Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-016

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Naval blockade

Monday, May 8, 1972 · 5:23 PM–5:27 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation024-016 on Tape 24 (tape position 00:12:56–00:16:55)StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 5:23 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 5:27 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 024-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss revisions to the President's upcoming speech regarding the blockade of North Vietnam and the North Vietnamese offensive. Concerned that certain rhetorical phrases could invite criticism regarding U.S. actions in Laos and Cambodia, Nixon orders the removal of lines referencing military escalation and territorial invasion. Additionally, they finalize technical adjustments to the President's statement regarding the timing of sea mine detonations to ensure accuracy.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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I had a couple of other points that I thought we ought to check on.
You know, when we go into the business, those three rather rhetorical sentences about it is not the United States that did this and that.
You know, the invading of the other country brings back memories of Laos and Cambodia, does it not?
I mean, if you're talking about the present time, that's one thing.
If you're
I see.
I get the point.
I mean, I just don't like to give them any damn thing to fire at, you see.
In other words, would you like to take them out, then?
Well, I don't want to take them all out, but I guess just let me find the page where it is.
It is not the United States...
It is not the United States...
I think you could leave you see there are three you could say it is not the United States or South Vietnam which has sought military victory I don't like to say that either but that's I guess it's true it is not the United States or South Vietnam which has sought military victory or escalated the war then it is that is not the United States or South Vietnam which has invaded another country that I think we'd better just just leave out you know somebody's going to say now what about Cambodia and Laos now you and I know what about it but you see my point good
Right.
It is North Vietnam and North Vietnam alone that has done all these things.
See my point?
Right.
If you relate it to that.
I think that one has to come out.
Would you agree?
I agree.
All right.
In fact, we can say it is not the United States which has sought military victory or leave out or escalated the war.
Well, or why not leave out military victory?
Oh, I see.
It's the military victory that bothers me, I think.
Oh, which has escalated the war, you're saying?
Yeah.
Why don't we strike the military victory?
It is not the United States which has escalated the war.
Can we say that?
How about that?
Well, again, you just get critics saying... All right.
But you want to say who has sought military victory or escalated the war.
I don't mind saying that.
I would just leave out escalated the war, which has sought military victory.
You think that helped us to say that?
Well, that's what I'm not sure about.
Well, maybe we should drop that whole paragraph.
I feel if you have problems with that.
I think it has some problems.
I think we better take it out.
And we have their answer.
We're very strong when we say their answer to every peace offer we have made has been to escalate the war.
That's a pretty strong sentence.
That's right.
I think we should take it out.
All right, Henry, good.
I have one other thing briefly.
We found, incidentally, Mr. President, that some of these mines are going to go off in 58 hours, so we've had to change a sentence of yours.
And since 58 hours sounds like such a nutty period, we put in three daylight hours, which is correct.
In three daylight hours?
In three daylight periods.
Yeah, she's got that here, yeah.
She's got it, yeah.
Wait just one second, will you?
Let's see.
Sort of getting...
Well, I can't find the other point here that I was looking at.
Are you back at your office?
Yes, I am.
Fine.
Well, I'll ring you whenever I find it.
Right, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On May 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 5:23 pm to 5:27 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 24-16

Date: May 8, 1972
Time: 5:23 pm - 5:27 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

[See also Conversation No. 336-37]

     Vietnam
          -Blockade
               -The President's announcement
                    -North Vietnamese offensive
                          -Wording of denunciation
                                -Changes
                    -US-South Vietnamese goals
                    -North Vietnamese offensive
                          -Wording
                                -Cambodia and Laos
                          -Deletion
                    -Escalation of war
                          -Responsibility
                                -Criticism
                    -US peace offers
               -Mines
                    -Detonation
                          -The President's statement
               -The President's Request for a call to Kissinger

Also recorded on May 8, 1972

  • 024-014 4:57 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 024-015 4:57 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 336-033 4:57 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 336-034 4:57 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 336-035 4:57 PM · 17 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 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 336-036 4:57 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:23 pm.
  • 336-037 5:23 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:23 pm and 5:27 pm.
  • 336-038 5:27 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:27 pm to 5:30 pm.

All 94 conversations from May 8, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 024-016, May 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-016 (accessed October 13, 2026).