Barry Wirth

A, acknowledge that he was a spy, and B, apologize. That's what they're asking for. And Kissinger, as soon as he became first Nixon's foreign policy advisor during the 68 campaign, then his national security advisor, and ultimately his secretary of state, Kissinger really drove this. And finally, the Nixon administration did what the Chinese had long been asking for and expecting.

They acknowledged the truth of this. Fascinating moment. This is the end of the Vietnam War now. And in January 73, there was a press conference. Even though Watergate had already happened, Watergate was not the subject of the press conference. Most of the questions were about the POWs in Hanoi and when they'd be coming home.

They acknowledged the truth of this. Fascinating moment. This is the end of the Vietnam War now. And in January 73, there was a press conference. Even though Watergate had already happened, Watergate was not the subject of the press conference. Most of the questions were about the POWs in Hanoi and when they'd be coming home.

They acknowledged the truth of this. Fascinating moment. This is the end of the Vietnam War now. And in January 73, there was a press conference. Even though Watergate had already happened, Watergate was not the subject of the press conference. Most of the questions were about the POWs in Hanoi and when they'd be coming home.

At the very end of an hour-long press conference, there was a planted question. Somebody asked, well, what about Downey? Downey's been in Chinese prison since 1952. Nixon said, Downey is a different case. As you know, Downey involves a CIA agent. After almost 20 plus years, this was the acknowledgement that the Chinese had required in order to free him. They commuted a sentence.

At the very end of an hour-long press conference, there was a planted question. Somebody asked, well, what about Downey? Downey's been in Chinese prison since 1952. Nixon said, Downey is a different case. As you know, Downey involves a CIA agent. After almost 20 plus years, this was the acknowledgement that the Chinese had required in order to free him. They commuted a sentence.

At the very end of an hour-long press conference, there was a planted question. Somebody asked, well, what about Downey? Downey's been in Chinese prison since 1952. Nixon said, Downey is a different case. As you know, Downey involves a CIA agent. After almost 20 plus years, this was the acknowledgement that the Chinese had required in order to free him. They commuted a sentence.

They said that they were reducing it to five more years And then shortly after that, Downey's mother had a bad stroke. And Kissinger called Chow Enlai and said, you know, if we don't get him soon, he's never going to see his mother again. And that was the thing that precipitated his release in April of 73. How much did this play a factor in that, or I guess the general swap of prisoners?

They said that they were reducing it to five more years And then shortly after that, Downey's mother had a bad stroke. And Kissinger called Chow Enlai and said, you know, if we don't get him soon, he's never going to see his mother again. And that was the thing that precipitated his release in April of 73. How much did this play a factor in that, or I guess the general swap of prisoners?

They said that they were reducing it to five more years And then shortly after that, Downey's mother had a bad stroke. And Kissinger called Chow Enlai and said, you know, if we don't get him soon, he's never going to see his mother again. And that was the thing that precipitated his release in April of 73. How much did this play a factor in that, or I guess the general swap of prisoners?

It was central. There are scenes in my book when Kissinger first, you know, Kissinger went as an emissary before Nixon went to China. Kissinger brought this up, said, we've reconsidered. We're willing to be more realistic about this now. When Nixon went to China, probably the most famous moment in that trip was when he was about to leave. There was a farewell banquet.

It was central. There are scenes in my book when Kissinger first, you know, Kissinger went as an emissary before Nixon went to China. Kissinger brought this up, said, we've reconsidered. We're willing to be more realistic about this now. When Nixon went to China, probably the most famous moment in that trip was when he was about to leave. There was a farewell banquet.

It was central. There are scenes in my book when Kissinger first, you know, Kissinger went as an emissary before Nixon went to China. Kissinger brought this up, said, we've reconsidered. We're willing to be more realistic about this now. When Nixon went to China, probably the most famous moment in that trip was when he was about to leave. There was a farewell banquet.

He stood up and he said, this is the week that changed the world. Not 45 minutes before that, he had made a personal plea to Chow Enlai to accelerate Downey's release. It was quite central. I think of it as being actually the linchpin of that negotiation. The Chinese were not going to let this go by.

He stood up and he said, this is the week that changed the world. Not 45 minutes before that, he had made a personal plea to Chow Enlai to accelerate Downey's release. It was quite central. I think of it as being actually the linchpin of that negotiation. The Chinese were not going to let this go by.

He stood up and he said, this is the week that changed the world. Not 45 minutes before that, he had made a personal plea to Chow Enlai to accelerate Downey's release. It was quite central. I think of it as being actually the linchpin of that negotiation. The Chinese were not going to let this go by.

If the United States really wanted to recognize China and reopen relations, they were going to have to atone in some way for this. Because you can imagine, in China, they had him dead to rights. They caught him in the act. And they had a fair trial. We always disparage their criminal justice system as being unfair and trumped up.

If the United States really wanted to recognize China and reopen relations, they were going to have to atone in some way for this. Because you can imagine, in China, they had him dead to rights. They caught him in the act. And they had a fair trial. We always disparage their criminal justice system as being unfair and trumped up.

If the United States really wanted to recognize China and reopen relations, they were going to have to atone in some way for this. Because you can imagine, in China, they had him dead to rights. They caught him in the act. And they had a fair trial. We always disparage their criminal justice system as being unfair and trumped up.

And the fact of the matter is the Chinese were completely right about this and the Americans were completely wrong about it for almost 20 years. And the Chinese were not gonna let this moment go by without an acknowledgement. And that was the key to not just Downey's release, but the normalization.