Sino-Soviet Split

Question 1

(5) Personalities- Khrushchev/Mao relationship not functional because K didn’t restrict Mao’s ambitions

Answer 1

1956 secret speech seen as challenge to Mao’s leadership as similar authoritarian style
Khrushchev criticized great leap forward
April 1960 Mao criticized SU ideological ally, the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, while the Soviets criticized the Party of Labour of Albania, a Chinese ally
Stalin dictated Chinese foreign policy e.g. Taiwan negations while China acted more independently under Khrushchev
Mao wanted to be world leader of communism so started undermining Khrushchev by advising Polish PM Gomulka, Tito, Albania and Romania

Question 2

(5) Ideology- Mao sees USSR as ‘socialist imperialism’ and corrupted Marxism

Answer 2

Mao believed Marxist-Lenin, de-Stalinization unacceptable as Stalin was leader of ICM
January 1967, Red Guards attacked the Soviet embassy in Beijing
Soviet leadership saw Mao as radical
1957 speech ‘American Imperialism is a paper tiger’ declared not afraid of nuclear war caused SU distancing to avoid destruction
Austrian state treaty 1955 and Geneva summits seen as capitulation instead of communist world acting in mutual benefit to capitalists

Question 3

(2) Economy- Diminishing returns on economic alliance

Answer 3

China only interested in alliance as long as aid supplied
US isolation pushed Mao closer due to need for food and cotton imports to fill gaps in economy but as Chinese economy became more self-reliant it needed less trade (only $3bn in 1962 compared to $4.3bn in 1959)
1960 SU ended aid and recalled specialists without aid there was little incentive to remain an ally, already defaulted on military commitments therefore only material aspects left in 1950 treaty

Question 4

(6) Geopolitical aims- Began treating each other as adversaries as China became superpower

Answer 4

1964 China detonated its nuclear bomb
1968 amassed of 25 divisions and 120 medium-range missiles on border
1956 Competed with USSR on global stage e.g. Suez crisis, offered Nasser 250,000 volunteers as cannon fodder and tried to negotiate an arms deal
Khrushchev giving aid to India despite 1962 Sino-Indian war
In a Letter of the CPC to the CPSU 1966 China refused to send a delegation to their 23rd congress accusing the SU of scheming to sign a peace deal with America in Vietnam in order to encircle China with capitalist powers
USSR wanted limit power of China with 1963 Nuclear test ban treaty seen as last straw