Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s and 1960s

Stalin and the Chinese revolution

-Stalin was unhappy about the success of Mao's armies against the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War (July 1946-October 1949). why?

-Because, after WW2 he had sought to maintain good relations with the West. His Chinese policy had centred on the idea of getting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) to join a coalition with the Guomindang.

-In July 1950, he forced the PRC to intervene on the USSR's behalf in the Korean War (1950-53), thereby using China in order to gain influence in Asia without jeopardising his European position or his relations with the West.

What were Khrushchev's aims and actions?

-'Peaceful co-existence' (peaceful competition)

-Desalinisation

-Cuts to the Red Army's strength, shift to nuclear weapons

-'Communism by 1980'

-Compromises with the USA at the Geneva Conference of 1954 over the future of Vietnam and with France from 1958 over Algeria.

-Maintain the CPSU -Communist Party of the Soviet Union- as a leading force in the Communist movement.

-Khrushchev also wants to increase Soviet prestige in the Third World.

What happened in April 1954?

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu- The Vietnamese crush the French, this was the end of the French empire in Asia .

Algeria was France's oldest colony (since the 1800s) and this incensed them to fight for their independence.

What were Mao's aims and actions?

Mao saw any sign of opposition as a threat to his power and authority, he was China's Stalin.

He wanted to position the CCP as the leading force in the Communist movement and leader of the Third World Revolution.

He attacked Khrushchev's rebuilding of links with Tito's Yugoslavia.

The Second Taiwan Straits- showed that he disagreed with the Soviets key policy of 'peaceful co-existence'.

Vied with the USSR to control the direction of the Vietnamese national liberation struggle from 1960. Mao gave support for the Algerian national liberation movement from November 1954 and denounced Khrushchev for not doing so.

When was the total breakdown of Sino-Soviet relations?

October 1962

When was the breakdown?

1958-59

What was the breakdown?

In July 1958, the USA invaded Lebanon with 8,000 troops backed by 70 ships and 40,000 sailors to support the pro-Western President Chamoun (he was a Maronite- a Christian Arab). He was threatened by the Egyptian Pan-Arabist leader, Nasser. Mao denounced the USA's 'Operation Blue Bat'; Khrushchev did not.

1959: frightened by the economic chaos caused by Mao's 'Great Leap forward', the USSR refused to help the PRC develop nuclear weapons .

From August-October 1958: the USSR did not wholeheartedly back the PRC in its campaign to win territory from Taiwan. Khrushchev visited Camp David in September 1959- there were talks of nuclear arms reduction.

The Breakdown 1958-59

1959: frightened by the economic chaos caused by Mao's 'Great Leap forward', the USSR refused to help the PRC develop nuclear weapons .

From August-October 1958: the USSR did not wholeheartedly back the PRC in its campaign to win territory from Taiwan. Khrushchev visited Camp David in September 1959- there were talks of nuclear arms reduction.

The Breakdown 1960-62

-June 1960: The Albanian Communists backed Mao- the USSR retaliated by reducing trade and aid to Albania thereby allowing China to take its place. Albania was a little outpost of the PRC in Eastern Europe.

In 1960: Khrushchev withdrew from around 1,400 Soviet experts and technicians from China. This led to the subsequent cancellation of more than 200 scientific projects intended to foster co-operation between the two nations.

In October 1962, Mao denounced Khrushchev for not going to war in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Further developments

On the 16th of October 1964, there was the first Chinese explosion- in the Xinjiang province.

-8th May 1966- 300 kiloton explosion (15 times the power of Hiroshima).

-27th October 1966- China successfully tests ICBM technology. By March 1969 the relations between China and the Soviet Union had deteriorated from ideological dispute to military confrontation over Zhenbao Island (80 Soviet, 800 Chinese deaths).

In January 1969, Richard Nixon became the new US President (he was a Republican).

What was the US-USSR difference in nuclear weaponry?

By October 1962, the Americans had a 6:1 advantage of nuclear weapons to the Soviets. Also, by 1969 the Americans realised how big the split was between China and the USSR (post-1963).

Diplomacy- parity?

-July 1969: some trade restrictions were lifted- 'artichoke approach'

-In April 1971: World Trade Tennis Championships- 'Ping Pong diplomacy', between the US and Chinese teams in Japan. This resulted in an invitation to the US team to visit China.

In July and October 1971, Kissinger (US Secretary of State) went to Beijing.

-February 1972: Nixon visited China, stating afterwards that 'This was the week that changed the world'

-The US agreed to remove troops from Taiwan and China- it was committed to easing tensions in the area. In October 1971, the PRC got a position on the UN Security Council; Taiwan was expelled.