Richard Nixon in China Part 1: Speech and Visit with Zhou Enlai (1972)

February 28, 1972 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586480057?ie=UTF8&tag=doc06-20&link... Watch the full program: http://thefilmarchived.blogspot.com/2010/10/richard-nixon-in-china-1972.html

U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国) was an important step in formally normalizing relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China. It marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, who at that time considered the U.S. one of its staunchest foes. The visit has become a metaphor for an unexpected or uncharacteristic action by a politician.

Zhou Enlai (周恩来) (5 March 1898 -- 8 January 1976) was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976. Zhou was instrumental in the Communist Party's rise to power, and subsequently in the development of the Chinese economy and restructuring of Chinese society.

A skilled and able diplomat, Zhou served as the Chinese foreign minister from 1949 to 1958. Advocating peaceful coexistence with the West, he participated in the 1954 Geneva Conference and helped orchestrate Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China. Due to his expertise, Zhou was largely able to survive the purges of high-level Chinese Communist Party officials during the Cultural Revolution. His attempts at mitigating the Red Guards' damage and his efforts to protect others from their wrath made him immensely popular in the Revolution's later stages.

As Mao Zedong (Chinese: 毛泽东 or 毛澤東)'s health began to decline in 1971 and 1972, Zhou and the Gang of Four struggled internally over leadership of China. Zhou's health was also failing however, and he died eight months before Mao on 8 January 1976. The massive public outpouring of grief in Beijing turned to anger towards the Gang of Four, leading to the Tiananmen Incident. Deng Xiaoping, Zhou's ally and successor as Premier, was able to outmaneuver the Gang of Four politically and eventually take Mao's place as Paramount Leader.

Improved relations with the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China are often cited as the most successful diplomatic achievements of Nixon's presidency. After World War II, Americans saw relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorating, Russians consolidating communist puppet states over much of Eastern Europe, and China teetering on the edge of communism. Many Americans felt concern communists might cause the downfall of schools or labor unions. One of the main reasons Richard Nixon became the 1952 Vice-president candidate on the Eisenhower ticket was his strong anti-communism stance. Despite this, in 1972 Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit China.

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[gaijinblow]

@fludblud Actually it was Deng's reforms. This visit was meant to give US a hedge against the Soviet Union. A very controversial move by Nixon, but very smart.

[KSKsueyzidV2]

china is the best.

[jwi241]

Nixon had a small tape recorder in his pocket !

[dadaohanjian]

Primer Zhou know some English.

[KSKsueyzidV2]

@ttiiyy hahah yeah like you have any idea where i come from or where i live right now. how about u learn something about chinese culture and the people... :)

[ttiiyy]

@Phead128 Russia can stilll develop powerful weapons. Even China fears Russia's military power. The US has to face two enemies at the same time: Russia and China.

A lot of people in the US are DELUSIONAL. Some stupid politicians really think that bribing China will help the US counter Russia.  These people are idiots. China is just trying to gain technologies from the US. Let's get real. If Russians want to kill Americans, will Chinese really give a shit about it? LOL

[ttiiyy]

@KSKsueyzidV2 Tell your own people to stay in China and not come to the US. I'm sick and tired of hearing Chinese immigrants talking about how great China is. It's a joke. If China is the best, why do you people leave your country and move to the US???? I just don't get it.

[ttiiyy]

@gaijinblow Smart? In what ways? China's still Russia's bitch.  Every time when Russia opposes sanctions against Iran, China follows Russia's steps. And let's not forget about the fact that the US owes China so much money! Fuck you, Nixon! Republicans DESERVE to be exploited by politicians.

[Phead128]

@Scientisticsoviet

Nah, China is vastly better right now than Russia, plus, China is probably going to eclipse U.S.S.R. as a rival of U.S.

[Scientisticsoviet]

@Phead128 Upon rereading my original statement, indeed, strawman argument on your part. :) Try again.

[Scientisticsoviet]

@Phead128 *dismantling.

More to the point, I don't believe I made argument that the split is what made the leaders in the USSR dismantle it.

[Phead128]

@Scientisticsoviet

Sino-Soviet split has negative ramifications on China, but it did not cause the dismantle of China. Same could not be said about U.S.S.R.