Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 36 › Conversation 036-122

Nixon phone call with Brennan on Vietnam War and Patrick J. Buchanan

Tuesday, January 30, 1973 · 6:56 PM–6:57 PM ET · White House Telephone ·46 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Brennan, Peter J.Conversation036-122 onTape 36StartTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 6:56 PMEndTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 6:57 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 036-122 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directed Patrick J. Buchanan to gather data on civilian casualties attributed to North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam War. This request was intended to counter what the President perceived as biased and distorted reporting by the New York Times regarding war atrocities. Nixon specifically sought evidence of deliberate targeting and assassinations to highlight the enemy's disregard for civilian life.

Audio

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Get me an estimate of the number of civilians, the times that are distorted and very poorly done, but the number of civilians, and this includes assassinated, killed, et cetera, et cetera, by the North Vietnamese in the 10 years of the war.
And the VC, right.
You see what I mean?
Yes, sir.
What I mean, Pat, is there are so many civilians who have been killed.
You see what I mean?
Right, right.
I'm looking at the goddamn assassination thing, but I mean when they shell and unlock, they're killing civilians deliberately, right?
Right.
Okay, sir.
Bye-bye.
Fine, rather than just aiming a military target, see?
Okay, fine, sir.

NARA Description

On January 30, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan talked on the telephone from 6:56 pm to 6:57 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-122 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 36-122

Date: January 30, 1973
Time: Between 6:56 pm and 6:57 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Patrick J. Buchanan.

[See Conversation No. 406-28]

       Information on civilians killed by Communists in Vietnam War
             -New York Times

Also recorded on January 30, 1973

  • 036-121 6:51 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:56 pm.
  • 406-028 6:56 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:56 pm to 6:57 pm.
  • 036-123 6:57 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.
  • 406-029 6:57 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 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.
  • 406-030 6:57 PM · 11 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 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.
  • 406-031 6:57 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 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.
  • 406-032 6:57 PM · 11 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 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.
  • 406-033 6:57 PM · 9 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 6:57 pm and 7:39 pm.

All 51 conversations from January 30, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 036-122, January 30, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-122 (accessed September 18, 2026).