40 years ago this month (2/21 -28)

[dnoblett]

Nixon was the first sitting president to visit China, the start open relationship with the PRC.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/attachement/jpg/site1/20120117/0013729e4771107f0d5c5c.jpg

 

Chairman Mao Zedong meets former US president Richard Nixon at Zhongnanhai in Beijing on Feb 21, 1972.

 

More:

• Mao defied illness to meet Nixon
  
• Official remembers pre-visit problems
  
• 1972 Nixon visit to China
  

[Amaro]

I hope one day people of all nations can travel to other developed countries without the need of a visa. Wishful thinking at its best, but you never know.

[knloregon]

Great topic to bring up Dan,

 

And, it brings to mind something I've been thinking about recently: Who, today is the greatest (most influential) individual of the 20th. century who remains alive today.

 

Of the four huge players (and remember, this was very much a secret mission) --- Zhou Enlai, Mao, Nixon and Henry Kissinger---only Kissinger remains alive today---and in fact hale, hardy and still, very bight and quick---listening to several of his interviews where he's selling his book "On China" Haven't read the whole book yet, but that that I have read---and I hope every member of congress reads it---China must be engaged not as an adversary but as a culture to be understood.

 

As a war protester, I hated Kissinger, and his Christmas bombings... but as time has passed, and some of the confidential material has come into the public domain, I have a new respect for this diplomat --- working under the shadow of Nixon to carve out a lasting change in Sino/US relations ------ and how fortunate that he had a great counterpart in Zhou Enlai ... working in the shadow of Mao....

[Randy W]

Yes - it's especially interesting to hear how important it was to the Chinese.

[Mick]

Great topic to bring up Dan,

 

And, it brings to mind something I've been thinking about recently: Who, today is the greatest (most influential) individual of the 20th. century who remains alive today.

 

Of the four huge players (and remember, this was very much a secret mission) --- Zhou Enlai, Mao, Nixon and Henry Kissinger---only Kissinger remains alive today---and in fact hale, hardy and still, very bight and quick---listening to several of his interviews where he's selling his book "On China" Haven't read the whole book yet, but that that I have read---and I hope every member of congress reads it---China must be engaged not as an adversary but as a culture to be understood.

 

As a war protester, I hated Kissinger, and his Christmas bombings... but as time has passed, and some of the confidential material has come into the public domain, I have a new respect for this diplomat --- working under the shadow of Nixon to carve out a lasting change in Sino/US relations ------ and how fortunate that he had a great counterpart in Zhou Enlai ... working in the shadow of Mao....

A big amen to that, Kim. I hated the Nixon/Kissinger administration with a passion, mostly due to the lies they told about bombing Cambodia, etc. Yet in retrospect, Kissinger proved to be a valuable player in the thawing of Sino/US relations - heck he was the main player and from our side, maybe the only player. When I lived in China, most of the people I knew held Nixon in high regard. Some knew about Kissinger's role, but it was mostly Nixon they gave credit to. I think Nixon mostly followed Kissinger's lead. Remember Ping Pong Diplomacy?

Edited February 10, 2012 by Mick (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

I showed the photo to my two favorite Chinertuckians. As they walked up to my lapdance computer they both recognized Chairman Moe from 10 feet away. Neither one of them knew who that "other guy" was. I told them his name was Larry and he had a guy who worked for him named Curly. And how that between the 3 of them they helped me to have my wife and son living with me 40 years after that photo was taken. NYUK, NYUK, NYUK.....I shoulda been a history teacher.

 

tsap seui

[knloregon]

"...Yet in retrospect, Kissinger proved to be a valuable player in the thawing of Sino/US relations - heck he was the main player and from our side, maybe the only player. When I lived in China, most of the people I knew held Nixon in high regard. Some knew about Kissinger's role, but it was mostly Nixon they gave credit to. I think Nixon mostly followed Kissinger's lead. Remember Ping Pong Diplomacy?..."

 

Interesting, Mick, because my wife credits Zhou Enlai, (and she did have the perspective of growing up in a fairly well connected party family).

 

A good account from a western perspective ----and a book I go to often is: "The New Emperors" ---China in the Era of Mao and Deng" by Harrison Salisbury. Salisbury was an 'Old China Hand' for the NYT I believe, but perhaps foremost in his understanding (and time in) the Soviet Union---so he has incredible insights into the hostile relationship between the two Communist nations. Salisbury makes a convincing argument that China was motivated to reach out to the US ---through Zhou---- to create a diplomatic counterweight to the Soviet Union.

 

But its fair to say, that Kissinger --who's secret visit to Beijing in July of 1971 was what really convinced Mao/Zhou that there could be a thaw in relations.

 

 

 

[Yuanyang]

Zhou Enlai is The Man that gets credit. I liked him because he was one nut Kissinger could never crack and it burns on Mr. K to this day too when it's discussed.

[knloregon]

"..Zhou Enlai is The Man that gets credit. I liked him because he was one nut Kissinger could never crack and it burns on Mr. K to this day too when it's discussed. .."

 

Yes, inscrutable... and it probably saved his life on more than on occasion--- not , of course with the the Americans, but with Mao. Mao did a good job of purging those around him that he perceived as being a threat. Which we in the US recognize as the talented independent thinkers... (And yes, Kissinger always walled on eggshells around Nixon)...

[Zeng]

This meeting of Nixon and Mao, was not all that is was cracked up to be, other nations the US was friendly with at the time saw it as the begining of the end, of their friendship with the USA, one in particular was South Vietnam.

[Yuanyang]

I'd loved to have been a fly on the wall in the Kremlin when the meeting was announced.