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Conversation 336-063

TapeTape 336StartMonday, May 8, 1972 at 6:34 PMEndMonday, May 8, 1972 at 7:14 PMTape start time03:13:34Tape end time03:14:16ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  [Unknown person(s)]Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with an unknown individual to rehearse or review the substance of his upcoming televised address to the nation regarding the Vietnam War. During this discussion, Nixon emphasized the necessity of achieving a peace with honor rather than a premature withdrawal. The conversation served to solidify the President's public messaging strategy concerning his decision to escalate military pressure on North Vietnam while maintaining domestic support.

Vietnam Warpeace with honortelevised addresspublic relationsforeign policy
AudioNARA 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 336-063 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 336-63

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1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: 33s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1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 and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

I ask you for the same strong support you have always given your president and your colleagues.
We assume, most of all, that the world will be watching.
I know how much you want to bring our men home.
I think you know from all that I have said in the past three and a half years how much I, too, want to end the war and bring our men home.
You want peace.
I want peace.
But you also want honor.
I agree.
You want a genuine peace, not a peace that is just a trade with the war.
At this moment, we must stand together for the purpose of this honor.
As so often in the past, we Americans do not choose our people.
It has been forced upon us by an enemy that has shown utter contempt for every order we have made for peace.
That is why tonight I ask for your support of this decision, a decision which has only one purpose, not to expand the war, not to escalate the war, but to end this war and to win the kind of peace that will last.
With God's help, with your support, we will achieve that goal.
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