Chairman Mao, apparently, was a night owl. At 11:30 PM on 17 February 1973, he called for Secretary of State Kissinger to meet him at his residence in Beijing. The two statesmens’ jovial conversation meandered until 1:30 the next morning. After the meeting, Kissinger composed today’s hot doc, “My Meeting with Chairman Mao,” an “eyes only” summary for the President. Kissinger painted the elderly dictator in very favorable light, noting that “he radiates authority and deep wisdom,” even proclaiming that the rotund despot was “large rather than fat.”
As the two statesmen began their meeting, Mao alluded to his own mortality, telling Kissinger that “God has sent me an invitation.” Still, Kissinger observed Mao’s firm grasp on the People’s Republic, writing “there is no question who is boss.” Soon, the two got down to business. They agreed that since Nixon’s 1971 visit to China, “the basic issues [had been] settled.” The two primarily discussed enhanced Chinese-American cooperation as well as their combined opposition to Soviet expansion. Mao warned Nixon that “the goal of the Soviet Union is to occupy both Europe and Asia,” and opined Kissinger not to stand idly if the Soviet “ill water would flow toward China.” (more…)
