Ambassador George H. Bush: "Fellow Delegates, the issue is clearly marked now: inclusion or expulsion; impartiality or one-sided and arbitrary punishment. If this is not an important question, what is?"
Announcer: George Bush, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. It's the floor of the General Assembly. For the 21st time, the Delegates were debating the admission of Red China into the world body. The U.S. was attempting to make the expulsion of Nationalist China an important question requiring a two-thirds' vote. The motion was defeated. What was coming next was clear to everyone, and Nationalist China decided not to stay around.
Unknown Speaker: "The Delegation of Republic of China has now decided not to take part to any further proceedings of this General Assembly. We shall continue to struggle with the like mind of the Governments for the realization of the ideals upon which the United Nations was founded, but which the General Assembly has now betrayed."
Announcer: The longest debate in the history of the UN was about to end.
Unknown Speaker: "…in favor 76, opposed 35, abstention 17. The Resolution adopted. The Government of People's Republic of China will be notified accordingly."
Announcer: With that vote, Communist China was admitted into the UN and Nationalist China expelled. There was cheers, smiles, laughter and applause, but none showed their pleasure more than the young Chief Delegate from Tanzania, who performed an African victory jig in the front row.
For the United States, the expulsion of Nationalist China was considered a defeat in the international arena. It was a defeat many didn't like, Senator Barry Goldwater for one.
Senator Barry Goldwater: "I suggested on the floor of the Senate today that we stop all funds for the United Nations. Now, what that'll do to the United Nations, I don't know. I have a hunch it would cause them to fold up, which would make me very happy at this particular point. I think if this happens, they can well move their headquarters to Peking or Moscow and get 'em out of this country."
