Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 336 › Conversation 336-040

Nixon & Woods on Vietnam War and Military policy

Monday, May 8, 1972 · 5:54 PM–5:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation336-040 on Tape 336 (tape position 02:15:22–02:17:43)StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 5:54 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 5:55 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 336-040 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discuss the framing of U.S. restraint in the Vietnam War, specifically debating how to articulate the nation's policy of gradual escalation. The conversation shifts toward internal administrative or logistical concerns, with the President questioning the necessity of specific documentation or statements. The brief interaction concludes with the President inquiring about diplomatic coordination regarding Germany.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 112.6 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 112.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 49.5 MB

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 02:15:22 into the tape and ends around 02:17:43.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
2:15:08Another point that I didn't want to mention very clearly, you know, where we say throughout the war in Vietnam, the United States has exercised a degree of restraint on the war, this is a right for us to carry ourselves under restraint.
2:15:26I'm just wondering if you believe that.
2:15:35You know what I mean?
2:15:36I wonder if you will come up with an experiment on the M-79 to run a gradual escalation, you know?
2:15:44Absolutely.
2:15:45I do.
2:15:45I think what I'll do is just strike with the right foot on the inner side.
2:15:50And, you know, that would be strengthened.
2:15:53So if you fall apart, just say, go here.
2:15:55If you breathe, turn around and touch it.
2:15:58That was our responsibility as a great nation.
2:16:02then we don't stick it to the people that say what we've done.
2:16:06You see what I mean?
2:16:08I think that's a small thing to say.
2:16:15One other thing I have to ask you about, you know, is whether or not we talk about
2:16:34I'm just kidding.
2:16:35I don't know what that is for.
2:16:36I'm just kidding.
2:16:36I don't know what that is for.
2:16:37I'm just kidding.
2:16:38I don't know what that is for.
2:16:39I'm just kidding.
2:16:40I don't know what that is for.
2:16:41I'm just kidding.
2:16:42I don't know what that is for.
2:16:43I'm just kidding.
2:16:43I don't know what that is for.
2:16:45I'm just kidding.
2:16:46I don't know what that is for.
2:16:47I'm just kidding.
2:16:47I don't know what that is for.
2:16:48I'm just kidding.
2:16:49I don't know what that is for.
2:16:50I'm just kidding.
2:16:51I don't know what that is for.
2:16:52I'm just kidding.
2:16:52I don't know what that is for.
2:16:53I'm just kidding.
2:16:54I don't know what that is for.
2:16:55I'm just kidding.
2:16:55I don't know what that is for.
2:16:56I'm just kidding.
2:16:57I don't know what that is for.
2:16:59I'm just kidding.
2:16:59I don't know what that is for.
2:17:00I'm just kidding.
2:17:01I don't know what that is for.
2:17:04But I think it's strong enough just to say, you know, I don't think we need that.
2:17:07Otherwise, we'd be glad if you could say that.
2:17:08OK. Fine.
2:17:08Are you coming on any other questions?
2:17:09Yeah.
2:17:10Fine.
2:17:10Everybody on the board?
2:17:10OK. See, maybe with this, sir, if you just take it down.
2:17:35Do you think you can do anything about the Germans over there?
2:17:39Yeah.
2:17:39Germans?

NARA Description

On May 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:54 pm to 5:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 336-040 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 336-40

Date: May 8, 1972
Time: 5:54 - 5:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

     [Unintelligible]

Woods left at 5:55 pm.

Also recorded on May 8, 1972

  • 336-041 5:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-042 5:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-043 5:55 PM · 9 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 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-044 5:55 PM · 56 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 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-045 5:55 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-046 5:55 PM · 45 sec — 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 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-047 5:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.
  • 336-048 5:55 PM · 22 sec — 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 5:55 pm and 6:09 pm.

All 94 conversations from May 8, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 336-040, May 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/336-040 (accessed October 10, 2026).