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
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
This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:30:28 into the tape and ends around 00:36:03.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 · Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
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
-ChinaAlso 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 · 33 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.
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 September 18, 2026).