Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 886 › Conversation 886-004

Nixon & Scowcroft on Vietnam War and POW release

Wednesday, March 21, 1973 · 8:24 AM–8:27 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.)Conversation886-004 on Tape 886StartWednesday, March 21, 1973 at 8:24 AMEndWednesday, March 21, 1973 at 8:27 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 886-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and General Brent Scowcroft discussed the logistical logistics and timing for the final release of American prisoners of war from Hanoi and the subsequent withdrawal of U.S. troops. They analyzed transportation capabilities, confirming that the remaining five to six thousand personnel could be evacuated within three days. The conversation also addressed concerns regarding delays in the release of prisoners held in Laos, which the two men attributed to North Vietnamese stalling tactics.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I would prefer to put it in terms of I prefer to have the last group come out basically on a
26th, our day.
On our day, the 26th?
How would that be?
That would be the 27th, early on the 27th.
They've usually been picking them up in Hanoi about noon, which is about midnight the day before.
Do you live with all of them?
So we have between five and six thousand.
We can get them out with the lift we have in three days.
Three days it will take us to get them out.
They have offered all the money that would be the 24th, Saturday the 24th.
And into the early morning hours of the 25th.
Again, except for those 9 in Laos, who they would say would be out another 28.
Well, they're just waiting.
They're waiting for Laos.
Well, that's the last...
They've been kind of playing footsie with those.
In Laos, anyway.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Good.
Can't make any blitzes on that.
Good.
Okay.
Perfect.
That's the sound position.
Yes, sir.
And that's the worst.
Oh, there's that one, too.
Sorry, too.
In terms of what we're calling it, yes, it is.

NARA Description

On March 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:24 am to 8:27 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 886-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 886-4

Date: March 21, 1973
Time: 8:24 am - 8:27 am
Location: Oval Office
                                              -4-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 886-4 (cont’d)

The President met with Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft.

       Vietnam
            -Prisoners of war [POW] release
                  -Timing
                  -Departure from Hanoi
                  -Troop withdrawals
                        -Transportation capabilities
                        -Timing
                  -Timing
                  -Laos
                        -Delays
                        -Troop withdrawals

Scowcroft left at 8:27 am.

Also recorded on March 21, 1973

  • 886-001 8:04 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:04 am and 8:11 am.
  • 886-002 8:11 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:11 am to 8:21 am.
  • 886-003 8:20 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:20 am and 8:24 am.
  • 886-005 8:27 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:27 am and 9:15 am.
  • 886-006 8:27 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:27 am and 9:15 am.
  • 886-007 9:15 AM · 57 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:15 am and 10:12 am.
  • 886-008 9:15 AM · 1 hr 42 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, John W. Dean, III, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:15 am and 11:55 am.
  • 886-009 11:55 AM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 11:57 am.

All 80 conversations from March 21, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 886-004, March 21, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/886-004 (accessed October 12, 2026).