Piercing the bamboo curtain

"This new study is the comprehensive account of US policy toward China during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, a critical phase of the Cold War immediately preceding the dramatic Sino-American rapprochement of the early 1970s. Based on a thorough review of a wide array of recently declassified primary sources, this book offers a fresh perspective by challenging the popular view that Johnson's approach to China was marked by stagnation and sterility." "Carefully examining the complex interplay between preconceptions, domestic politics, bureaucratic interests and regional commitments, the author argues that the tentative bridge-building launched by the Johnson administration adumbrated much of Richard Nixon's opening to Beijing. This subtle shift in US attitudes and policy is linked to developments in the Vietnam War, the onset of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, and growing Sino-Soviet tensions. By documenting Johnson's contributions to the decision-making process and drawing wider conclusions as to his capacity as a foreign policy leader, this study also opens up a new dimension to the burgeoning debate over Johnson's global leadership 'beyond Vietnam.'" "A major contribution to our understanding of both Sino-American relations and the Vietnam War, this book will be of great interest to students of the Cold War, US foreign relations, Asian politics, and the Johnson presidency."--Jacket.