They irreparably shaped the world in which we live, and they endure in the American subconscious. I and II, Korea, Vietnam, the Depression, the Black civil rights movement, and the feminist movement were 20th century events. Navigating US policy toward Cuba has been a continual headache for Washington, and Fidel is more than ready to celebrate the New Year with the rest of us. Now, more than ever, there is a need to shed the animosity of our past and move toward normalization with Cuba. Historical precedent shows that Castro was most cooperative with US policy when it was made under diplomatic, not threatening, circumstances.
China is a much different case.
Undergoing rapid economic liberalization, China is reaping the benefits of a free market and international investment. Compromising many of its political ideals by overlooking human rights violations, the US has embraced China economically. The Socialist emphasis on social and economic rights overwhelms political and civil rights in both Cuba and China. Where the 20th century saw international warfare across Europe and Asia, the 21st century promises to hold much more internal warfare. Civil wars already greatly outnumber interstate conflicts, as third world states, particularly in Africa, struggle to find their place in our pre-manufactured sovereign state system.