The Cold War – China – Part II

1. The Cold War – China –Part II

2. Same, But Different Ideologies • Mao’s ideology was communist, but he believed that the peasants would be the basis for revolution • Stalin’s ideology was communist, but he believed that the workers would be the basis for revolution

3. Stalin Is Apprehensive About Communist China • Stalin: • Feared Mao as a rival • Did not want the cold war to spread to Asia • Underestimated the CCP and believed the GMD (Nationalists) would be the stronger party • Knew that the GMD would recognize Soviet claims to the disputed border territory along Manchuria

4. Sino-Soviet Alliance • In February 1950, the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance was signed giving China: • Monetary aid • Technical advisors • Machinery • Weapons

5. Korean War (1950-53) • China felt like USSR military equipment was sold at high rates and was upset at the lack of assistance from the USSR • It has even been suggested that Stalin deliberately delayed the end of the Korean War in order to exhaust the PRC

6. The Secret Speech & Peaceful Coexistence (1956) • In 1956, Khrushchev denounced Stalin. Mao was annoyed at not having been warned • Mao saw it as an attack on his own style of leadership and that “peaceful coexistence” was ideological heresy

7. Beijing Meeting (1958) • Khrushchev and Mao met in 1958 to attempt to ease tension • However, the talks weren’t productive: • The Soviets had betrayed the international Communist movement • The Soviets were guilty of viewing themselves as the only true “Marxist-Leninists” • The Soviets had sent spies posing as technical advisors into China

8. Quemoy and Matsu (1958) • In 1958, Mao bombarded the two islands. Khrushchev was annoyed at not having been warned • The USSR thought Mao was pursuing international revolution at any cost and that Mao was fanatical • The Soviets withdrew economic advisors

9. The Sino-Soviet Split • In 1961, the USSR did not help in relieving the famine which followed the failure of the Great Leap Forward • In 1962, there was a border conflict between China and India; Khrushchev supported India • Also that year, Mao criticized Khrushchev for giving way to Kennedy over the Cuban Missile Crisis

10. Great Leap Forward (1957-62) • The Soviets called the rapid industrial change aspect of the Great Leap Forward “faulty in design and erroneous in practice”. Mao was furious at this criticism • The USSR did not help in relieving the famine which followed the failure of the Great Leap Forward

11. Albania (1961) • At the Moscow Congress of the Communist Party, the USSR withdrew aid to Albania, attacking the Albanian regime for its “Stalinist” doctrines and backward ways • The PRC observer at the Congress walked out in protest, interpreting this speech as an attack on their system as well • Soon after, the PRC offered to replace Soviet money and technical assistance • This led to the severing of diplomatic relations between the Soviets and Chinese

12. Sino-Indian War (1962) • The Indian government was sensitive about Chinese troops in Tibet because they were close to their border • China didn’t recognize the boundary between the two countries that had been drawn up during the British colonial period and demanded they be renegotiated • In Oct. 1962, war erupted. The Soviets gave India MIG fighters, but were supposed to be neutral • War ended in Nov. 1962, with China taking the disputed areas • Results – Not good for China: America gained access to bases in India, China had attacked a nonaligned member, and the Soviets had supplied the enemy

14. Atomic Weapons • In 1963, China attacked the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. and USSR signed. Mao viewed it as the USSR abandoning its role as revolutionary leader and working with imperialist powers • Mao believed if the USSR is their friend, the would help them develop atomic weapons. The USSR believed that if China is their friend, they would protect them with their nuclear weapons

15. Other Events Increasing the Sino-Soviet Split in the 1960s • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) – was upset with Khrushchev for backing down and not being committed to the revolutionary cause • Cultural Revolution (1966-68) – Soviets denounced the revolution as total fanaticism, and criticized Mao for creating a state of anarchy • Prague Spring (1968) – Mao condemned the use of force against Czechoslovakia

16. Sino-Soviet Border War (1969) • The PRC denounced the Soviets as “imperialists” no different from the Tsars of old, as they still had not returned territory taken from the Chinese in the 19th century • Tensioned boiled over along the border on a disputed island in the Usuri River

17. 1969 • This year was the low point in Sino-Soviet relations because: • Serious border incidents threatened to turn into full-scale war • The PRC and the Soviet Union realigned missiles to face one another • There was an intensification of the rivalry to be the leading Communist nation

18. Vietnam War • There was a competition between the USSR and the PRC to win the Vietnamese Communists to their side • The USSR eventually won this contest by keeping up a steady supply of aid and arms throughout the war • In 1978, relations were formalized in the Soviet- Vietnamese Treaty of Peace and Friendship

19. Cambodia and Vietnam • In November 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia • China came to the defense of Cambodia, arguing that Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia was Soviet expansionism • In February 1979, China invaded Vietnam to draw Vietnamese/Soviet forces out of Cambodia • The Chinese lost the war and was forced to withdraw

20. Sino-Soviet Rapprochement • Reasons for this relaxation of tension included: • Mao’s death in 1976 • The overthrow of the anti-Soviet Gang of Four in China • Deng Xiaoping becoming the new leader of China, who was more tolerant towards the Soviets • Leonid Brezhnev’s death in 1982

21. Mikhail Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping • In 1986, new trade agreements were drawn up, and procedures for full diplomatic relations restored • Relations continued to improve when Vietnam pulled out of Cambodia and the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan, both of which were condemned as expansionism • At this point, Gorbachev was allowed to visit Beijing

22. Tiananmen Square (1989) • In April 1989, before Gorbachev’s visit, thousands of students flooded into Tiananmen Square to protest China’s policy of no political openness • The protestors welcomed Gorbachev as a hero of reform and chanted his name

23. Tiananmen Square (1989) • The tension rose on May 19th when a million people took to the streets • On May 20th, martial law was declared and Deng refused to compromise with the students • On June 4th, Deng sent troops to disperse the crowd. The students threw rocks at the troops and the troops fired into the crowd • 100 civilians were dead and a hundred more wounded

24. Fall of the Soviet Union (1991) • The PRC no longer had a competitor for the leadership of the Communist world • However, the PRC didn’t seize the international revolutionary initiative • Rather, the regime looked to enhance China’s position as a major world player and continue its economic modernization