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

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation336-058 onTape 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

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 02:56:39 into the tape and ends around 02:58:39.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

2:56:39We do not ask you to sacrifice your president or your life.
2:56:41Neither should we remain as intransigents, deviled or prostrate, to speak together, not so patiently.
2:56:49We 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.
2:56:57We have prepared and continue to build the relationship.
2:57:01The responsibility is yours, if we fail.
2:57:04I ask you for the same strong support you've always given your president and your opponents.
2:57:11It is you, most of all.
2:57:18We'll be watching.
2:57:19I know how much you want to get him to school.
2:57:25I know how much you want to bring him home.
2:57:27I think you know, all that I've said about this past three years, how much I truly want him to work.
2:57:37You want peace.
2:57:37I want peace.
2:57:39But you also want honor, not defeat.
2:57:40You want a genuine peace, not a peace that is never yet created.
2:57:44You want a real peace.
2:57:45At this moment, we must stand together in purpose to resolve it.
2:57:50As is so often the past, we Americans did not choose to resort to war.
2:57:53It is a portion promised by an enemy that has shown utter contempt for every procure we have made for peace.
2:57:57That is why tonight, I ask for your support in this.
2:58:04The decision of casualty in one place, not to expand the war, not to escalate it, but to end the war and win the country's peace and life.
2:58:11With God's help, we do support.

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

Also recorded on May 8, 1972

  • 336-050 6:14 PM · 45 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 · 7 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 · 25 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 · 35 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 94 conversations from May 8, 1972 →

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 September 18, 2026).