“Nixon was trying to be cleaver. But what he did was foolish. No matter what he intended he threw them a livesaver. He should have let the ChiComs drown too under the weight of socialism.”
But you have to remember, that in 1972 China and Russia — though both communist countries — were not on the best of terms. I think that is what Nixon was trying to take advantage of, and even exploit.
Yes, I know. Both wanted, among other things, the useful idiots in the West to serve them in particular. But like Stalin killing so many commies the rivalry was a good thing ... for us.
The USSR was doomed. The PRC would have been doomed too ... but by trying to be cleaver Nixon helped them survive.
Now they’ve helped the useful idiots in the West to fester and we are doomed.