Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 467-028
Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1971 at 3:25 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Stratton, Samuel S.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/467-028

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:04] I don't have a mind to ask you to do, but thank you for your support on our Southeast Asian operations.
[0:12] I know it's a little hard for some of you, particularly for you folks who sort of ignore your part of the country to step up and hit these hard ones, but I appreciate it.
[0:23] And I think you should know, as you can imagine, I know a little bit about Mars that's going out there and some of the commentators, and it's going very well.
[0:31] The, uh, the, uh, the, uh, I'm dislodging more, excuse me, let's go on the phone.
[0:37] South Vietnamese movements are just according to, you know, they're moving from, the purpose of this operation is not to occupy the territory, but the purpose of it is just to rob, disrupt the climate.
[0:48] They're moving from base to base and just tearing it all out of place, and that's what we want to do.
[1:03] You didn't have a rope?
[1:08] I thought I put me up so I had it.
[1:09] No, you didn't have a cord?
[1:19] Yeah.
[1:22] Yeah, yeah, yeah, good.
[1:35] uh, the Lake Ocean thing will be, we will have had other troops that have drawn on us, but the Lake Ocean thing will accrue us.
[1:47] The main thing, too, Sam, is that, you know, it all happened.
[1:49] I mean, nobody can keep God here.
[1:50] Nobody can be sure what the men are going to do under stress out there and face all spots.
[1:53] Uh, we, we believe that it's going to come out right at the end.
[1:56] The important thing is we simply can't have 40,000 Americans back or nothing out there.
[2:00] That's
[2:00] That's what I do.
[2:02] They say, well, that's judoism.
[2:04] All right, follow what you will.
[2:05] That's what made this country.
[2:11] All right?
[2:11] Yeah.
[2:12] Yeah.
[2:12] Yeah.
[2:18] As far as the public is concerned, the public support erodes as the time goes on.
[2:30] But also, you want to remember, they've been grilled on this motivation thing hard for about three weeks without an answer.
[2:35] And so now some of the good news is starting to come in early, or trickle through.
[2:38] My view is that the public support will depend on how it comes out.
[2:45] And I just, we just stand on a rock.
[2:47] It's probably one thing that happens.
[2:47] But anyway, you, without a doubt, are going to do a great job.
[3:07] Thank you.
[3:10] Bye.
[3:10] I appreciate it.
[3:10] Thanks a lot.
[3:11] Good luck.
[3:11] Bye.