Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 32 › Conversation 032-053

Nixon phone call with Andrews on Defense policy and Military superiority

Thursday, October 26, 1972 · 12:36 PM–12:38 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Andrews, John K., Jr.Conversation032-053 on Tape 32StartThursday, October 26, 1972 at 12:36 PMEndThursday, October 26, 1972 at 12:38 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 032-053 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs John K. Andrews, Jr. on the content and themes for an upcoming defense radio speech. He instructs Andrews to emphasize the necessity of maintaining military superiority, specifically naval strength, to protect smaller nations like Israel, while arguing that a nuclear deterrent is insufficient for localized conflicts. Nixon also requests that the draft incorporate a quotation from André Malraux regarding the unique, unintended nature of American global power and the nation's lack of intent for territorial conquest. Andrews commits to providing a draft by the end of the day for the broadcast scheduled for Saturday.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Mr. John Andrews on the line, sir.
Yes, sir.
With regard to the defense speech, I know that Haldeman has already passed on to you the thoughts that read carefully what I said in San Francisco.
I mean, you'll probably get the nuances of that with regard to small countries.
Do you understand what I mean?
Yes, sir, about the insufficiency of a nuclear deterrent.
A nuclear deterrent is nothing except where great powers are concerned.
It has nothing to do
gives no assurance where things break out and other things now the other thing is that use the uh andrea marrow's quote with regard to the u.s is the only part of the world that became a great power without seeking to become one the whole theme here is of course that the united states is one that should be trapped with power it's fortunate we have the power and uh for uh the uh
the idea that we would never use our power for conquest, et cetera.
You see what I mean?
Yes, sir.
That theme that you've often used.
Right.
But use Mauro's quote.
Mauro.
Mauro.
Right.
You know, Mauro.
Yes, sir.
I know him.
But he has a quote on that.
The U.S. is the only power in the history of the world
world power without intending to do so or something like that.
Okay?
We'll get that.
Okay.
And I've been studying the Allegiant speech and the San Francisco speech and I'm...
The main thing is the whole thrust of this is that being number two means the world is in deadly jeopardy.
You can use in this instance you can well I wouldn't do it in a public speech the Israel thing that Israel would be in deadly jeopardy because of this.
You mentioned Israel as an example of a small country that would be threatened.
No, that's right.
That's right.
As an example, that is, we would not have been able, when the crisis occurred, the Syria and so forth, we wouldn't have had a sixth fleet.
We couldn't have moved in.
The United States must not have the second strongest fleet in the world.
Maybe.
We've got to be first.
And this is for Saturday?
If we can, yes.
Yes, sir.
We'll have it ready.
I'll have a draft, I think, by the end of the day.
Good day.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. talked on the telephone from 12:36 pm to 12:38 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 032-053 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 032-053

Date: October 26, 1972
Time: 12:36 pm - 12:38 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John K. Andrews, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 375-10]

        The President's defense radio speech
            -The President's remarks in San Francisco
                -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
            -Nuclear deterrent
                -Great powers
                -Effect on small powers
            -Andre Malraux
                -Quotation
                     -Power of US

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

             -Use of US power
                 -US intentions
             -Malraux
                 -Quotation
             -American Legion speech
             -San Francisco speech
             -US power
                 -Position in world
                 -Small powers
                      -Israel
                           -Syria
                 -Sixth Fleet
                 -Naval superiority
                      -Importance
             -Draft
                 -Submission

Also recorded on October 26, 1972

  • 375-006 12:16 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
  • 375-007 12:16 PM · 12 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
  • 375-008 12:16 PM · 10 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
  • 375-009 12:16 PM · 7 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
  • 375-010 12:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:36 pm to 12:38 pm.
  • 375-011 12:40 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:40 pm to 12:49 pm.
  • 375-012 12:49 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:49 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 375-013 2:01 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:01 pm to 2:04 pm.

All 47 conversations from October 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 032-053, October 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/032-053 (accessed October 9, 2026).