Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 634 › Conversation 634-015

Nixon & Kissinger on India-Pakistan War and USSR

Thursday, December 9, 1971 · 4:56 PM–4:59 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation634-015 on Tape 634 (tape position 02:07:29–02:10:41)StartThursday, December 9, 1971 at 4:56 PMEndThursday, December 9, 1971 at 4:59 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 634-015 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417180299 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss the escalating India-Pakistan conflict and the potential necessity of U.S. intervention with the Soviet Union. Nixon affirmed his commitment to supporting Pakistan despite contrary diplomatic advice and concerns regarding the upcoming Moscow Summit. The two strategized on how to pressure the USSR to restrain India from invading West Pakistan, establishing a fallback position should their initial efforts fail.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:56 pm to 4:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 634-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 634-15

Date: December 9, 1971
Time: 4:56 pm - 4:59 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     India-Pakistan situation
           -Kissinger’s view
           -State Department
                 -News summary
           -Meeting with Vladimir V. Matskevich and Yuli M. Vorontsov
                 -President’s view
                 -Upcoming Moscow Summit
                 -The President’s tone
           -Pakistan
           -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                 -India
                       -US appeal to USSR
                       -Possible meeting with Richard M. Helms

     [Unintelligible]

Kissinger left at 4:59 pm.

Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'm sorry to put you through this, Mr. President, but this...
I don't know.
I think we're going to make it, though.
I don't know.
Yes, I think we're going to make it.
I think it's well heard.
I expect the state department will be loyal to the president, and I do expect they'll be loyal to the governor.
Not that.
I don't know what I think, but I'm interested.
It's also the way you like that.
Because they're...
And they know they've disowned this thing.
You know, I've been quoted from the news.
Where they said the president is a moron.
And I struck it to him in my thought pretty well where I said, I know the conventional diplomatic wisdom is you don't side with 60 million against 600 million.
And I said, that isn't my attitude at all.
It doesn't happen to be my view.
It's not going to be the view of this government.
We're sticking to it.
Another way to stay around a bit over there.
Another way that was made very well, too, which I can feel it.
This was one of your great moments.
I said, look, boys.
You just couldn't understand it.
Apparently, I'm going to get accursed because I'm not able to shine the rest.
You get the impression I don't mean it.
I said, I don't want you to understand it.
is there isn't another political leader in this country who wouldn't say to himself, let's play it safe and go for the summit.
And I think it will work.
If it doesn't, well, I'm afraid.
I'll say that.
Mr. President, if the PACs don't play, then what do we say to the Russians?
That we are prepared to make that appeal with them.
Then they'll have to say we can't deliver the PACs.
Nature has to take its course.
Or we say, no, we still tell the Russians to tell the Indians to stay the hell out of West Pakistan.
That's right.
Then they have the east.
Then they'll say they have the east, but they must leave West Pakistan.
That's right.
That's our backup position, as I see it.
I think that's the inevitable position.
No, I think the Paks will play, but if they don't, they'll have to go.
Now, why do you see homes?
Now, why do you say I don't live?
If the thing goes, let me take the time.
All right.
and then put down his concerto and he can't have pride.

Also recorded on December 9, 1971

  • 634-011 3:57 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:57 pm to 3:59 pm.
  • 634-012 4:00 PM · 41 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vladimir V. Marskevich, Yuli M. Vorontsov, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:00 pm to 4:41 pm.
  • 086-001 4:41 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Irwin, II, David Packard, Richard M. Helms, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 4:41 pm and 4:56 pm.
  • 634-013 4:54 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and 4:56 pm.
  • 634-014 4:54 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and 4:56 pm.
  • 634-016 4:59 PM · 53 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:59 pm to 5:54 pm.
  • 634-017 5:54 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:54 pm and 5:57 pm.
  • 634-018 5:54 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:54 pm and 5:57 pm.

All 44 conversations from December 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 634-015, December 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417180299). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/634-015 (accessed November 2, 2026).