| Overview: | This documentary film captures the story of the Cold War from China's perspective with Zhou En Lai as the focus. All major events of the Cold War are portrayed, using original archived film footage, most of which has never been seen outside of China. The narrative (voice-over) is in English.
The story opens in 1944 at Yenan with the first meeting between the Chinese Communist Party leadership and the US government. The American delegation's ensuing report to the US Congress led to the persecution of the document's American author. From the founding of PRC in 1949 when Zhou En Lai was named premier and minister of foreign affairs, to the signing of the Sino-Soviet mutual defense pact, US troops' arrival in Korea, the refusal of US Secretary of State Dulles to shake hands with Premier Zhou during a meeting of World War II powers, China's efforts to balance power by building relations with third-world nations, the difficulties of the Cultural Revolution, Henry Kissinger's secret diplomacy and Richard Nixon's official visit to Beijing, the events of the Cold War are on display.
Premier Zhou's role in the decisions that led China into battle in the Anti-American War (also known as the "Korean War"), the China India Border War, the Sino-Soviet Border War and the Anti-American Vietnam War (also known as the "Vietnam War") are also examined. The story comes to an end with premier Zhou's participation in the ascension to power of Den Xiao Ping, shortly before the premier's death. Vice-Premier Qian Qi Chen is listed in the credits as chief advisor, indicating that the film's interpretation of events has the blessing of the leadership. The events of the 30-years covered by this film are treated much differently than they are in Western history textbooks.
In addition to its interpretation of the history of the period, the film contains intimate and revealing glimpses of several of the leaders of that era, including Chairman Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon.
|
tell us what you
