A Lobby in Winter: The Committee of One Million Rages against the Opening of the Door

In the decade following its founding in 1954, the men who led the foreign policy lobby the Committee of One Million faced little opposition in their efforts to prevent even the most trifling slackening in the U.S. policy of isolating and containing communist China. Beginning with the Fulbright hearings in March 1966, the trend of informed opinion moved sharply against them, as liberal Democrats became more emboldened and liberal Republicans like Jacob Javits abruptly switched sides. The election in 1968 of the former Vice-President who had served alongside Committee hero John Foster Dulles seemed to promise a return to the good old days. Despite warnings to the contrary, some of them coming from Nixon’s own pen and lips, Committee leader Marvin Liebman wrote confidently that “Nixon is on our side.” The misdirection on Nixon’s part was intentional, as he subtly courted intellectuals and senators eager to adopt an altered policy of “containment without isolation” while reassuring his supporters on the right that he would resist their foes. After announcing his upcoming visit to China in July 1971, Nixon muted right-wing opposition by reaching out the Ronald Reagan, Bill Buckley, and Billy Graham while ignoring China Lobby stalwarts such as Walter Judd, who after Liebman’s ouster revitalized the Committee’s finances and funded a massive last-ditch campaign to pressure wayward politicians and influence public opinion. Exhibiting denial until the moment Nixon set foot in Beijing, expressing frequent anger and occasional sadness while making numerous attempts at bargaining, the Committee evinced precious little acceptance. Abandoned in the end even by Pat Buchanan, they ironically sought consolation in the same de facto “Two Chinas” policy they had long attacked their opponents for supporting.