5. Explain the relationship between the Soviets and China.
By: Beth Briscoe
The Chinese-Soviet Rift
• Since both leaders of China and the Soviet Union were communist, they drew closer during the beginning of the Cold War.
• Both countries developed a common enemy; the United States, who was against communism.
• Since both leaders of China and the Soviet Union were communist, they drew closer during the beginning of the Cold War.
• Both countries developed a common enemy; the United States, who was against communism.
Fraternal Cooperation
• During the early 1950's Beijing recognized Moscow's authority in world communism in exchange for Russian military equipment and economic aid.
• In return, Soviet diplomats initiated a campaign in the United Nations to transfer the Chinese seat in the Security Council from Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland.
• However, the Soviet tendency to lecture the Chinese on how to conduct a social society kept tension between the two nations.
• During the early 1950's Beijing recognized Moscow's authority in world communism in exchange for Russian military equipment and economic aid.
• In return, Soviet diplomats initiated a campaign in the United Nations to transfer the Chinese seat in the Security Council from Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland.
• However, the Soviet tendency to lecture the Chinese on how to conduct a social society kept tension between the two nations.
Cracks in the Alliance
• Before long, new cracks appeared in the Soviet-Chinese alliance.
• From the Chinese perspective Soviet aid programs were far too modest and had too many strings attached. For example, Soviet demands for territorial concessions, which conjured up memories of similar demands by European powers 150 years earlier, were particularly infuriating
• In February 1950, after making Mao Zedong wait for two cold months in Moscow, the Kremlin finally persuaded him to sign a treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance that recalled the "unequal treaties" of the nineteenth century.
• This pact granted the Soviet Union naval privileges in Port Arthur and economic concessions that were blatantly imperialist in character.
• In return for these concessions, the Soviets provided China with less economic assistance than non-communist countries like Egypt and India received.
• Border clashes in central Asia and Siberia added fuel to the conflict between the two communist states.
• By the end of 1964, the rift between the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China had become public, with both sides engaging in name-calling.
• The Chinese government accused the Soviets of being "revisionists", a highly insulting term in the communist vocabulary, because Nikita Khrushchev, who feared nuclear attack, was pursuing a policy of peaceful coexistence with United States and Western Europe.
• The Soviets then accused the Chinese of being dangerous "left-wing adventurist" because Mao Zedong asserted the inevitability of war with capitalist nations.
• In addition to name-calling, both nations openly competed for influence in Africa and Asia, especially in the nations that had recently gained independence.
• The fact that the People's Republic had conducted successful nuclear tests in 1964 enhanced it's prestige.
• An unanticipated outcome of the Chinese-Soviet split was that many countries gained an opportunity to pursue a more independent course not only by playing capitalists against communists but also by playing Soviet communists against Chinese communists.
• Before long, new cracks appeared in the Soviet-Chinese alliance.
• From the Chinese perspective Soviet aid programs were far too modest and had too many strings attached. For example, Soviet demands for territorial concessions, which conjured up memories of similar demands by European powers 150 years earlier, were particularly infuriating
• In February 1950, after making Mao Zedong wait for two cold months in Moscow, the Kremlin finally persuaded him to sign a treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance that recalled the "unequal treaties" of the nineteenth century.
• This pact granted the Soviet Union naval privileges in Port Arthur and economic concessions that were blatantly imperialist in character.
• In return for these concessions, the Soviets provided China with less economic assistance than non-communist countries like Egypt and India received.
• Border clashes in central Asia and Siberia added fuel to the conflict between the two communist states.
• By the end of 1964, the rift between the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China had become public, with both sides engaging in name-calling.
• The Chinese government accused the Soviets of being "revisionists", a highly insulting term in the communist vocabulary, because Nikita Khrushchev, who feared nuclear attack, was pursuing a policy of peaceful coexistence with United States and Western Europe.
• The Soviets then accused the Chinese of being dangerous "left-wing adventurist" because Mao Zedong asserted the inevitability of war with capitalist nations.
• In addition to name-calling, both nations openly competed for influence in Africa and Asia, especially in the nations that had recently gained independence.
• The fact that the People's Republic had conducted successful nuclear tests in 1964 enhanced it's prestige.
• An unanticipated outcome of the Chinese-Soviet split was that many countries gained an opportunity to pursue a more independent course not only by playing capitalists against communists but also by playing Soviet communists against Chinese communists.