Nixon and Mao

Margaret MacMillan has a new book out entitled, "Nixon and Mao", focused on the historic trip by US President Richard Nixon to the People's Republic of China ("Red China" for my cold war warrior friends) to meet with Chairman Mao. I learned of this book via today's Wall Street Journal by George Melloan who overall gives this book a favorable review especially for making an intensely reported on event interesting again.

Mr. Melloan notes that he has "one little problem" with Ms. MacMillan's assertion that "Nixon was the 'best-prepared' president on foreign policy until Bill Clinton," noting that she completely overlooked President Ronald Reagan who (quoting Melloan here), "actually did change the world by leading the Western democracies to a clear victory in the Cold War, Ronald Reagan." I completely agree with you Mr. Melloan. President Reagan, along with Prime Minister Thatcher and Pope John Paul II, defeated what was truly an Evil Empire known as the Soviet Union.

It is not a large logical leap to state that the collapse of the Soviet Union inspired the economic changes (free market reforms to be exact) that have caused the economic boom in China today. Instead of starving and killing 40 million people (which Ms. MacMillan notes) like Chairman Mao did, the Reagan legacy lifted millions of Chinese out of poverty via economic reform -- an historical fact that Ms. MacMillan should not have overlooked.

Since Ms. MacMillan is the author of one of my favorite books, "Paris 1919", I share Mr. Melloan's disappointment regarding Ms. MacMillan's oversight of President Reagan's foreign policy victories. I have to wonder if her Canadian heritage leaves her with a biased view of President Reagan.

Better dead than red,

Todd