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Conversation 333-027

TapeTape 333StartWednesday, April 26, 1972 at 5:14 PMEndWednesday, April 26, 1972 at 5:16 PMTape start time03:32:09Tape end time03:34:57ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Woods, Rose MaryRecording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to finalize the revisions and word count of a brief but significant speech regarding Vietnam. The discussion touched upon the delicate diplomatic landscape, specifically referencing covert private negotiations in Paris that the administration aimed to obscure from public discourse. Nixon emphasized the speech's strategic ambiguity, noting that while it addressed the implications of ongoing bombing campaigns and Soviet involvement, key diplomatic maneuvers remained intentionally omitted.

Vietnam WarPresidential speechwritingParis Peace TalksDiplomatic negotiationsAirstrikesCold War strategy
AudioNARA Description

On April 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:14 pm to 5:16 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 333-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 333-27

Date: April 26, 1972
Time: 5:14 pm - 5:16 pm

Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

       Vietnam
            -The President's speech
                  -Changes
                  -Number of words
                        -Additions
                  -Completion
                  -Length
                  -Contents
                  -Diplomatic negotiations
            -Meetings in Paris
                  -US bombing
                        -Hanoi
            -Soviets

Woods left at 5:16 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Well, I had, I cheated.
I had some on the bench.
There were a lot of changes, though.
Did you get all those?
Oh, yeah.
Where it changes?
Did the pages go?
Do you know how many pages?
About 2,000.
They're counting, but... You had 2139.
That's... Before that last... Before... Cut on that, isn't it?
It's a good speech.
It's very short.
It's brief, but it says one hell of a lot.
And of course, as you can imagine, there's an awful lot going on diplomatically we're not saying.
There's another one.
See, there's another private meeting here in Paris.
That's why we're going back to this one meeting tomorrow, really.
Yeah.
That's by implication in here, but only a smart fellow will ever see it.
We can't say it.
We'll go to cover on it.
But the private meeting in Paris is a tradition cut bait when they even talk.
They don't want to start bombing again.
Well, that's where we got our wheel.
That's where the rush by the rush came on.
That's on the second.
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