Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 256 › Conversation 256-021

Nixon & Kissinger on China policy and United Nations

Tuesday, June 1, 1971 · 1:20 PM–7:35 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation256-021 on Tape 256 (tape position 00:30:28–00:36:03)StartTuesday, June 1, 1971 at 1:20 PMEndTuesday, June 1, 1971 at 7:35 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 256-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to deliberate on sensitive foreign policy objectives, specifically addressing the administration's "Two China" strategy regarding Taiwan's United Nations membership. The discussion also evaluated ongoing U.S. military operations in Vietnam and Cambodia, assessing the effectiveness of South Vietnamese forces. Additionally, the participants touched upon press relations and communications strategy, referencing the involvement of Herbert G. Klein.

Audio

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Position in tape: 00:30:28 – 00:36:03

30:26

256a.mp3

NARA Description

On June 1, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:20 pm and 7:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 256-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 256-21

Date: June 1, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:20 pm and 7:35 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person [Henry A. Kissinger?]

     Press conference
           -Two China policy
                -[Forename unknown] Stevenson
                -Taiwan’s membership in the United Nations
           -Vietnam
                -Cambodia
                -US military efforts
                -South Vietnamese
                     -Military operations
                -Herbert G. Klein
                -1968 election
           -China

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Are you with Peterson?

What position are we involved in in this thing?

I've got a memorandum for me, and I just want to leave it over there.

Does this involve a big thing, or does it?

I am terribly, let me say this, we have a very important chance.

I'd like to make you try to stop me in the next moment.

That's a consideration.

All right.

I'll be over to you in about five minutes.

I don't want to take that.

Gross.

I have to sleep those on the desk here when Dad's gonna come.

This dress is not on here.

It's for this girl, this little girl from school.

She doesn't have her dress on there, but they can.

They just have to put it on and let's go today.

Let's go today and tell them to make a full status with this hand ring.

I meant to get the letter mailed by this morning by all.

Yes, sir.

Find the address.

Yes, sir.

Send it out.

Manolo?

— 2 min 49 s with no transcribed speech —

Dear Bill, I advise you

I want to read your letter to the poor.

Also recorded on June 1, 1971

004-001 11:25 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 11:25 am to 11:30 am.
256-016 11:25 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 11:25 am to 11:30 am.
256-017 11:30 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 12:06 pm.
256-018 11:30 AM · 1 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 11:30 am and 12:06 pm.
256-019 11:30 AM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 12:06 pm.
256-020 11:30 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 12:06 pm.
509-001 12:07 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Mary Kay Leavitt, Harley O. Staggers, John E. Nidecker, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:07 pm to 12:09 pm.
509-002 12:10 PM · 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:10 pm to 12:50 pm.

All 49 conversations from June 1, 1971 →

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Cambodia and Vietnam Cease-fire March 27, 1973 · 11 min
Nixon, Ziegler & Kissinger on Watergate and US-China Relations May 30, 1973 · 36 min
Nixon phone call with Buchanan on China policy and Media relations April 17, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon, Haldeman & Kissinger on United Nations and China policy October 27, 1971 · 2 hr 36 min
Nixon & Haig on United Nations and Taiwan October 18, 1971 · 26 min
Nixon phone call with Harris on Public opinion polling and Economy July 30, 1971 · 7 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 256-021, June 1, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/256-021 (accessed November 2, 2026).