Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 375 › Conversation 375-011
Nixon & Ziegler on Vietnam peace negotiations and Henry Kissinger
Thursday, October 26, 1972 · 12:40 PM–12:49 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler consulted on media strategy regarding the ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations and Henry Kissinger’s recent public claim that “peace is at hand.” They discussed how to frame the potential settlement in light of the upcoming 1972 election, contrasting Nixon's goal of “peace with honor” against the alternatives proposed by George McGovern. The discussion also addressed the administration's concerns regarding the role of a coalition government, the specific concessions made by North Vietnam on October 8, and managing press inquiries about bombing campaigns and South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:40 pm to 12:49 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 375-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 375-11
Date: October 26, 1972
Time: 12:40 pm - 12:49 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler. Discontinuities occurred at time of original
recording.
Vietnam peace settlement negotiations
-Henry A. Kissinger's recent press briefing
-George S. McGovern's plan
-Duration
-“Peace is at hand”
-Settlement deadline and the 1972 election
-North Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 concessions
-The President's May 8, 1972 proposals
-“Peace with honor” compared with “peace with surrender”
-Translation of Vietnamese statement
-The President’s view
-Coalition government
-Future meeting
-Coalition government
-The President’s opinion
-Concessions
-Economic aid
-Possible press coverage
-“Peace is at hand”
-McGovern
-Questions on bombing
-20th parallel
-North Vietnam
-October 8, 1972 concessions
-Nguyen Van Thieu’s role and strategy
-National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord
-Murrey Marder’s question about timing of settlement
-History of negotiations
-Threat to peace
-Kissinger’s response
Ziegler left at 12:49 pm.Also recorded on October 26, 1972
- 375-006 12:16 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
- 375-007 12:16 PM · 12 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
- 375-008 12:16 PM · 10 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
- 375-009 12:16 PM · 7 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 12:16 pm and 12:36 pm.
- 032-053 12:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. talked on the telephone from 12:36 pm to 12:38 pm.
- 375-010 12:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:36 pm to 12:38 pm.
- 375-012 12:49 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:49 pm and 2:01 pm.
- 375-013 2:01 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:01 pm to 2:04 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 375-011, October 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/375-011 (accessed October 9, 2026).