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Conversation 034-128

TapeTape 34StartMonday, December 18, 1972 at 1:17 PMEndMonday, December 18, 1972 at 1:18 PMParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President)Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the successful completion of the second wave of B-52 bombing raids over North Vietnam, noting that only one aircraft sustained damage. Kissinger reports that Soviet news agency TASS has already publicized the strikes on Hanoi’s marshalling yards, confirming the effectiveness of the attack. Both men justify the escalation as a necessary strategic response, concluding that they had no other viable options to force the North Vietnamese to take notice.

Vietnam WarOperation Linebacker IIB-52 bombingHanoiTASSMilitary strategy
AudioNARA Description

On December 18, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 1:17 pm to 1:18 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-128 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 34-128

Date: December 18, 1972
Time: 1:17 pm - 1:18 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Henry A. Kissinger talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 381-13]

       Vietnam War
            -US bombing
                 -B-52s
                       -Second wave
                       -Status of plane
                             -Return from North Vietnam
                 -News reporting
                       -Tass
                             -Raid on Hanoi
                                    -Fires
                                    -Marshalling yard
                 -Effect
                 -Rationale
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yeah.
Mr. Kissinger calling you.
You are.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Hello, Henry.
Hi.
I just want you to know the second wave got out and only one plane damaged.
Yeah.
Good.
It got back.
They think it certainly will get out of North Vietnam.
Whether it will crash on the way, they don't know.
But it will almost certainly get back.
And...
The only news reporting is that TASS—they must have gotten it from the embassy—is reporting a massive raid on Hanoi with large fires just north of it, which is what we were aiming at.
That was the marshaling yard, isn't it?
That's right.
That's right.
Well, it's a calling card.
They won't forget.
No, no, they won't forget it.
We'll see whether it's worth remembering.
Well, we were trapped the other way.
No choice.
No choice.
That was the problem.
Okay.
Right, I thought you wanted... Oh, yeah.
There won't be anything then.
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