Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 336 › Conversation 336-060

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Vietnam War

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

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]Conversation336-060 on Tape 336 (tape position 03:12:16–03:12:34)StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 6:34 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 7:14 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 336-060 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon held a discussion with an unidentified individual to refine the messaging regarding the U.S. military strategy in Vietnam. The conversation focused on justifying American intervention as a necessary measure to protect the lives of 60,000 U.S. troops against communist aggression. Nixon articulated a diplomatic stance toward the Soviet Union, asserting both a respect for their interests and a firm commitment to defending American objectives in the region.

Audio

part B, 1:08:56

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 players above hold the full tape, shared with neighbouring conversations. By the archivists' log it runs from 03:12:16 to 03:12:34 into the tape; their log often drifts a minute or two from the audio, so listen for the subjects in the finding aid.

NARA Description

On May 8, 1972, 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. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 336-060 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 336-60

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

The President met with an unknown man.

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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The unknown man left at an unknown time before 7:14 pm.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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; click one to play the tape from there.

Their sole purpose is to protect the lives of 60,000 Americans who would be gravely endangered in the event that the communist offensive continues to rule over them under the empty imposition of a communist government by brutal aggression among nations of the United States.
I particularly direct my comments to the life of the Soviet Union.
We respect the Soviet Union's great power.
We recognize the right of the Soviet Union to defend its interests on the air front.
It's only convenient here in my very mind, our way, to defend our great interests.

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.
  • 336-058 6:34 PM · 2 min — 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.
  • 336-059 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.
  • 336-061 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 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 336-060, 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/336-060 (accessed November 2, 2026).