Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 251 › Conversation 251-025

Nixon & Haig on Vietnam War and Military casualties

Thursday, April 29, 1971 · 9:50 AM–10:24 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 41 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation251-025 on Tape 251 (tape position 02:28:01–02:28:45)StartThursday, April 29, 1971 at 9:50 AMEndThursday, April 29, 1971 at 10:24 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 251-025 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. to request comparative data on Vietnam War casualties, specifically seeking figures from the current week contrasted with those from one and two years prior. Additionally, the President requested information regarding the size and composition of the 1st Marine Division. This inquiry reflected Nixon’s effort to contextualize current military losses and force structure as part of his ongoing assessment of the Vietnam conflict.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Now, what about the, uh, the, uh, situation on, uh...
the casualties this week and a year ago, and the casualties this week are, are they two years ago?
Can you get that for me?
The casualties two years ago, and this week, this week, I'd like to know.
In terms of that first working division, how many are in a division?
I don't need a precise figure in the Marine Division.
I just want to know how many casualties.
I just want to get the Marine Division in my mind.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:24 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 251-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 251-25

Date: April 29, 1971
Time: Unknown between 9:50 am and 10:24 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

     Vietnam
          -Casualties two years ago
          -1st Marine Division
                -Number

Also recorded on April 29, 1971

  • 042-077 9:29 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 9:29 am to 9:31 am.
  • 251-019 9:29 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:29 am to 9:31 am.
  • 251-020 9:31 AM · 9 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 9:31 am and 9:48 am.
  • 251-021 9:31 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:31 am and 9:48 am.
  • 251-022 9:48 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:48 am to 9:50 am.
  • 251-023 9:50 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:24 am.
  • 251-024 9:50 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:24 am.
  • 251-026 9:50 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:24 am.

All 64 conversations from April 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 251-025, April 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/251-025 (accessed October 3, 2026).