The blueprint for Nixon’s downfall, based on tapes released from 2010 to 2013, most of which have never been published. When The Nixon Tapes: 1971–72 was published in August of 2014, it jumped immediately onto the NY Times bestseller list & captivated media attention for its many revelations. Brinkley & Nichter’s heroic efforts to transcribe & annotate the highlights of over 3700 hours of recorded conversations provided an unprecedented window into the inner workings of a momentous presidency. Now, with a concluding volume to cover the final year of the Nixon taping system, they tell the rest of the story—once again with revelations on every page, including: how Nixon & Kissinger knew privately that the 1/73 Vietnam peace agreement wouldn't hold, how Nixon & Kissinger anticipated the Yom Kippur War, Nixon’s threat to send a “division” of tanks to kill Native Americans at the Wounded Knee standoff & more... With Nixon’s dominating 1972 reelection receding into the background & the Watergate scandal looming, The Nixon Tapes: 1973 reveals the inside story of the tragedy that followed the triumph.
Douglas Brinkley is a professor of history at Rice University and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. The Chicago Tribune has dubbed him “America’s new past master.” His most recent books are The Quiet World, The Wilderness Warrior, and The Great Deluge. Six of his books have been selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. He lives in Texas with his wife and three children.
Nixon 1973 (Jan to April): A reflection on the tapings of the conversation with his “inner circle”
Anyone interested in the history of Nixon’s presidency, Watergate Scandal or the Nixon’s tapes, this book makes a fascinating reading as it transcribes hours of recorded conversation with Nixon’s “inner circle” that included many White House Staff. The taped conversation highlights the troubled period of Jan to April 1973. From this book we learn that during much of this period, he was obsessed with Watergate and looking for ways and means to cover it up. Even the peace agreement with Vietnam took a lower seat in these private conversations. It gives a closer look at Nixon, as a man in deep trouble with the law and nothing else mattered to him except get out of it safely! Some of his comments on other domestic issues such as social, political or economic factors were mean and perhaps irresponsible. On the question of abortion, the president seemed to support abortion in cases of incest and unwanted interracial pregnancies! According to the Gospel of Nixon, the sin associated with incestual pregnancy and the (?)sin associated with interracial pregnancy occurs at the same footing.
On 2/23/1973, Nixon observed that a cover-up of the Watergate Scandal is the best strategy, and blame the whole fiasco on former attorney general John Mitchell. On 3/13/1972, Nixon and John Dean worry about the money laundering of funds coming from Mexico and the consequences of posting an operative in Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts to investigate Senator Ted Kennedy. On 3/21/1972, Nixon approves the idea of payments in the form of hush money up to $1 million. The FBI official Howard Hunt, who figures prominently in Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s Watergate investigations, a chief link between the White House and Watergate burglars was paid $75,000 within a day! That constituted obstruction of justice and the beginning of the end of Nixon’s presidency. In the Hollywood movie, “All the President’s Men,” “Deep Throat” brilliantly played by the late actor Hal Holbrook says that “everyone is involved” (in the scandal). From this, Woodward and Bernstein conclude that Nixon was personally involved in the Watergate mission. Later in 2005, “Deep Throat” was identified as FBI’s #2 man, Mark Felt.
From Nixon’s tape, it is very clear that Nixon was an active participant in the Watergate break-in from day one! This is a highly engrossing work and historically an authoritative document about Nixon and his cohorts: Highly recommended.
The period from June 17,1972, to August 9, 1974, was one of the most exciting in American politics. This book adds to the knowledge we have of the men who won the big prize, and yet through their subsequent actions lost everything.
The Nixon Tapes offer a (unclear) at the penultimate (unclear) in the Nixon Administration were besieged by (unclear) and (unclear). A bit redundant and tedious at times, but I think that’s kinda the point. (Unclear)
loved these books a first hand look inside water gate and the over dry in places but very informative highley reccomended for any fan of history or corruption power corrupts be careful