The Cold War and the Cold War: A History of Negotiations

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In 1972, Nixon and Kissinger were also reaching out to the Soviet Union. The hope was that splitting up the two communist powers would drive them both closer to the United States. In dealing with Beijing, the U.S. has always considered the effect on its positions elsewhere. That was just as true half a century ago when Nixon managed the relationship with Moscow.

Henry Kissinger was one of the most influential and controversial diplomats of the 20th century. He was National Security Advisor and Secretary of State to two American presidents. Now, with China’s growing influence and the prospect of powerful technology that could change the nature of war, his ideas on great power conflict are more relevant than ever. On the eve of his 100th birthday, The Economist spent over eight hours in conversation with Mr Kissinger. In this podcast special, we focus on three elements of the wide-ranging discussion: the role of China, AI and weak American leadership.

Zanny Minton Beddoes hosts with Edward Carr. The full transcript of the conversation with Mr Kissinger is available online.

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