Sino Soviet relations

Question 1

Initial Cooperation and Alliance (1947-1953)

Answer 1

• Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance (1950) cemented close alliance
• USSR provided significant economic and military assistance to the new PRC
• Common communist ideology and Soviet support for Mao’s victory in Chinese Civil War drove the alliance

Question 2

Emerging Tensions and the Sino-Soviet Split (1953-1960)

Answer 2

Disagreements over pace and direction of communist revolution - Mao criticized Khrushchev’s “peaceful coexistence” policies

Disputes over border demarcation and control of communist movements in Asia

Key events: 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, 1960 withdrawal of Soviet advisors from China

Question 3

Increasing Mistrust and Hostility (1960-1963)

Answer 3

Ideological disagreements over path to communism (Maoism vs. Marxism-Leninism)

Disputes over Cuban Missile Crisis (Mao calling K a Paper tiger)

Border clashes between Chinese and Soviet forces along Sino-Soviet border

Sino-Indian War of 1962 further strained China-USSR relations

Question 4

Conclusion

Answer 4

Sino-Soviet relationship evolved from close alliance to increasing mistrust and suspicion from 1947-1963

Deterioration of relations had significant implications for global balance of power during the Cold War

Sino-Soviet split solidified as the two communist giants turned against each other

Question 5

Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance (1950)

Answer 5

Cemented the close alliance between China and the USSR in the early post-war years

Reflected the shared communist ideology and goals of the two powers, including spreading revolution and countering Western influence in Asia

Demonstrated the initial high level of cooperation and trust between China and the Soviet Union in the immediate aftermath of WWII

Question 6

Soviet Economic and Military Assistance to the People’s Republic of China (1947-1953)

Answer 6

The USSR provided substantial aid and support to help develop and strengthen the new communist government in China

This included the construction of over 200 industrial projects by Soviet planners and engineers

Highlighted the close partnership and mutual interests between China and the Soviet Union in the early post-war period

Question 7

Disagreements over the Pace and Direction of Communist Revolution (1953-1960)

Answer 7

Tensions arose as Mao criticized Khrushchev’s more moderate “peaceful coexistence” policies, disagreeing on the appropriate speed and methods for advancing communism Aug ‘58

Ideological differences emerged between Mao’s revolutionary Maoism and the Soviet Marxism-Leninism

These ideological disputes marked the beginning of the deterioration in Sino-Soviet relations in the post-Stalin era

Question 8

Disputes over Border Demarcation and Control of Communist Movements in Asia (1953-1960)

Answer 8

Territorial conflicts and disagreements over influence in Asia further strained the Sino-Soviet alliance

Both powers sought to expand their control and leadership over communist movements in the region

These strategic and geopolitical tensions contributed to the growing mistrust and suspicion between China and the USSR

Question 9

1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis

Answer 9

This military confrontation between China and the US over Taiwan was a key event that highlighted the breakdown in Sino-Soviet cooperation

The crisis marked a turning point in the deterioration of relations, as the USSR was unwilling to fully back China’s actions

It demonstrated the growing ideological and strategic differences between the two communist powers

Question 10

1960 Withdrawal of Soviet Technical Advisors from China

Answer 10

The removal of Soviet experts and engineers from China was a symbolic move that signaled the collapse of the Sino-Soviet alliance

It reflected the deep rift that had developed between Beijing and Moscow, with the two
sides no longer able to effectively collaborate

This event was a major milestone in the Sino-Soviet split that had been steadily unfolding over the previous decade

Question 11

Ideological Disagreements over the Path to Communism (Maoism vs. Marxism-Leninism) (1960-1963)

Answer 11

Fundamental differences emerged between China’s Maoist ideology and the Soviet Marxism-Leninism

These ideological disputes further eroded trust and cooperation between the two communist powers

The divergent visions for the future of communism contributed to the increasing hostility in Sino-Soviet relations

Question 12

Disputes over the Cuban Missile Crisis (1960-1963)

Answer 12

China and the USSR took opposing stances on this key Cold War event, with China criticizing the Soviet “capitulation” to the United States

This disagreement over a major international crisis further damaged the relationship between Beijing and Moscow

The differing responses to the Cuban Missile Crisis highlighted the growing mistrust and lack of coordination between the two communist giants

“Paper tiger” Mao to Khrushchev

Question 13

Border Clashes between Chinese and Soviet Forces (1960-1963)

Answer 13

Military confrontations along the Sino-Soviet border, including the Zhenbao Island incident, contributed to the increasing hostility between the two countries

These border disputes were both a symptom and a cause of the deteriorating trust and cooperation between China and the USSR

The border clashes exacerbated the sense of mistrust and suspicion that had come to define Sino-Soviet relations in the early 1960s