Understanding why Republicans prioritized China then helps explain why they’re prioritizing it now. Many of America’s most influential Asia Firsters — like the Time magazine publisher Henry Luce — were either the children of American missionaries in China or had served as missionaries there themselves. The John Birch Society, whose fervent and conspiratorial brand of anti-Communism foreshadowed the right-wing populism of today, took its name from an Army captain and former missionary killed by Chinese communists at the end of World War II. It boasts much of the world’s economic, political and military power, which is why the Biden administration focuses on the region, too. In March, a Gallup poll found that while Democrats were 23 points more likely to consider Russia a greater enemy than China, Republicans were a whopping 64 points more likely to say the reverse.

---

Persons: Robert Taft, “ Mr, H, Alexander Smith, Truman, William Knowland, Joyce Mao, Chiang Kai, shek, Asia Firsters, Henry Luce —, John Birch, Biden, Mao, fixate, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping Organizations: Republican, NATO, Foreign Policy, Armed Services Committee, Nationalist, Republicans, Communist, Time, John, John Birch Society, Army, Gallup Locations: Europe, Formosa, ”, Taiwan, China, Asia, United States, Pacific, Washington, Beijing, Russia