Posted on Apr 10, 2017
Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Secret History Behind the Game That Changed the World
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Cold War tensions between the United States and communist China were lessened thanks to an unlikely diplomatic tool: ping-pong. On April 10, 1971, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China for a 10-day visit, becoming the first group of Americans in over 20 years to get a peek behind the “Bamboo Curtain.” Their trip led to a renewed dialogue between the two nations, opening the door for President Richard Nixon’s own China visit in 1972. On the anniversary of the American team’s groundbreaking trip, explore the unusual role table tennis once played in international relations.
http://www.history.com/news/ping-pong-diplomacy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping-pong_diplomacy
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC (Join to see) @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ po1 chip PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @ po2 robert PO2 Robert M. @ sfc joe SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL @ sfc george SFC George Smith @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski Alan K.
http://www.history.com/news/ping-pong-diplomacy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping-pong_diplomacy
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC (Join to see) @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ po1 chip PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @ po2 robert PO2 Robert M. @ sfc joe SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL @ sfc george SFC George Smith @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski Alan K.
Diplomacy
Cold War
Ping Pong
American History
World History
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 5
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Thanks for reminding us about the ping-pong team which traveled from the USA to China to play the energetic but non-threatening game of table tennis AKA ping-pong SGT John " Mac " McConnell
I remember thinking it was strange that a ping-pong team was traveling to China from the USA back then. This was no doubt an olive branch test prior to the February 21, 1972 official trip of President Richard M. Nixon to China.
I remember thinking it was strange that a ping-pong team was traveling to China from the USA back then. This was no doubt an olive branch test prior to the February 21, 1972 official trip of President Richard M. Nixon to China.
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell There needs to be an ice breaker to start a conversation. It's odd that Ping Pong was that ice breaker, but you got to use what tools you have.
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