Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 214 › Conversation 214-034

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and People's Republic of China

Monday, October 2, 1972 · 8:43 PM–8:51 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation214-034 on Tape 214StartMonday, October 2, 1972 at 8:43 PMEndMonday, October 2, 1972 at 8:51 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 214-034 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met at Camp David to discuss an urgent, sensitive message expected from the People's Republic of China, which they speculated concerned either the Vietnam War or issues regarding Japan. The conversation also touched upon the progress of negotiations with the Soviet Union, including upcoming discussions with Andrei Gromyko, and domestic political strategy regarding the 1972 election. Kissinger emphasized the need for a decisive approach to the Vietnam situation, noting that if current diplomatic efforts failed, the administration would need to escalate its military stance shortly after the election.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 16% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I just want to tell you, we had word from the Chinese that they have a very important message coming, and it has to be given to me personally.
It's got to be in Vietnam.
Hopefully, if it's a bombing transgression.
If it's a bombing transgression, they don't ever insist on giving it.
It's got to be either that or they're telling me something about their Japanese ship.
That thing is close to breaking.
I want to go over and see for myself, but I thought you should know this.
I thought you were absolutely masterful about Vietnam.
It's the best thing.
Not a word misplaced.
Not a word too much.
You know, you take it for granted because you know it so well.
Again, I can only say imagine McGovern with his briefs.
Even if he agreed with it, which he wouldn't do, how would he have said it?
I mean, how could he have made it credible?
When you say it's your last offer, it's your last offer.
But he knows it.
But when McGovern says it, God, that's right.
So particularly when we put him in the contract, you have 18 rounds.
Yes, that's right.
Now we're going to knock him out in the 20th.
Knock him out in the 20th.
Don't worry, he'll be transferring with just a false say.
What's a hot rose considered worth paying him?
That's going right back to Gregson.
Well, they have to understand this because, you know, when we do have to do this, if we do, God damn it, they're going to understand since then.
Mr. President, if this thing doesn't come off now, then we cannot wait more than a few days after the election and then go all out.
That's right.
We'll make an offer all the way to the fact that we can go.
You know, one thing that I like about the race, they've got the good sense.
You know, when they're talking to me and so forth, they take a lot of time.
But basically, when they're sitting at dinner, they go, oh, it doesn't mean a goddamn thing, and they knock it all at 8.30, 8.50.
Wasn't that great?
Why shouldn't they?
Why shouldn't they?
There was nothing to talk about.
Good.
All right.
But I wanted you to know about this.
When we go up tomorrow, I think if I can treat myself with something in the late afternoon, I'll go up then, because we ought to know what's the game is.
Maybe, I trust it is Vietnam, but it could be a bombing thing.
Well, if it isn't a bombing thing, then don't ask me.
If it isn't Vietnam...
It could be Japan.
Well, if it isn't Vietnam, I'll tell them what you said.
You should.
So, I mean, I don't have an excuse to do a damn right thing.
They've got to know where we stand.
I'll tell them we just had a... You know, it's solely a coincidence, but we...
This could, in a sense, it's a small thing.
You could have this follow-up here.
We had to bring it across.
He's the first one to be here.
They like the old cut.
Oh, yeah.
Driving around with this cab.
That's what I am planning to do, as you know, is to get fresh out of these cars.
I know.
We don't have an old cut.
When he's here, he'll love it.
He is perfectly.

NARA Description

On October 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:43 pm and 8:51 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 214-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 214-34

Date: October 2, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:43 pm and 8:51 pm

Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

             US foreign relations
                 -The People's Republic of China [PRC]
                     -Message
                     -Vietnam War
                          -US bombing
                     -Japan
                 -Soviet Union
                     -Meetings with Andrei A. Gromyko
                          -Vietnam War
                 -Vietnam negotiations
                     -The President
                     -George S. McGovern
                     -Transcription
                          -Viktor M. Sukhodrev
                          -Leonid I. Brezhnev
                     -US options
                          -1972 election
                 -Soviet Union
                     -Talks
                          -Pace
                     -Dinner
                     -Gromyko
                 -PRC message
                     -Vietnam
                     -Japan
                 -Soviet Union
                     -Gromyko's visit to Camp David
                          -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
                          -Brezhnev
                               -Golf cart

Kissinger left at an unknown time before 8:51 pm.

Also recorded on October 3, 1972

  • 145-020 8:36 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 8:39 pm.
  • 214-032 8:36 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 8:39 pm.
  • 145-021 8:39 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:39 pm to 8:43 pm.
  • 214-033 8:39 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:39 pm to 8:43 pm.
  • 145-022 8:43 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:43 pm and 8:51 pm.
  • 214-035 8:43 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:43 pm and 8:51 pm.
  • 145-023 8:51 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:51 pm to 8:52 pm.
  • 214-036 8:51 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:51 pm to 8:52 pm.

All 64 conversations from October 3, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 214-034, October 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/214-034 (accessed October 12, 2026).