Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 246-030
Date: Wednesday, April 7, 1971 at 5:40 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President)
Recording device: Old Executive Office Building
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/246-030

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] As you can see from the progress we've made today, by this announcement, the American involvement in Vietnam is coming to an end.
[0:16] The South Vietnamese can take over their own defenses in sight.
[0:17] Our goal is a total American withdrawal from Vietnam.
[0:19] And we will reach that goal through our program on civilization.
[0:21] We would infinitely prefer to reach it even sooner.
[0:27] I again call on Hanoi to engage in serious negotiations to speed the end of the war.
[0:46] I especially call on Hanoi to agree to the immediate end of the unconditional release of all prisoners of war who are under attack.
[0:52] On the other hand, on the end of our very use of our purpose as negotiators and pawns, to join us in a humane act that will freeze their name as well as ours.
[1:14] And now we'll move to the first glance at a great deal of appeal to the matter.
[1:15] So confident, you know, that we can control all forces.
[1:17] I want to announce a date now for the end of our call.
[1:20] The difficulty of making such an announcement to the American people is that I would also make the announcement to the United States.
[1:36] We are the enemy's purpose on our own.
[1:37] We will quit regardless of what the enemy does.
[1:38] In a way, our principle barred the encounter with the police of the United States during World War II.
[1:40] We would remove the enemy's strongholds and send them to end the war as children by negotiation.
[1:43] People have given enemy commanders the exact information they need to marshal their attacks against our remaining forces at them at the momentable time.
[1:59] The issue, very simply, is this.
[2:01] We leave Vietnam in a way that by our own actions consciously turns the country over to the country.
[2:04] So we leave it in a way that gives the South Vietnamese a reasonable chance to survive and free people.
[2:08] The land will end American involvement in a way that will provide that chance.
[2:10] I would have it presented with a good victory or not.
[2:16] It presents two days of choice in editing our involvement in this war on another despair or another hope.
[2:24] Thank you, Mr. Thomas Jefferson.
[2:25] America will always choose hope over despair.
[2:34] And in our power, they lead Vietnam in a way that offers a brave people a realistic hope for freedom.
[2:42] And in our power to prove to our friends in the world that America's sense of responsibility remains the world's greatest symbol of hope for peace.
[2:50] We have in our power to close the difficult chapters in America.
[2:51] We need them, but no one.
[2:52] So each one of us can come out of this serious experience with a measure of pride in our nation.
[2:55] We would abandon ourselves.
[3:20] We would budge from the anguish of war to a nightmare of incrimination.
[3:21] We would lose respect for this nation, respect for one another, respect for ourselves.
[3:23] ... ... ... ... ... ...
[3:52] soldiers who build schools, roads, hospitals, clinics, and help us act in general readiness, kindness, and helping people.
[4:13] We saw it in Vietnam.
[4:13] And we should be very proud of what we've done.
[4:14] Not our son, but our appreciation and our deep respect for America.
[4:15] The President's appreciation is to the dead America's participation in this conflict, not in failure or defeat, but in the achievement of the great goals in which they saw it.
[4:19] It will redeem the sacrifices of the world.
[4:48] I do not ask you to take what I say on paper.
[5:13] Look for it.
[5:13] Look again at that child.
[5:35] Is it in me to accomplish what I set out to do?
[5:36] I have to do something.
[5:36] I have to do something.
[5:36] I have to do something.
[5:37] I have to do something.
[5:37] I have to do something.
[5:38] I have to do something.
[5:39] I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this celebration.
[6:03] I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this celebration.
[6:05] I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this celebration.
[6:06] I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this celebration.
[6:07] One.
[6:15] Two.
[6:15] One.
[6:15] Two.
[6:15] One.
[6:15] Two.