Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 151
Nixon White House Tape 151 (October 20, 1972 – October 22, 1972)
12 conversations · Camp David Study Table · about 28 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haig, Hirsch, Haldeman
William Hirsch coordinates with the Camp David operator and Mr. Harris to facilitate communications infrastructure improvements at the retreat. The discussion focuses on the logistical requirement for a telephone with an extra-long cord to serve the Aspen and Dogwood cabins. Hirsch further arranges for a follow-up assessment regarding the installation of additional phone jacks to improve connectivity.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to request a telephone connection with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. This administrative communication served to facilitate direct contact between the President and his deputy assistant for national security affairs. No further policy or strategic discussions were recorded during this brief logistical exchange.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the critical need for South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu to accept the latest North Vietnamese peace proposals prior to an upcoming meeting with Henry Kissinger. They express concern that if Thieu rejects the deal, the North Vietnamese may go public with the terms, creating significant political pressure in the U.S. to pursue a unilateral, bilateral agreement and abandon South Vietnam. Nixon instructs Haig to convey a message to Kissinger emphasizing that while the deal is imperfect, the risks of rejection are severe and that Thieu faces a potential loss of American support if he fails to cooperate.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing call to White House special counsel Charles W. Colson. This brief administrative interaction served as the necessary step to initiate direct communication with one of the President's key political advisors. No further substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief connection.
President Nixon attempted to reach Charles W. Colson via the Camp David operator to discuss his schedule, but the call could not be completed as Colson was out to dinner in Philadelphia. Upon learning that Colson's location was unknown, Nixon instructed the operator to cease further efforts and decided to initiate contact later. No substantive policy matters were addressed during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to initiate a telephone call to General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. This brief exchange served solely to facilitate communication between the President and his deputy assistant for national security affairs. No further policy discussions or significant substantive matters were addressed during this interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed the status of Vietnam peace negotiations following Hanoi's public disclosure of sensitive information, which the President viewed as a breach of trust. Haig reported that he had confronted Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin regarding the leaks and their potential to derail the progress made by Henry Kissinger. The pair emphasized the need to strictly control press access, specifically warning Secretary of State William P. Rogers to prevent further leaks to outlets like the Washington Post. They also affirmed that they would explicitly avoid using the term "coalition government" in any public characterization of the ongoing political settlement.
President Nixon initiated a brief telephonic communication with the Camp David operator to request an outbound call to his Chief of Staff, H.R. "Bob" Haldeman. The exchange served strictly as a logistical facilitation for the President to reach a key advisor. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the deteriorating state of Vietnam peace negotiations following South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu's resistance to a proposed settlement. Nixon expresses a firm intent to finalize a deal with North Vietnam regardless of Thieu’s objections, fearing that continued delays or a failed diplomatic mission by Henry Kissinger to Hanoi would be politically damaging before the upcoming election. They agree that Kissinger must be restrained from traveling to Hanoi, opting instead to manage the situation through private pressure on the Soviet Union to prevent a public propaganda crisis.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. This brief exchange served as a routine administrative request to establish communication with his key advisor. The conversation concluded immediately after the President issued the directive to initiate the call.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinate their strategy regarding ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations and the potential for a direct meeting between the President and Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin. Nixon expresses concern over a recent Soviet leak that alienated South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu and stresses that Henry Kissinger must avoid traveling to Hanoi before the 1972 election to prevent the appearance of a political surrender. The two decide to meet later that day at the Executive Office Building to finalize their approach for stabilizing US-Soviet relations and maintaining pressure on Hanoi to reach a military settlement.
William Hirsch contacted the Camp David operator to verify the current time. This brief exchange served exclusively as a routine time check for the caller. No other substantive topics or policy discussions were addressed during the interaction.