{"conversationCode":"639-018","tapeNumber":639,"conversationNumber":18,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-639-018","startDateTime":"1971-12-18T22:12:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-12-18T22:20:00.000Z","startDate":"18-Dec-1971","startTime":"5:12 PM","endDate":"18-Dec-1971","endTime":"5:20 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;","description":"On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:12 pm to 5:20 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 639-018 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":2,"chronRelease":"Second Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"26-Oct-2000","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 639-018\n\nDate: December 18, 1971\nTime: 5:12 pm - 5:20 pm\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.\n\n     Vietnam\n          -Melvin R. Laird conference with Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]\n               -Enemy activity\n               -Plane losses\n               -Announcement from Saigon\n                     -Strategy\n                     -Schedule\n          -Laos\n               -Enemy activity\n                     -Timing\n          -US offensive\n          -Laos\n               -Enemy activity in Northern Laos\n          -US offensive in Laos\n\n       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542\n\n                  -Possible setbacks\n                        -Firebases\n                              -Meo irregulars\n                  -Timing\n                        -Congress\n                  -India-Pakistan\n                  -Message to People’s Republic of China [PRC], Union of Soviet Socialist\n                              Republics [USSR] and Europe\n                  -Impact\n                        -Laird\n                              -Enthusiasm\n                  -Weather\n                        -Possible impact on offensive\n                  -Number of sorties\n                  -Strategy\n                        -B-52’s\n                        -“Cave busters”\n\n     India\n             -Indira Gandhi's letter\n                   -Publicity\n                         -Henry A. Kissinger\n                         -Ronald L. Ziegler\n                   -Tone\n\n     USSR\n         -John A. Scali\n         -Ziegler\n\nHaig left at 5:20 pm.","filename":["639-018.mp3"],"tapeStart":"01:54:22","tapeEnd":"02:02:14","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Haig, Alexander M., Jr."],"prevCode":"639-017","nextCode":"639-019","transcript":[{"start":3.94,"end":4.94,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":5,"end":10.97,"text":"Well, Mr. Larriton had a conference with the chairman, and they're putting out the execute mail."},{"start":12.17,"end":18.87,"text":"On the public relations side, they're developing very firm guidance, so it will be announced from there."},{"start":18.89,"end":29.18,"text":"They're also announcing tonight from Saigon rather than from Washington because that will tend to hype up too much the irregular and stepped-up enemy air activity."},{"start":30.17,"end":36.47,"text":"in this crescent of mega-pivot agents, which can stop going in American planes."},{"start":37.31,"end":38.63,"text":"And they're going to do it from Saigon."},{"start":38.73,"end":42.5,"text":"It will come out anyway."},{"start":42.92,"end":44.34,"text":"Right, sir."},{"start":44.96,"end":47.38,"text":"No, it will not be announced."},{"start":47.48,"end":56.65,"text":"It's going to come from Saigon as a normal protective reaction, and it will probably occur at the earliest tomorrow night hour time."},{"start":57.75,"end":60.4,"text":"and probably Monday night out of town."},{"start":63.82,"end":73.08,"text":"They're going to do it precisely the way we said, the way we did the last one, which worked so successfully, although this may get some attention."},{"start":73.84,"end":78.43,"text":"Now, I've thought about it, sir, and I'm confident this is the right time to do it."},{"start":79.03,"end":79.33,"text":"Oh, sure."},{"start":79.79,"end":82.39,"text":"They're moving full bore in northern Laos."},{"start":82.59,"end":84.81,"text":"They're moving full bore in northern Laos right now."},{"start":86.97,"end":87.63,"text":"And this is, uh..."},{"start":89.32,"end":90.95,"text":"This is doing what you said you would do."},{"start":129.45,"end":143.74,"text":"Yeah, I think that he got him."},{"start":143.75,"end":148.42,"text":"I'll be here in a second."},{"start":159.25,"end":162.71,"text":"all in terms of setbacks uh because"},{"start":189.85,"end":196.49,"text":"These firebases that the Lowy regulars have, some five of them are hit very hard today."},{"start":198.39,"end":200.23,"text":"And I think this is the time to do it."},{"start":200.65,"end":207.63,"text":"And I think it, in my own views, or just before Christmas, is really better than just that."},{"start":208.27,"end":212.68,"text":"It'll be submerged and Congress is away, you know."},{"start":215.26,"end":226.01,"text":"And we told the Chinese to expect this, that these guys keep this up."},{"start":244.5,"end":245.71,"text":"told the Soviets that."},{"start":247.22,"end":248.6,"text":"Another European leader."},{"start":258.15,"end":263.47,"text":"I think we're going to get the maximum impact, and we've got to play each one on its own merits."},{"start":263.99,"end":264.85,"text":"This is the coming."},{"start":265.38,"end":270.1,"text":"Mr. Larry is very enthusiastic about it."},{"start":270.4,"end":276.69,"text":"That's a rarity."},{"start":277.17,"end":281.77,"text":"I've seen a noticeable change in him in the last six months in terms of hockey fans."},{"start":285.03,"end":293.84,"text":"That's right, and he said that could change if we waited."},{"start":293.88,"end":296.8,"text":"He said right now the weather looks very good."},{"start":302.61,"end":306.67,"text":"Also, it's a demonstration of our strength, and we'll be getting 378 sorties of bay in there."},{"start":310.5,"end":310.96,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":312.16,"end":317.21,"text":"We're doing that today, sir."},{"start":317.43,"end":324.01,"text":"We've approved four total B-52Fs going into the house."},{"start":325.53,"end":327.05,"text":"Where these attacks are taking place."},{"start":327.09,"end":329.77,"text":"We found these field guns that they've moved in there."},{"start":331.12,"end":335.36,"text":"We found them, and some with 52s and some with fighter aircraft."},{"start":335.97,"end":336.65,"text":"cave busters."},{"start":336.69,"end":343.17,"text":"What they do is they put them in caves and bring them out to fly us and we're going to get them to the caves and sell."},{"start":343.23,"end":357.32,"text":"And they're a devastating new weapon in there for our people."},{"start":358.1,"end":362.18,"text":"You knew we decided not to send the, or go public with the"},{"start":363.53,"end":364.33,"text":"Gandy letter."},{"start":365.11,"end":366.23,"text":"No, I thought you were."},{"start":366.25,"end":369.31,"text":"I'm glad I didn't, to be honest."},{"start":369.41,"end":377.06,"text":"Well, I thought that would make sense, too, and I recommend to Henry that we not do it."},{"start":377.14,"end":378.46,"text":"Ron was concerned about it."},{"start":379.36,"end":380.22,"text":"It just makes sense."},{"start":380.24,"end":380.74,"text":"Why not?"},{"start":380.78,"end":381.42,"text":"Why not?"},{"start":381.94,"end":383.3,"text":"That's what makes sense."},{"start":384.56,"end":392.04,"text":"And in a private sense, it's a little star-chilling her because we've told them that we don't play it this way, although you did, and we leave it up to you."},{"start":392.06,"end":393.74,"text":"If you want to make the public, go ahead."},{"start":396.2,"end":396.5,"text":"Good."},{"start":397.1,"end":397.44,"text":"All right."},{"start":399.42,"end":400.36,"text":"Everybody, move up."},{"start":400.4,"end":401.6,"text":"The grass is up."},{"start":402.56,"end":403.22,"text":"Everybody's up."},{"start":404.62,"end":405.4,"text":"Yeah, I know."},{"start":405.44,"end":406.6,"text":"He knows the camera."},{"start":406.66,"end":407.58,"text":"That's the camera."},{"start":407.66,"end":408.74,"text":"We're on the camera."},{"start":408.82,"end":409.96,"text":"No, I'm saying you are."},{"start":410.26,"end":410.76,"text":"That's right."},{"start":411.04,"end":411.48,"text":"Absolutely."},{"start":413.69,"end":413.83,"text":"Good."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinated the messaging and execution of an upcoming U.S. air offensive in Laos to counter intensifying enemy activity against pro-U.S. firebases. They decided to announce the operation from Saigon rather than Washington to minimize public scrutiny while Congress was in recess, ensuring the action was perceived as a routine defensive measure. Additionally, the pair reached a consensus to withhold the public release of a letter from Indira Gandhi, preferring to maintain a firm, private stance on international communications.","topics":["Vietnam War","Laos","Military Strategy","Public Relations","Indira Gandhi","Air Operations"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-07T01:36:50.531Z"},"topicSlugs":["vietnam-war","laos","military-strategy","public-relations","indira-gandhi","air-operations"],"audioDurationSec":416,"audioFiles":[{"file":"639-018.mp3","bytes":16625664,"durationSec":415.52,"bitrate":320093,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:54.662Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:44:11.553Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/639-018.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/639-018","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/639/conversation-639-018","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}