Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 336 › Conversation 336-050
Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Prisoners of War
Monday, May 8, 1972 · 6:14 PM–6:22 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 48 sec
AI Summary
President Richard M. Nixon practiced the delivery of his televised address concerning the escalating crisis in Southeast Asia. The rehearsal focused on articulating the justification for military actions, specifically framing them as necessary measures to secure the return of prisoners of war and ensure regional security. Nixon refined his rhetoric to emphasize American resolve and the conditions under which he would order a cessation of hostilities.
Audio
This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.
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Position in tape: 02:31:13 – 02:31:58
part B, 27:52
NARA Description
On May 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 336-050 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 336-50 Date: May 8, 1972 Time: Unknown between 6:14 and 6:22 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President rehearsed his “Address to the Nation on the Situation in Southeast Asia”. [This is a continuation of Conversation No. 336-34] [See Public Papers of the Presidents, Richard M. Nixon, 1972, pp. 583-587]
Transcript (AI-generated)
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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.
- 336-049 6:09 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:09 pm to 6:14 pm.
- 336-051 6:14 PM · 27 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 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 336-052 6:14 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 336-053 6:14 PM · 1 min — 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 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 336-054 6:14 PM · 16 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 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 336-055 6:14 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:14 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 336-056 6:22 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:22 pm to 6:34 pm.
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- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Vietnamization April 7, 1971 · 12 min
- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Paris Peace Accords January 23, 1973 · 8 min
- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Peace Agreement January 23, 1973 · 7 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 336-050, 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/336-050 (accessed November 2, 2026).