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Conversation 380-039

TapeTape 380StartThursday, December 28, 1972 at 4:00 PMEndThursday, December 28, 1972 at 4:15 PMParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President)Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger coordinate the timing for a public announcement regarding the acceptance of a peace proposal, finalizing a Saturday morning deadline. They discuss the strategic necessity of adhering to their commitments and address the political optics of the ongoing bombing campaign. The conversation confirms that both parties have agreed to the terms, with Nixon emphasizing the importance of fulfilling their stated word.

Vietnam WarPeace NegotiationsPublic RelationsMilitary BombingForeign Policy
AudioNARA Description

On December 28, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:00 pm to 4:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 380-039 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 380-39

Date: December 28, 1972
Time: 4:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

Henry A. Kissinger talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 35-35]

[This recording was cut off at an unknown time before 4:15 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yeah.
Hello.
Hi.
How are you?
How's the weather out there?
Good.
You're in Palm Springs?
Yeah.
Yeah, we have a house there.
Oh.
That is nice though.
You've got some fine taste.
Yeah.
When he said he just gave me a brief sense of color.
Right.
No conditions.
Right.
Right.
Now the question is, how about time?
Today is Thursday.
Is that their understanding too?
Yeah.
Yeah, I just want to know what the understanding is.
Right.
As the public announces at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Oh shit, I just wanna...
Well, I see no reason, no reason to do it otherwise.
What are the arguments?
I don't know.
No, no, no, I wouldn't exchange any messages.
Because basically they have accepted our proposal, right?
Our proposal was that we would call
So we will be keeping our word.
That's all I want to be sure of.
All right.
All right.
What do you suggest we should go back to all this?
Yeah.
So that's the 10 o'clock public announcement, 10 o'clock Saturday morning.
All right.
All right.
But you've got to tell them.
They already know that.
Yeah.
So basically you have so many announcements, right?
I'm sorry.
Horrible announcements.
Right.
And then they'll say, what about the bombing?
That's what's currently happening.
You know, bombing.
okay but at least
The point is, as we know, we couldn't blow the bank, but we didn't do it because, goddammit, there's nothing else that can fly at this time of year.
Well, let's go.
Right on.
We're gonna make a new bank.
uh you
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