Amanpour Peacemaker: U Thant and the Turbulent 60s
Dec 23, 2025
Thant Myint-U, historian and grandson of U Thant, shares riveting stories of his grandfather's UN leadership during the 60s, highlighting U Thant's diplomacy during pivotal moments like the Cuban Missile Crisis and his struggles with Nixon's administration. Meanwhile, acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog discusses the importance of truth in art, challenges posed by misinformation, and how his experiences, including the intense journey of making Fitzcarraldo, provide unique insights into the nature of reality and storytelling.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Imagine Debuted At U Thant's Farewell
- U Thant's retirement lunch in December 1971 drew global figures and cultural icons, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
- John Lennon debuted Imagine there, after Pete Seeger handed him a guitar, making the event historically memorable.
Past UN Successes Offer A Playbook
- Thant Myint-U warns the UN's architecture is worn but still contains lessons from past successes that can be reclaimed.
- Understanding how the UN once worked is essential to imagining how it could be effective again.
Falsehoods Spread Much Faster Online
- Werner Herzog notes fake news is ancient but now spreads exponentially faster due to the internet and social networks.
- He cites measurements showing blatant lies spread about five times faster than true information online.