Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 388 › Conversation 388-009
Nixon & Kissinger on Vietnam War and Nguyen Van Thieu
Wednesday, November 8, 1972 · 3:11 PM–3:28 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 48 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate final preparations for a diplomatic mission to South Vietnam. The President confirmed he had signed a letter for President Nguyen Van Thieu and arranged for a briefing with Alexander Haig prior to Haig's departure for Saigon. They also discussed managing public perception through press secretary Ronald Ziegler to ensure the administration's narrative regarding the negotiations remained consistent.
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Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On November 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 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 388-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 388-9
Date: November 8, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.
Kissinger's schedule
-Florida trip
Vietnam negotiations
-The President’s letter to Nguyen Van Thieu
-The President’s signature
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Meeting with the President, Kissinger
-Timing
-Dr. William O. Chase
-The President’s forthcoming trip to office
-The President’s forthcoming trip [to Florida]
-Haig’s forthcoming trip [to Saigon]
-Press relations
-Ronald L. Ziegler
- 52 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARYAlso recorded on November 8, 1972
- 033-073 3:08 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Edward R. G. Heath talked on the telephone from 3:08 pm to 3:11 pm.
- 033-074 3:11 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
- 388-010 3:11 PM · 5 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 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
- 388-011 3:11 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
- 033-075 3:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:30 pm.
- 388-012 3:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:28 pm to 3:30 pm.
- 033-076 3:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:31 pm.
- 033-077 3:30 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:31 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 388-009, November 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/388-009 (accessed September 28, 2026).