The New York Times and Washington Post on Sino–American Rapprochement, 1963–1972

Abstract

This article compares the New York Times and Washington Post in their coverage of the Sino–American rapprochement from 1963 to 1972 by examining how they framed their news stories differently through headlines, placement, selection, and opinions. The Times was more sophisticated in reading China and more forthcoming than the Post in promoting an improvement in Sino–American relations. The Post generally advocated a tougher attitude and showed more suspicions toward China, though it welcomed better relations between the two countries.

Notes

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Roger Hilsman, “United States Policy toward Communist China,” Department of State Bulletin 50, no. 1280 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1964), 11–17.

Roger Hilsman, To Move a Nation: The Politics of Foreign Policy in the Administration of John F. Kennedy (New York: Delta, 1968), 350–355.

Max Frankel, “US ‘Door Open’ to Talks if China Gives up Hatred,” New York Times, December 14, 1963, 1; Murrey Marder, “Door Is Open to Red China, Hilsman Says: Important Differences,” Washington Post, December 14, 1963, A5; “Open?,” Washington Post, December 15, 1963, E6.

Geyelin, Lyndon B. Johnson and the World, 53.

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George Gallup, The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 1935–1971, vol. 3 (New York: Random House, 1972), 1864, 1881.

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXX, China (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1964), Document 63: “Memorandum from James C. Thomson Jr., of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs,” October 28, 1964.

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States (PPPUS) Lyndon B. Johnson (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1965), Book I, 394–399.

“New Policy, New Phase,” New York Times, April 9, 1965, 32; “Sword and Olive Branch,” Washington Post, April 8, 1965, A24.

Benjamin Bradlee, A Good Life: Newspapering and Other Adventures (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995), 286–287.

Katherine Klinefelter, “The China Hearings: America's Shifting Paradigm on China,” Congress & the Presidency 38, no. 1 (2011): 63.

E. W. Kenworthy, “China Expert Urges US to Ease Policy,” New York Times, March 9, 1966, 1.

“The China Debate,” Washington Post, March 10, 1966, A20; “Containment and Isolation,” Washington Post, March 15, 1966, A14.

“The China Debate,” New York Times, March 23, 1966, 46.

Drew Middleton, “Goldberg Urges UN to Bar China as an Aggressor,” New York Times, September 24, 1965, 1; Jack Raymond, “Sec. McNamara Sets New Mark for Tenure in Defense Post,” New York Times, October 2, 1965, SUA5; Jack Raymond, “Pentagon Official Describes Chinese Communist Blueprint for World Conquest,” New York Times, October 8, 1965, SU1_1; Russell Freeburg, “Rusk Likens China Threat to Mein Kampf,” Chicago Tribune, October 15, 1965, 15.

Murrey Marder, “Expert Says China May Choose War,” Washington Post, March 11, 1966, A1; “War with China?” Washington Post, March 8, 1966, A16; E. W. Kenworthy, “China Expert Says US Is Overreacting to Peking: Advises Senators to…,” New York Times, March 11, 1966, 1.

James Reston, “Washington: Senator Fulbright's ‘Teach-In,’” New York Times, February 13, 1966, 176.

Small, Covering Dissent, 61–62.

Gallup, The Gallup Poll, 1931–1932, 2000–2001.

Louis Harris, “Most Favor Ties with Both Countries,” Washington Post, June 27, 1966, A13.

Michael Lumbers, Piercing the Bamboo Curtain: Tentative Bridge-building to China during the Johnson Years (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2008), 155.

Richard Eder, “Humphrey Hints US Is Altering Policy on China,” New York Times, March 14, 1966, 1; Richard Halloran, “Vice President Softens Stand on Red Chinese,” Washington Post, March 14, 1966, A1.

John D. Pomfret, “Johnson Offers Eventual Amity to Chinese Reds,” New York Times, July 13, 1966, 1; “Back to Baltimore,” New York Times, July 13, 1966, 40; Murrey Marder, “LBJ States US Power Role in Asia,” Washington Post, July 13, 1966, A1; “Isolated Red China,” Washington Post, July 14, 1966, A16.

Seymour Topping, “Peking Confirms Key Aide's Ouster from Party Post,” New York Times, June 4, 1966, 1; “China in Transition,” Washington Post, May 30, 1966, A16; Vergil Berger, “Peking's Boss Ousted in Drive on Mao's Foes,” Washington Post, June 4, 1966, A1.

“China in Transition,” Washington Post, May 30, 1966, A16; Henry Kamm, “Chou Describes Purge as a ‘Cultural Revolution,’” New York Times, June 19, 1966, 18.

“Mao's Long Swim in Yangtze Is Hailed by China,” New York Times, July 26, 1966, 2; Stanley Karnow, “‘Ailing’ Mao, 72, Swims 9 Miles in Choppy River,” Washington Post, July 26, 1966, A1.

Robert S. Elegant, “Peking Declares ‘War of Annihilation’ with Itself as Base for World Revolt,” Washington Post, September 4, 1966, A1; “Peking Urges Crushing of Foes; Mao Reported Back in Capital,” Washington Post, January 12, 1967, A1.

Reuters, “Soviet Dependents Harassed in Peking,” New York Times, February 6, 1967, 1; Vergil Berger, “Soviet Wives Forced to Crawl in Peking,” Washington Post, February 7, 1967, A1.

“Long, Hot Autumn,” Washington Post, September 3, 1968, A10.

On the media's negative report of the antiwar movement, see Small, Covering Dissent.

“Xenophobia in Peking,” New York Times, August 26, 1966, 32; “Moscow Faces Peking,” New York Times, February 6, 1967, 27; “Peking's Young Fogeys,” Washington Post, August 25, 1966, A20.

Lumbers, Piercing the Bamboo Curtain, 55, 199, 95.

Stanley D. Bachrack, The Committee of One Million: “China Lobby” Politics, 1953–1971 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1976), 258.

Guolin Yi, “The ‘Propaganda State’ and Sino-American Rapprochement: Preparing the Chinese Public for Nixon's Visit,” Journal of American-East Asian Relations 20, no. 1 (2013): 11.

In responding to the war fervor along the Sino–Soviet border, Nixon thought it was against the interests of the United States to let China be “smashed” in a Sino–Soviet war. Kissinger also thought that it was better to side with the weaker instead of the stronger of two antagonistic powers. However, they knew that a public “shading” toward China would cause a dramatic reaction from the Soviet Union. See Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XVII, China, 1969–1972 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office), Document 13, “Minutes of the Senior Review Group Meeting”; Document 25, “President Nixon's Notes on a National Security Council Meeting”; Document 27, “Memorandum from William Hyland of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)”; Document 29, “Memorandum for the Record of the Washington Special Actions Group Meeting.”

“Another Opinion: For a New China Policy,” New York Times, March 30, 1969, E13; “Peking Exploits a Crisis,” New York Times, March 8, 1969, 28.

“Battle at the Ussuri,” Washington Post, March 4, 1969, A18; “US Has Dilemma in Ussuri Fighting,” Washington Post, March 30, 1969, 40.

Elliot L. Richardson, “The Foreign Policy of the Nixon Administration: Its Aims and Strategy,” Department of State Bulletin 61, no. 1578 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1969), 257–260.

Henry Kissinger, White House Years (Boston: Little, Brown, 1979), 184. In his memo to Kissinger on October 8, National Security Council staffer John Holdridge also suggested calling the Chinese attention to Richardson's statement as part of the US overtures. See Foreign Relations of the United States 1969–1976, Volume XVII, China, 1969–1972 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office), Document 38, “Memorandum from John H. Holdridge of National Security Council Staff to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger).”

Henry Raymont, “Nixon Aid Affirms US Will Press for China Ties,” New York Times, September 6, 1969, 1; Warren Unna, “Keep Peace, US Cautions China, Soviet,” Washington Post, September 6, 1969, A1.

“Fear Drives China to Talk to Russia,” Washington Post, October 9, 1969, A1; “A Momentous Sino-Soviet Breakthrough?” Washington Post, October 9, 1969, A24; “Peking Retreats,” New York Times, October 9, 1969, 46.

Yi, “The ‘Propaganda State’ and Sino-American Rapprochement,”13.

The breakthrough was achieved on December 3, 1969, when Walter Stoessel Jr., the US ambassador to Poland, approached a Chinese diplomat at a Yugoslavian fashion show at Warsaw's Palace of Culture. Without clear instructions from Beijing, the Chinese diplomat did not know how to handle the situation. As a result, he tried to flee the scene, with the US ambassador running after him. Stoessel managed to catch a Chinese interpreter and told him that he had an important message for the Chinese government. When the American ambassador's “unusual behavior” was reported to Zhou Enlai, he immediately relayed this “encounter” to Mao and said, “the opportunity is coming; we now have a brick in our hands to knock at the door [of the Americans.]” Zhou Enlai at once instructed the Chinese embassy in Warsaw to let the Americans know of Beijing's interest in reopening communications. See Chen Jian, Mao's China and the Cold War (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001), 250.

Murrey Marder, “US, China to Reopen Talks Jan. 20,” Washington Post, January 9, 1970, A1; Peter Grose, “US and Red China Agree to Resume Warsaw Parleys,” New York Times, January 9, 1970, 1, “Dialogue with Beijing,” New York Times, January 10, 1970, 29; “The World: US Smiles at China—And the Russians Glower,” New York Times, January 11, 1970, 167; Charles Mohr, “Peking Revising Party's Charter,” New York Times, January 4, 1969, 1; “Peking Congress Arises from Years of Deep Conflict in Regime,” New York Times, April 3, 1969, 3; “500,000 at Peking Rally Greet Mao on National Day,” New York Times, October 2, 1969, 3.

Peter Grose, “US and Red China Agree to Resume Warsaw Parleys,” New York Times, January 9, 1970, 1; “Dialogue with Beijing,” New York Times, January 10, 1970, 29; Murrey Marder, “US, China to Reopen Talks Jan. 20,” Washington Post, January 9, 1970, A1; “Back to Warsaw,” Washington Post, January 12, 1970, A18.

Tad Szulc, “Ceausescu Visits Nixon at the White House for Talks on World Issues,” New York Times, October 27, 1970, 1; Don Oberdorfer, “Romania Praised by Nixon,” Washington Post, October 27, 1970, A1.

“Highlights of the Message,” New York Times, February 26, 1971, 1; Max Frankel, “Subtle Shifts by the President,” New York Times, February 26, 1971, 14; Carroll Kilpatrick, “President Sees No Early End to War in Asia,” Washington Post, February 26, 1971, A1; “President's Remarks on Problems of China and Indochina,” Washington Post, February 26, 1971, A14.

Donald Bremner, “3 US Newsmen Enter Red China,” New York Times, April 11, 1971, 1; Tillman Durdin, “Times Reporter in China Gets Visa for One Month,” New York Times, April 16, 1971, 1. Snow had been admitted to China in the 1950s and early 1960s, but as a writer and historian instead of as a correspondent. Zhou Enlai said the Chinese government did not want to set a precedent for dealing with American journalists. See Hamilton, Journalism's Roving Eye, 369.

“A Brief Introduction to Reston,” Cankao Xiaoxi, July 7, 1971, 4.

James Reston, “Now, about My Operation in Peking,” New York Times, July 26, 1971, 1. The transcripts of the interview can be found in “Official Transcript of the Wide-ranging Interview with Premier Chou in Peking,” New York Times, August 10, 1971, 14.

“Reston: Letters from China—There Are Scenes of Vitality in China Everywhere,” Cankao Xiaoxi, July 31, 1971, 4; “From a Japanese Newspaper: American Eyes Looking at China,” Cankao Xiaoxi, August 5, 1971, 4; “A Conversation with Zhou Enlai, by New York Times Associate Editor James Reston,” Cankao Xiaoxi, August 12, 1971, 1; “Official Transcript of the Interview with Premier Chou in Peking,” Cankao Xiaoxi, August 15, 1971, 1; “Reston's Article from China: Beijing's Shop List,” Cankao Xiaoxi, August 16, 1971, 1.

For example, see Norman Webster, “US Table Tennis Team Greeted Warmly in Peking,” Washington Post, April 11, 1971, 1; Norman Webster, “Peking Rarity: Americans: Chinese Amazed, Delighted at US Visitors,” Washington Post, April 12, 1971, A1; Norman Webster, “US Team Visits Maoist College, Speaks Favorably of China: Reopened in Fall,” Washington Post, April 13, 1971, A16; Norman Webster, “He Says Visit Opens ‘New Page’: Chou Predicts More Chinese, US Contacts,” Washington Post, April 15, 1971, A1; Norman Webster, “China—A Whole New Ballgame for Newsmen,” Washington Post, April 16, 1971, A20; Norman Webster, “Shanghai: ‘Strong Impressive City’: China's Industrial Center,” Washington Post, April 16, 1971, A2; Norman Webster, “Peking's Friendly New Face,” Washington Post, April 25, 1971, B3.

“Onward to Peking,” Washington Post, July 17, 1971, A14; “Journey to Peace,” New York Times, July 16, 1971, 30.

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E-13, Documents on China, 1969–1972 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office), Document 40, “Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing.”

Margaret MacMillan, Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World (New York: Random House, 2007), 228.

“Newsmen Named for Trip to China,” New York Times, February 8, 1972, 5; “87 Newsmen Selected for Nixon's China Trip,” Washington Post, February 8, 1972, A2; Don Oberdorfer, “The China TV Show,” Washington Post, February 20, 1972, B7.

Frankel, The Times of My Life and My Life with the Times, 348–349.

Don Oberdorfer, “Nixon Eases Restraints on China Trade,” Washington Post, February 15, 1972, A1; Don Oberdorfer, “The China TV Show,” Washington Post, February 20, 1972, B7.

“Spectacle and Substance,” New York Times, February 19, 1972, 30.

Don Oberdorfer, “The China TV Show,” Washington Post, February 20, 1972, B7; Stanley Karnow, “Peking's TV Diplomacy,” Washington Post, March 4, 1972, A19; “The China Trip,” Washington Post, February 28, 1972, A20.

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Guolin Yi

Guolin Yi is a visiting assistant professor in the School of Arts & Humanities at Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205, [email protected].