Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 720 › Conversation 720-015

Nixon, Woods & Sanchez on Vietnam War and Haiphong blockade

Friday, May 5, 1972 · 12:34 PM–12:41 PM ET · Oval Office · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Sanchez, ManoloConversation720-015 on Tape 720 (tape position 02:20:23–02:27:31)StartFriday, May 5, 1972 at 12:34 PMEndFriday, May 5, 1972 at 12:41 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 720-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Rose Mary Woods and Manolo Sanchez to coordinate his upcoming weekend schedule at Camp David and discuss Tricia Nixon Cox’s recent television appearance. The President focused on the logistical preparations for his highly sensitive, impending announcement regarding a naval blockade of Haiphong, Vietnam. He emphasized the necessity of the blockade despite the risk of canceling the upcoming Soviet Summit and maintained strict secrecy regarding the plan.

Audio

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This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.

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Position in tape: 02:20:23 – 02:27:31

part B, 20:28

720a.mp3
720b.mp3

NARA Description

On May 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:34 pm to 12:41 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 720-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 720-15

Date: May 5, 1972
Time: 12:34 pm - 12:41 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

     Tricia Nixon Cox
           -Television appearance
                -Follow-up call
                      -Tricia Nixon Cox's schedule

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:34 pm.

     President's schedule
          -Executive Office Building [EOB]

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:41 pm.

     President's viewing of interview videotape

     President's schedule
          -Camp David
                 -Time
                 -Woods's schedule
                      -Speech draft

     Julie Nixon Eisenhower
           -Schedule
                -Trip to Camp David
                -Time with the President

     President's schedule
          -Blockade of Haiphong
                 -Forthcoming announcement
                      -Timing
                      -William P. Rogers and Melvin R. Laird
                            -The President’s view
                      -Number of people

     Vietnam
          -Blockade
               -Necessity
               -Soviet Summit
                    -Cancellation

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 17s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

**********************************************************************

     Tricia Nixon Cox’s television appearance
           -Call from Woods
           -Call from Carol (Crothers) Finch
           -Barbara Walters
                 -Possible letter
                      -Anonymity
           -Appearance

     Camp David trip
         -Woods's preparation
         -Time of departure

Woods left at 12:41 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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Parcel.
Parcel.
That doesn't happen.
We're flying.

— 2 min 0 s with no transcribed speech —

You know, she's not going to cross the line of the grave.
Probably.
Probably.
Well, she changed it quite late.
Did you go to the cross to meet her?
Yeah, I went to the cross to meet her.
That's right.
And you really should see it.
It doesn't take long.
I think it, I think you would, you know, it isn't that long a take.
I will want to see it.
I'll try to see it when I get through it.
I think you want to probably go up.
You might as well.
I don't want to decide to go, but I've decided to go.
Oh, I know that.
I know that.
Is Julie back?
She was due back at 12.30 the other day.
Okay.
I think two of the anchors are maybe here.
One or the other at 12.30.
I wanted her to do whatever.
She's so good that she may feel that she ought to go because I need to work with her.
I can't.
I really won't be able to see her much.
I mean, this is going to be a rough weekend.
Well, not rough in the sense that I'm just going to be working very hard on something.
Chair, I'll talk to her when she gets back.
Let me tell you what it's about.
I'm going to announce Monday a blockade of the iPhone.
So, this is a big deal.
And I'm going to go over it.
I'm going to quote it.
I'm going to drop it back in the office.
Go ahead, Alex.
Anyway, we'll work it out.
That's what we're going to be working on over the weekend.
But it's only known about three people.
Yeah, I think you really have to do something.
But I apologize.
Yeah, right.
I don't know.
We'll see.
But of course, we're going to do what is necessary.
I love this, that old dance on here, couldn't have much of a summer there.
Well, I'll put in a talk to her either after three years.
Yeah.
Here, talk to her.
Because, um, the girl's one of the sons of those on Carol Finch called me and said she had done everything and that it was just a lot of work.
Good.
And it wasn't.
She was great.
Barbara Walters was terrible.
The British have not received just that.
I know somebody who has received somebody who has a couple of nasty notes from Barbara.
You really got it.
I'm serious.
You sure got it.
I mean, Barbara, you're just not smart enough.
And just after this, after seeing this program, you just aren't smart enough to be able to pitch in.
Well, there's no reason for that to be like that.

Also recorded on May 5, 1972

  • 720-011 12:18 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:18 pm and 12:19 pm.
  • 720-012 12:19 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Rockefeller, III, Grace Olivarez, Dr. Christian N. Ramsey, Jr., Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Raymond J. Waldeman, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:19 pm to 12:32 pm.
  • 720-013 12:32 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 720-014 12:32 PM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 720-016 12:41 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 12:43 pm.
  • 720-017 12:41 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 12:43 pm.
  • 720-018 12:43 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:43 pm.
  • 720-019 12:44 PM · 1 hr 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:44 pm and 1:59 pm.

All 54 conversations from May 5, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 720-015, May 5, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/720-015 (accessed November 2, 2026).