Posted on Feb 21, 2022
Richard Nixon's 'crazy' idea: Make befriending the Chinese Communist Party his legacy
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This came as a shock to Kissinger. Nixon ran his whole career as an anti-communist, and China was run by a strong Communist Party. The Chinese had a saying for America: running dogs of capitalism. Their leader Mao Zedong was a totalitarian, revolutionary, hardline Communist.
Kissinger’s deputy, Alexander Haig, remembers Kissinger saying of Nixon, “The man wants to open up relations with China? He must be crazy!”
But Kissinger had orders from the president, and he got to work on one of the most surprising and important diplomatic missions of the last century — a mission that is still playing out today.
Kissinger’s deputy, Alexander Haig, remembers Kissinger saying of Nixon, “The man wants to open up relations with China? He must be crazy!”
But Kissinger had orders from the president, and he got to work on one of the most surprising and important diplomatic missions of the last century — a mission that is still playing out today.
Richard Nixon's 'crazy' idea: Make befriending the Chinese Communist Party his legacy
Posted from wbur.org
Communism
China
American History
Diplomacy
Radio
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A strategic decision
After hearing Nixon's idea, Kissinger decided to get on board.
He actually agreed with Nixon’s rationale for wanting to go to China. Nixon sees China as a way to put pressure on the Soviet Union amidst the ongoing Cold War.
And a hot flashpoint in the Cold War is Vietnam. The Soviets supported the North Vietnamese against the Americans fighting there. The death toll was high, and the hugely unpopular Vietnam War was a big political problem for Nixon. The president leaned on the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If China was on America's side, the Soviets would be off balance.
Nixon had another reason for wanting to get close to the Chinese: He wanted to enhance his own reputation and to go down in the history books as the man who made peace with China.
At one point he told Kissinger, “The Chinese American relationship can be the great lynchpin of peace in the world.”
Making the decision to get in touch with China was the easy part. Figuring out how to actually do it in the Cold War situation was more difficult.
But the timing was right. The Soviets and the Chinese were no longer one big communist monolithic bloc. They were actually fighting each other on their shared border.
Nixon figured it may be easier than people thought to pry the Chinese away from the Soviets."...
..."A strategic decision
After hearing Nixon's idea, Kissinger decided to get on board.
He actually agreed with Nixon’s rationale for wanting to go to China. Nixon sees China as a way to put pressure on the Soviet Union amidst the ongoing Cold War.
And a hot flashpoint in the Cold War is Vietnam. The Soviets supported the North Vietnamese against the Americans fighting there. The death toll was high, and the hugely unpopular Vietnam War was a big political problem for Nixon. The president leaned on the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If China was on America's side, the Soviets would be off balance.
Nixon had another reason for wanting to get close to the Chinese: He wanted to enhance his own reputation and to go down in the history books as the man who made peace with China.
At one point he told Kissinger, “The Chinese American relationship can be the great lynchpin of peace in the world.”
Making the decision to get in touch with China was the easy part. Figuring out how to actually do it in the Cold War situation was more difficult.
But the timing was right. The Soviets and the Chinese were no longer one big communist monolithic bloc. They were actually fighting each other on their shared border.
Nixon figured it may be easier than people thought to pry the Chinese away from the Soviets."...
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