Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 856 › Conversation 856-002

Nixon & Richardson on Military morale and Department of Defense

Wednesday, February 14, 1973 · 5:29 PM–5:33 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Richardson, Elliot L.Conversation856-002 on Tape 856StartWednesday, February 14, 1973 at 5:29 PMEndWednesday, February 14, 1973 at 5:33 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 856-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of Defense-designate Elliot L. Richardson discuss the strategic messaging and format for Richardson’s upcoming visits to various military agencies. The President emphasizes the importance of boosting military morale and ensuring service secretaries and military chiefs feel included in the decision-making process. They finalize plans for a meeting the following day to discuss policy initiatives and personnel attendance, aiming to present a unified and appreciative front to the armed services.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Aren't you proud?
Aren't you proud of your new plants?
Isn't that something?
Well, it just makes the country proud.
A war has to have even one like this, some heroes, and there they come.
And not only the ones that do.
And the way they came up with that plan and everything, they really saw that.
Yeah, if you do talk to him more, he'll tell you.
I have some ideas for you.
Well, I can't go to all the agencies.
But I thought we could, I'm just trying to think of how we position this so that, what do you think we should say?
I don't want to get into a position where if I go here, they just make me go to the state and the rest.
You know what I mean?
Commerce, et cetera.
Should we say that I'm going over to get a report on what?
The point is that let's have it sort of handled that way so that we can do special purpose.
All right, and then you, uh, your policy is discussed.
I'll discuss some other things, too.
Actually, you know, just so that they sort of have a feeling.
You see, the chiefs, uh, and the service secretaries, you've got to have a feeling they participate.
And you should, you can have anybody you want, but I assume you would have your deputy and then the service secretary.
Does that sound all right?
Or do you mind?
No, it's fine with me if you want to add to people.
Sure.
Fine.
Fine.
Well, that's your...
It's your call, and you do it.
And I'll...
I'll bring along Sokrom and me.
Well, I think what I really think is important for us to use this to build the military, their morale, I mean, make them proud, you know what I'm saying?
That's right.
That's right.
I agree.
Good.
Good.
Okay.
All right, I'll see you about 1 o'clock.
I'll be there.

NARA Description

On February 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Elliot L. Richardson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:29 pm to 5:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 856-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 856-002

Date: February 14, 1973
Time: Between 5:29 pm and 5:33 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with Elliot L. Richardson.

[See Conversation No. 043-084]

Also recorded on February 14, 1973

  • 043-083 5:06 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 5:06 pm to 5:07 pm.
  • 043-084 5:29 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Elliot L. Richardson talked on the telephone from 5:29 pm to 5:33 pm.
  • 043-085 5:33 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:33 pm and 8:04 pm.
  • 856-003 5:34 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 6:06 pm.
  • 856-004 5:34 PM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 6:06 pm.
  • 856-005 6:06 PM · 28 sec — Unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 6:06 pm on February 14, 1973 and 8:15 am on February 15, 1973.
  • 856-006 6:06 PM · 10 sec — Unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 6:06 pm on February 14, 1973 and 8:15 am on February 15, 1973.
  • 856-007 6:06 PM · 1 min — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 6:06 pm on February 14, 1973 and 8:15 am on February 15, 1973.

All 58 conversations from February 14, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 856-002, February 14, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/856-002 (accessed October 1, 2026).