Booklet 4 - 1958-60 Flashcards
(what happened in 1950 and why)
Sino-Soviet treaty of friendship, alliance and mutual assistance.
Mao distrusted foreigners but, given China’s economic weakness in 1949, had no choice
What was the main 1958 demand from Khrushchev
joint naval fleet in the pacific.
why was the joint naval fleet demand so conflicting
both wanted it to be manned by their own officers. Khrushchev eventually dropped the demand as Mao refused to accept that it wouldn’t be manned by Chinese officers.
what were the other two demands from Khrushchev in 1958
- long wave radio station to control USSR’s pacific submarines
- USSR ability to do naval repairs in Chinese ports
why was Mao unhappy with Khrushchev’s 1958 demands (2 reasons)
- this meant he wouldn’t be getting nuclear weapons any time soon
- he thought that the USSR was showing Great Power Chauvinism
two personality clashes in 1958
- water wings
- Mao blowing smoke into Khrushchev’s face
Taiwan Crisis
Quemoy and Matsu bombing.
Russia advised China to be cautious and not bomb the islands. Mao viewed Khrushchev as a traitor.
(what happened in 1956 to create personality clash tension)
Khrushchev’s Secret Speech advocating de-Stalinisation
(what did the secret speech do)
intensified personality clashes
Mao considered himself..
the rightful leader of world communism and an intellectually superior marxist
Khrushchev’s support for peaceful co-existence..
caused Mao to accuse him of revisionism.
(what happened in 1957?)
the 40th anniversary of the USSR’s October Revolution. Mao called the Americans paper tigers and said that a nuclear war would annihilate capitalism. This caused Khrushchev to view Mao as irresponsible.
what is revisionism
revision of fundamental Marxist principles and adjusts communism to fit circumstances. Mao thought this was a betrayal of communism.
Who was Deng Xioping (in relation to USSR)
Mao’s mouthpiece who echoed his sentiments that a Sino-Soviet relationship only exploited China.
He accused Soviet advisors of being spies.
He was the General Secretary of CCP (later targeted in Cultural Revolution as he was a moderniser).
Who was Peng Duhuai (in relation to USSR)
he had visited the USSR just before his visit around China (to examine GLF’s progress) in 1959 and when he spoke of his concerns at the Lushan conference, Mao accused him of being a soviet spy and attacking his leadership.
how did the Great Leap Forward cause Sino-Soviet tensions?
Chinese divergence from heavy-industry economic model followed by USSR.
Cemented split with 1960 withdrawal of assistance - this showed that the USSR would not take criticisms.
4 insults
1960 - Mao called Khrushchev an “old boot”
Khrushchev called Mao a Trotskyist (irresponsible)
in 1961, Khrushchev called Mao an Asian Hitler and Living Corpse.
what was the dichotomy for Mao
he wanted Soviet financial aid and military assistance without bowing to Soviet demands.
3 reasons Mao believed the USSR was threatening Chinese sovereignty
- same as west in 1890s with the 1958 demands
- distrust with the refusal to endorse bombing of Quemoy and Matsu
- USSR’s hesitation to develop China’s nuclear capability meant China remained reliant on USSR for weapons should war break out.
