Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 285 › Conversation 285-036
Nixon & Kissinger on Vietnam War and People's Republic of China
Thursday, October 7, 1971 · 2:50 PM–3:05 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 12 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate strategy regarding upcoming announcements on Vietnam troop levels and the diplomatic implications of Nixon’s planned trip to the People's Republic of China. The discussion focused on carefully timing these announcements to maximize political impact and maintain public confusion regarding administration objectives. Additionally, they explored the logistics of hosting a potential European summit in Washington, D.C., and touched upon diplomatic communications involving Pakistan and the USSR.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On October 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:50 pm to 3:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 285-036 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 285-036
Date: October 7, 1971
Time: 2:50 pm - 3:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Vietnam
-Forthcoming announcement
-Peace statements
-US ground forces involvement
-Troop strength
-Bombing
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Kissinger's schedule
-Timing of Vietnam announcement
-North Vietnam
-Clark MacGregor
-Bombing announcement
-Troop levels
-PRC trip
-Possible effect on North Vietnam
-New York Times
Berlin Agreement
-Publicity
-West Germany
-Status
Media
-New York Times
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Time and Newsweek
-McGeorge Bundy
PRC
Kissinger's schedule
-Meeting with European businessmen
-Kissinger's conversation with [Forename unknown] Rubinstein
-Hedley W. Donovan
European Summit
-Possible location
-Official dinner arrangements
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-The President
-Kennedy Center
-White House
-Kissinger’s role
-British, French, Germans, Italians
-PRC initiative
-World monetary situation
-Views of unknown prime minister
-The President's schedule
Chilean Embassy special function
-Michael J. Mansfield
Vietnam
-Mansfield amendment
-Washington Post
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-North Vietnamese
**************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2012-004. Segment declassified on 06/23/2016. Archivist: DR]
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
[National Security]
[285-036-w003]
[Duration: 49s]
Message from Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan
-Possible attack by India
-Chou En-lai
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Message from Henry A. Kissinger, October 4, 1971
**************************************************************************
-Letters from the President
-Nicaragua
Unidentified Australian
-Proposed meeting
-Timing
Kissinger left at 3:05 pm.Also recorded on October 7, 1971
- 285-032 2:43 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:43 pm to 2:47 pm.
- 285-033 2:47 PM · 2 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 2:47 pm and 2:50 pm.
- 285-034 2:47 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 2:50 pm.
- 285-035 2:47 PM · 1 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 2:47 pm and 2:50 pm.
- 285-037 3:05 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:05 pm and 3:25 pm.
- 285-038 3:05 PM · 14 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 3:05 pm and 3:25 pm.
- 010-136 3:25 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 3:25 pm to 3:32 pm.
- 285-039 3:25 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:25 pm to 3:32 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 285-036, October 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/285-036 (accessed October 6, 2026).