Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 336 › Conversation 336-061

Nixon & Kissinger on Foreign Policy and Military Alliances

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

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation336-061 onTape 336 (tape position 03:12:34–03:12:59)StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 6:34 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 7:14 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 336-061 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the strategic rationale behind American military commitments and the defense of allies. They emphasize that U.S. support for international partners is strictly intended for defensive purposes rather than expansionist goals. This dialogue underscores the administration's attempt to justify ongoing involvement while framing their actions within the broader cause of global peace.

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 03:12:34 into the tape and ends around 03:12:59.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

3:12:34It's only convenient here in my very mind, our way, to defend our great interests.
3:12:36No sort of soldier is your friend, even now.
3:12:38Sixty thousand Americans are your friend.
3:12:41We expect you to help your allies.
3:12:42You cannot expect us to do other than to continue to help our allies.
3:12:46But let us on that already far help our allies only for the purpose of their defense, not for the purpose of launching nations in abstraction.
3:12:54Otherwise, the cause of peace, the cause to which we both have so great a stand,

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 336-061 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 336-61

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

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Meeting with the President
          -Speech

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.
  • 336-058 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.
  • 336-060 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.
  • 336-062 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 336-061, 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/336-061 (accessed September 18, 2026).