In this episode of Creating History, we unravel the paradox of Richard Nixon’s 1972 summits in Beijing and Moscow, where his political cunning and outsider ambition inspired America’s most daring Cold War diplomacy and reshaped global power dynamics. How did such a flawed US president, often so consumed by paranoia and insecurity, broker historic détente with Mao’s China and Brezhnev’s Soviet Union?

We dissect Nixon’s legacy: a leader whose strategic brilliance thawed decades of icy relations, even as Watergate’s shadow loomed. From secret backchannel negotiations to televised handshakes with Communist adversaries, discover how Nixon’s “perpetual outsider” psyche drove him to gamble on international diplomacy.

Join us as we explore the dance of power, personality and paradox that drove Nixon’s quest for a legacy greater than his personal demons.

From Creating History - the team behind Creating Churchill - comes a gripping new season of high-stakes diplomacy, backroom negotiations and world-altering decisions.

This is Summitry. Twelve episodes exploring pivotal meetings that shaped history.

When Hitler met Chamberlain. When Kennedy clashed with Khrushchev. When Bush and Blair stood shoulder to shoulder. When Trump had a shouting match with Zelenskyy... History isn’t just written - it’s negotiated.

Hosted by Russell Barnes and historian David Reynolds, Summitry takes you inside the rooms where power, pressure and politics collide. Each episode unpacks a defining diplomatic summit, revealing the human drama, strategic manoeuvring and lasting impacts of these encounters. Featuring expert analysis and rich historical context, this series pulls back the curtain on the meetings that changed the course of history. Because when leaders meet, the world changes…

Follow the show at @Creating_Hist on X or Instagram, and send us your comments, voice notes and questions by email to: info@clearstory.co.uk

Please rate, review and recommend our show on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us get the word out and extend our reach.

Check out our first series Creating Churchill, also available wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1772845516

If you’d like to buy us or the team a coffee at Ko-Fi.com/creating_history, we’d be very grateful. https://ko-fi.com/creating_history

Creating History is hosted on Podbean, produced and edited by Russell Barnes, with music by Rich Farnsworth, digital marketing by Lee Mann, and sound engineering by Andrew Chappell. Creating History is a ClearStory production. www.clearstory.co.uk