Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 316 › Conversation 316-006

Nixon & Kissinger on Vietnam War and Speechwriting

Tuesday, January 25, 1972 · 2:45 PM–2:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]Conversation316-006 on Tape 316 (tape position 01:51:23–01:58:20)StartTuesday, January 25, 1972 at 2:45 PMEndTuesday, January 25, 1972 at 2:55 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 316-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to finalize specific language and strategic messaging for the President’s forthcoming Vietnam speech. The discussion focused on refining the phrasing regarding troop withdrawal timelines, election processes, and a proposed reconstruction program for Indochina to ensure the policy objectives were clearly communicated. They also weighed the potential international reactions to these proposals, specifically considering the involvement of French diplomacy and the reception from foreign officials.

Audio

Download MP3 · 6.3 MB

This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.

Listen to the full tape segment

Position in tape: 01:51:23 – 01:58:20

part A, 1:51:25

316a.mp3

316b.mp3

NARA Description

On January 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:45 pm to 2:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 316-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 316-6

Date: January 25, 1972
Time: 2:45 pm - 2:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Kissinger's schedule
          -The President's conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Privacy]
[Duration: 15s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

     The President’s health

     The President's forthcoming Vietnam speech
          -William P. Rogers's views
                -Attendance at speech
          -Changes
          -Ronald L. Ziegler

[An unknown person talked with the President at an unknown time between 2:45 pm and 2:55

pm.]

[Conversation No. 316-6A]

       Call to the President
             -Error

[End of telephone conversation]

       The President's forthcoming speech
            -Changes
                  -Phraseology
                        -Robert H. Finch's view
                        -Indochina
                              -Laos and Cambodia
                              -South Vietnam
                        -Peace settlement
                              -Troop withdrawal
                                    -Timing
                        -Vietnam election
                        -Reconstruction program
                              -Drafts
            -Kissinger's previous meeting with Earl of Cromer [George R.S. Baring]
            -Cromer's views
            -Possible French reaction
                  -French cooperation
            -Cromer’s views
                  -Television
            -William F. Buckley, Jr.

Kissinger left at 2:55 pm.

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).

No, I didn't mean to say that.

I think you were trying to say that.

I saw your schedule and told Paul.

We've still got a chance to make this up.

Could I, I just have two accrues that I think you should give some proof of the court.

Not even, but I think they haven't.

I sent him a copy.

I figured he's down.

He's happy with it.

It was damned good.

But he's kind of, you know, you told him that I was going to leave him and that he should take over if he doesn't settle down.

And then take him home.

Can I suggest from page seven?

Old Ziegler, have you talked to him?

No.

He really is?

Yeah.

You call me?

Could you change the word on page seven, many Americans who believe in the monarchy of the United States of America?

And could I suggest, because we covered all of it, which includes vows,

Now,

One point which I just want to be sure you don't feel leaves a impression, I guess, other than this last five minutes.

I wonder if that leaves Ukraine as a plot of an overall settlement.

Nine months after an overall settlement.

After an agreement on an overall settlement.

Yes.

After an agreement on an overall settlement.

I think that's after an agreement on an overall settlement.

You see, then we don't leave the impression to ask somebody.

I know this sounds too suspicious.

No, no, no.

I know that the president, I've practically noted that before myself and then slipped my mind into it.

But I want you to respond to this.

We can't answer them all.

Thank you.

Now, I do think we should put this thing, this thing, on page 15.

Well, you don't have my button, you don't have mine.

Rather than although, use the word but, of the election.

Although, it doesn't make this point sharply, election.

Although, it changes the button.

Good.

And also on the same page, you undertake a major reconstruction throughout all of China, including North Vietnam.

See what's going on.

I should say that.

No one will know.

We had that, I think, you know.

No.

We did.

We've had it in other drafts, but it's not in this one.

No, no.

I just want to make sure we're mentioning it on August 16th.

I just want to make sure.

No, we don't need... We've covered the fact that on the other one that our plan included...

I'm going to go back, hard and softly, and I'm just going to drop the July 26th meeting.

I was used to each other going to the LK.

That's fine.

We'll do it another time.

I've had a problem with that, and so on.

And you'll be had for a year.

And I'll show them the experts' speech, and they'll take it, and they'll take it, and they'll take it.

And since I was there, I'd like to start with that.

If you'd like it, I don't...

I don't want to...

I guess I'm asking your judgment, you know, for another time.

My judgment is, Mr. President, it adds a little...

If the French would like it, and it adds a little to the mystery...

If the French would cooperate, and how can they say that they didn't help?

They said, we don't... Well, we're just saying...

And also, it's a very high level, right?

That's what I'm saying.

I'll put it on that.

Also recorded on January 25, 1972

316-002 2:15 PM · 12 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 2:15 pm and 2:25 pm.
316-003 2:15 PM · 4 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 2:15 pm and 2:25 pm.
316-004 2:25 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Henry A. Kissinger, Rose Mary Woods, and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:25 pm to 2:33 pm.
316-005 2:33 PM · 16 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 2:33 pm and 2:45 pm.
316-007 2:55 PM · 13 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 2:55 pm and 4:35 pm.
316-008 2:55 PM · 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 2:55 pm and 4:35 pm.
316-009 2:55 PM · 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 2:55 pm and 4:35 pm.
316-010 4:35 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:35 pm to 4:36 pm.

All 55 conversations from January 25, 1972 →

Nixon & Price on Inaugural address and Foreign policy January 19, 1973 · 32 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam and People's Republic of China April 18, 1971 · 7 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on SALT and Foreign Policy May 21, 1971 · 6 min
Nixon, Rogers & Haldeman on China and Foreign Policy May 26, 1971 · 4 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on SALT and ABM Treaty June 1, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Prisoners of War September 28, 1971 · 7 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 316-006, January 25, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/316-006 (accessed November 11, 2026).