Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 425 › Conversation 425-028

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Presidential speech

Wednesday, March 28, 1973 · 9:09 PM–10:41 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 10 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation425-028 on Tape 425StartWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 9:09 PMEndWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 10:41 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 425-028 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon dictated a formal speech to be broadcast to the nation regarding the conclusion of the Vietnam War and domestic economic policy. The address emphasized the achievement of 'peace with honor,' honored the sacrifices of veterans, and defended controversial military actions taken in Cambodia and Vietnam. Additionally, the President articulated his administration's efforts to combat inflation, characterizing the stabilization of the economy as a key post-war priority.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 46% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
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Two months ago when I first walked in.
My father was .
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For the first time in four years, no other animal has been able to sustain its life.
There are still some problem areas.
Requiring accounting for all misdemeanors.
All Americans misdemeanors.
Correct.
Accounting for all of our misdemeanors.
Misdemeanors.
For all misdemeanors.
The provisions, with regard to law enforcement, have not been put in place, period.
And then, two, I need some clarification for that.
One, we have those changes provided, period.
The dark Vietnam should have no doubt as to the consequences.
But despite these difficulties, we can be proud of the fact that we have achieved our goal
which provides peace with honor in Vietnam.
We may let us honor those who made this achievement possible, forced us into this profession.
One, those who sacrificed their lives.
Two, those who were disabled.
Three, those who made every one of us proud of Vietnam as they returned.
I have made it apparent that service upon hand is long and poor.
Never have I met a servant with greater devotion to God, who would bless the parents of the boys of mine.
It is met with the better of his benefits.
God bless him and his family.
It is an honor that I want you to respect and deserve.
Do not dishonor those who served in their country, but rather ask them to be the ones who served in their own country.
Tonight, I want to express my appreciation to you.
We thank the mothers who helped make this day what it is today.
We offer to you the great joy of your life.
Do you spite, I don't know if this is going to be enough, do you spite that underlined barrage
I recall the time.
When I fought the necessary water attacks on communist bases in Cambodia, which were being used to attack our armed forces in Vietnam.
In May 1972, I ordered, in my name, some high bomb and air strikes on the Great Harleys of R.C.
O'Connor and Edward Scott, and asked them not to disobey.
We saw O'Connor.
The Harleys were serious.
I said to his president, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
Uh, but not when necessary, although they're warriors, right?
It's not that they're warriors, it's more like they're not.
They're quite the same.
They're not.
We should use the cave.
Their voices are...
I'm not saying they're not very quiet.
They're so loud.
I just think they're leaving the door.
Right?
That's what matters.
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
It was a terrible night, but they were returning home, standing on their feet instead of on their knees.
The time has come for all Americans to recognize the ostriches who divided America, fought the war.
Right now, at this time, all Americans turn to the public, the Lord, and the fighters.
We offer them peace.
In fact, this is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
This is not a battle.
Not just the battle of the Federal Flankers, but the battles of Europe and the Battle of the Federal Flankers.
The most terrible cause of war is inflation.
To live in a skyrocketing period after every war we've ever been in.
As a result of our policies, we have cut the rate of inflation to half since this week, since eight weeks ago.
Our rate of inflation is the lowest for many days in the country.

NARA Description

On March 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:09 pm and 10:41 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 425-028 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 425-28

Date: March 28, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:09 pm and 10:41 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President dictated a speech.

[A transcript of the final broadcast of this speech appears in the Public Papers of the Presidents,
Richard M. Nixon, 1973, pp. 234-238.]

       Copies of speech
            -Distribution

Also recorded on March 29, 1973

  • 044-059 7:38 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:38 pm and 7:55 pm.
  • 044-060 7:55 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:55 pm and 7:56 pm.
  • 425-025 7:55 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:55 pm to 7:56 pm.
  • 044-061 8:50 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:50 pm and 9:09 pm.
  • 425-026 8:50 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:50 pm to 9:09 pm.
  • 425-027 9:09 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:09 pm and 10:41 pm.
  • 425-029 9:09 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:09 pm and 10:41 pm.
  • 425-030 9:09 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:09 pm and 10:41 pm.

All 77 conversations from March 29, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 425-028, March 29, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/425-028 (accessed October 1, 2026).