to 9:28 am.
  • 701-003 9:44 AM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:44 am to 10:08 am.
  • 701-004 10:08 AM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:08 am and 10:09 am.

All 35 conversations from April 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 022-071, April 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/022-071 (accessed October 11, 2026).