Sino-soviet Relations 1949-1976 Flashcards
When did Mao become leader and when did his reign end?
1949- 1976
What was the People’s Republic of China 1949?
Mao announced this following the communist success in the civil war
Communist Russia was the first state to recognise Maos communist government so they quickly signed a treaty of friendship
The Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance, February 1950
Reasons for this treaty:
- PRC were isolated from the West so they were in search of a powerful ally
Terms of the treaty:
1) ALLIANCE- a military alliance against capitalist nations- the USSR would come to China’s aid if they got into any conflicts
2) MUTUAL ASSISTANCE- the USSR and China agreed to trade
3) FRIENDSHIP- a loan of 300 million and equipment for 50 major projects
Why was this treaty between the USSR and China significant?
It allowed China to begin economic modernisation:
By 1956 60% of China’s trade was with the USSR
38 000 Chinese workers were given vocational training in Siberia
This laid the foundations for economic development in China
The significance of the Korean War for Sino-Soviet relations
- it consolidated the sino-soviet relationship
- the USSR refused to join the war as China’s ally but they agreed to sell advanced military hardware
- there were also 2 further agreements in 1953 and 1954- the USSR agreed to:
1) help China built power plants
2) more loans
3) hand over the Lushan naval base
4) increased trade
Confrontation over Taiwan
- After the Chinese Civil war nationalist forces set up a government in Taiwan
- this was key to Mao 1) it could be a future US base and 2) Mao wanted to unite China under communist leadership
- Mao launched 2 unsuccessful attempts to take over
- In 1954 a Mutual Defence Treaty was signed between US and Taiwan
- Khrushchev didn’t want to be involved- this is significant as it showed the USSR was unwilling to help China to achieve its military goals
Why was 1954-58 significant for Sino- Soviet relations?
- China began to emerge as an ideological rival to the USSR- it was no longer clear that they lead the communist world
- Maos was also less inclined in following new president Khrushchev as he did not back his aims on Taiwan and his reluctance to stand up to the US
The Great Leap Forward
- This policy was launched by Mao in 1958 which he claimed was superior to USSRs 5 year plans- this indicated that Mao was willing to forge his own route independently
- this policy rejected Soviet values- he wanted to distance himself from the USSR and undermine Khrushchevs leadership
China’s national and military interests
- during 1958 differences emerged between the USSR and China over nuclear arms and the position of Taiwan
- Khrushchev proposed an idea that China’s nuclear weapons could only be used with Soviet authorisation
- when China invaded Taiwan for a second time Khrushchev rejected to support as he felt this could cause nuclear war with the US
- this proved to Mao that Khrushchev was in favour of compromise with capitalism rather than revolution
Sino-Soviet relations in 1958
- by the end of 1958 they both remained allies as China needed the USSR for aid
- Khrushchev wanted to keep this relationship so they could have the upper hand in the Cold War
- it was a significant time as Mao wanted to compete to rule the communist world
Reasons for deterioration in Sino-Soviet relations
1) personal differences
2) ideological division
3) strategic and military issues
1) Personal Differences
- Khrushchev second visit to China was in 1959- at their meeting they openly insulted each other- in private Khrushchev made fun of the Chinese
- 1960 Mao to special pleasure in beating the Russians to the top of Everest
- Khrushchev removed all experts who were helping the Great Leap Forward
2) Ideological Division
- Khrushchev was publicly criticising the Great Leap Forward
- Mao said that the USSR was becoming a consumerist regime that was prepared to compromise with the West
Sino-Soviet relations after Khrushchev
- In 1964 Khrushchev was removed from power
- the new leader Brezhnev established a working relationship with Mao
- however in 1965 Mao launched a new campaign- the Cultural Revolution- he argued that US and the USSR were global cities and China and the third world were global country sides- this he argued where the true revolutionaries were
Full scale confrontation, 1968-9
- the cultural revolution relied on the new breed of soldier- Red guards
- they crossed the border in 1968 and Brezhnev responded by putting soldiers on the border
- the red guards occupied the island of Zhen Bao which each side was claiming was their territory- small scale fighting broke out
The US and China, 1949-69
- the US backed the nationalist forces in the 1930s
- US were horrified to see China turn Red and so they failed to support the People’s Republic of China
- the relationship worsened during the Korean War- direct conflict
- during 1950s there was no trade or anything between the two
Ping Pong Diplomacy
- this was the first signs of friendship
- Nixon relaxed trade and travel restrictions to China and recognised the people’s republic of China
- Mao invited the US table tennis team to China to play
Sino-US relations, 1972-6
- Nixons visit to China changed the dynamics of the Cold War
- Nixon and Kissinger wanted to move away from confrontation- triangular diplomacy
Nixon’s Visit to China, 1972
- it was a risk as there was no guarantee that Mao would agree to see him
- however Mao was excited to see the world leader
- a communique was signed that acknowledge disagreements, agreed on peaceful coexistence and increase corporation and trade
The impact of the Sino-US relationship on the USSR
- it forced the soviet government to maintain a friendly and co operative relationship with the US as they feared a Sino-US alliance
- the USSR split there military resources- a war on two fronts
Sino- Soviet relations timeline
1949-50- unequal friendship
1950-54- consolidation of the friendship
1954-58- deterioration in relationship
1959-69- confrontation
Reasons that brought Mao and Nixon together 1970-1976
1) 1971 US table tennis team were invited to China- Ping Pong diplomacy
2) Feb 1972 Nixon visited- differences were stressed but they talked out diplomatic success without the abandonment of principles
3) Trade between China and US grew- rolls Royce jet engine
4) Chinese visited countries in Eastern Europe to undermine the SU
5) USA put pressure on the SU
The Ussuri River crisis 1969
- Chinese open fired with submarines guns that were hidden under their jackets
- The SU forces attacked along the front- 800 chinese were killed
- The river was the largest in China- subject to widespread flooding which changes the course
Maos rivalry with Stalin
- Mao said ‘all Asia will learn from China more than they will learn form the SU- this trod on his toes
- Stalin was committed to Mao but he wanted to show who was master
- Mao sent a telegram to Stalin referring to him as the master- hoping that this would get him on side
- Mao wanted $300 million dollars for military purposes- he wanted to become a major military power
- Mao owned a quarter of the world- he had increased the scope of the communist camp
- Stalin couldn’t afford to disown him
