Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 455-021
Date: Monday, February 22, 1971 at 3:02 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/455-021

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Well, how did you get along with your press people?
[0:15] Well, I didn't go and give them any stories that they were going to do something inside office.
[0:18] So we worked out of something.
[0:19] So they were quiet here in the area.
[0:20] That's the way they handled it.
[0:20] They came at me fairly hard this morning when I stated to the Congress.
[0:23] Yes, sir.
[0:24] Well, so they were spooked on the initial reports coming out of there.
[0:30] But I refer to your statement and so forth.
[0:34] It says, President, military planners expected South Vietnamese forces would meet heavy resistance and indicating the White House is not unduly concerned about reports.
[0:44] I didn't say that, but that's the impression I put forth of the South Vietnamese troops forced to abandon some divisions and face heavy North Vietnamese attacks.
[0:53] Then I went on to say, I said, you know, you gentlemen should keep in mind that the enemy
[0:58] are taking substantial losses in this area.
[1:01] And I said the effort, the objective to interdict supplies, to flow supplies into that area, as we have said, is being met.
[1:08] And the Arvin is performing well in meeting this objective.
[1:11] And I indicated that the Arvinar, not only are the enemy taking substantial losses, but the Allies, and I did this in a low-key way, which is to play a figure, the Allies are covering supply caches and rice, weapons, barracks, and this type of thing.
[1:28] I subtly got that in, which is coming out.
[1:31] So that there's a little positive flow of news going.
[1:41] And there was a forced report.
[1:51] They're trying to build something up if you allow me to come after you on this.
[1:56] That's right.
[1:56] Then they said, well, what about the fire base?
[1:59] And I said, I'm not going to get into day-to-day assessment of operations, but we knew there would be heavy resistance, and that points to the importance of the Ho Chi Minh Trail complex.
[2:07] They are trying to force supplies through and so forth.
[2:11] And I said, but you cannot assume the outcome of an overall operation based upon a day-to-day situation where there is heavy resistance.
[2:18] So I think we've come around to
[2:19] However, the other point then, there was a source story out there which said that the flow of the trucks and so forth was double.
[2:27] I simply said... Well, I said...
[2:31] I said they have...
[2:33] I said they're trying to force it through, but there's no... And this is true.
[2:36] There's no indication that we have that the amount of supplies getting through is double what it was before.
[2:42] They are forcing...
[2:43] And this comes out again.
[2:45] Fortunately, it flies through.
[2:46] But I said I would not accept the source information out of the area.
[2:50] This is just that they're moving double the supply.
[2:54] Who is the source?
[2:58] The Air Force.
[2:59] The colonel or something out there.
[3:05] That's good.
[3:05] That's the way it is.
[3:05] Sir.
[3:06] I can explain.
[3:06] I can explain.
[3:07] We're going to get a flurry of this type of thing, but I think we have to low-key or something.
[3:25] Oh, and they're going to have it up and down all the time because they're frantic.
[3:27] I think it may work.
[3:28] Right.
[3:28] And I just wouldn't be as concerned about it.
[3:29] Of course, it's dealt with.
[3:30] On this day, in fact, they're trying to do this.
[3:31] But I mean, is it pushing back that much harder?
[3:32] They're going to continue to.
[3:32] And there's a question out there, which is that one's
[3:36] The impression is that they were more trying to force the body through.
[3:46] But the impression that they were sending twice, getting twice the amount through is the most impression on me.
[3:49] They're trying to force the crew because they're frightened.
[3:59] That's not a confirmed situation.
[4:06] Those are cut down below.
[4:10] They're hoisting it down the trail.
[4:15] But I kept going back to the objective.
[4:22] Disrupting the flow of supplies.
[4:23] The articles were very well.
[4:24] They cut free trails and some other good trails and complex.
[4:28] I just constantly get back to the fact, yes, and that's why there's some people who lose a lot.
[4:56] The instruction that I see from Secretary reported to the President on his conversation in Miami and the West was probably early this week.
[5:15] Stay right there.
[5:15] That's a very full meeting in the West.