Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 184 › Conversation 184-012
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Operation Linebacker II
Monday, December 18, 1972 · 12:28 PM–12:30 PM ET · Camp David Study Desk · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the tactical implementation and operational pace of an ongoing bombing campaign, specifically addressing the frequency and targeting of strikes. The conversation centers on maintaining operational intensity and ensuring military effectiveness, with the President explicitly instructing Kissinger to persist with the current offensive strategy. They assess the technical challenges of target selection and the implications of potential collateral damage in populated areas.
- Vietnam War
- Operation Linebacker II
- Military Strategy
- Bombing Campaigns
- Henry Kissinger
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 45% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On December 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:28 pm to 12:30 pm. The Camp David Study Desk taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 184-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 184-12
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 184-12 (cont’d)
Date: December 18, 1972
Time: 12:28 pm - 12:30 pm
Location: Camp David Study Desk
The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.
Vietnam War
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Reports
-Timing
-Targeting
-Freeways
-Tactical Air [TACAIR] strikes
-B-52s
-Number
-Intensity
-Targets
-Damage
-Risks
-Populated areas
-Criticism
-Intensity
-AlternativeAlso recorded on December 18, 1972
- 034-126 1:14 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:14 pm and 1:15 pm.
- 381-011 1:14 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:14 pm and 1:15 pm.
- 034-127 1:15 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:15 pm to 1:16 pm.
- 381-012 1:15 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:15 pm to 1:16 pm.
- 034-128 1:17 PM · 1 min — Henry A. Kissinger and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 1:17 pm to 1:18 pm.
- 381-013 1:17 PM · 1 min — Henry A. Kissinger and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:17 pm to 1:18 pm.
- 034-129 1:18 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:18 pm and 2:45 pm.
- 381-014 1:18 PM · 28 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 1:18 pm and 1:20 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 184-012, December 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/184-012 (accessed October 23, 2026).