Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 336 › Conversation 336-058

Nixon & Kissinger on Vietnam War and Naval Blockade

Monday, May 8, 1972 · 6:34 PM–7:14 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation336-058 on Tape 336 (tape position 02:56:39–02:58:39)StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 6:34 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 7:14 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 336-058 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to refine the text of Nixon’s televised address announcing the mining of North Vietnamese ports and the naval blockade. The discussion focused on balancing firm rhetoric against the North Vietnamese with specific peace offers, including a proposed cease-fire and the eventual withdrawal of American troops. The primary objective was to frame the escalation as a necessary measure to secure an honorable peace rather than a pursuit of military expansion.

Audio

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Position in tape: 02:56:39 – 02:58:39

part B, 53:18

336a.mp3

336b.mp3

336c.mp3

NARA Description

On May 8, 1972, 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 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 336-058 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 336-58

Date: May 8, 1972
Time: Unknown between 6:34 and 7:14 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Vietnam
          -President’s speech on the blockade
                -Changes
                     -Peace offers
                     -Cease-fire
                -Troops

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

You might ask me to sacrifice your president for your life, but neither should you, for many annals and tragedies have allowed the prospects to be together, not so patiently betrayed.

We are on the threshold of a new relationship that can serve not only the interests of our two countries, but the core of the world peace.

We are preparing to continue to build

It's your responsibility.

It's yours if you fail to do so.

I agree, Howard.

I ask you for the same strong support you've always given your president for the whole class.

It was you, most of all.

We'll be watching.

I know how much you want to have him soon.

I know how much you want to bring him on now.

I think you know, all that I have said about this past 30 years, how much I truly want to end the war.

I do want peace.

I want peace.

But you also want honor, not defeat.

You want a genuine peace, not a peace that is merely a prayer that you want to live in.

At this moment, we must stand together in purpose to resolve it.

As is so often the past, we Americans did not choose to resort to war.

It is a partial promise by an enemy that it shall utter contempt for every procure we have made

That is why tonight, I ask for your support, Mrs. E. The city of El Paso is in one place, not to expand the war, not to escalate it, but to end this war and win the country of peace.

With God's help, we will support you.

Also recorded on May 8, 1972

336-050 6:14 PM · 48 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.
336-057 6:34 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.
336-059 6:34 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.
336-060 6:34 PM · 18 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 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.
336-061 6:34 PM · 28 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 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.
336-062 6:34 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.
336-063 6:34 PM · 42 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 6:34 pm and 7:14 pm.

All 118 conversations from May 8, 1972 →

Nixon phone call with Rogers on Vietnam War and 1972 Presidential Election November 4, 1972 · 8 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Nguyen Van Thieu January 21, 1973 · 5 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Paris Peace Accords January 21, 1973 · 7 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and Ceasefire January 31, 1973 · 8 min
Nixon phone call with Mansfield on Henry Kissinger and Vietnam War February 3, 1973 · 7 min
Nixon & Rogers on Vietnam War and Peace negotiations November 4, 1972 · 8 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 336-058, 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/336-058 (accessed November 2, 2026).