Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

Cold War Context

• Who were the two most powerful communist nations during the 1970s?

• What were the aims of both Britain and the US when it came to the issue of communism during the 1970s?

• Overall, how did the US (and Britain’s) relationship with the USSR and China change?

The USSR and China were the most powerful communist nations in the world.

America and Britain continued to share the foreign policy objective of holding back communism.

During the 1970s, the US relationship with both the USSR and China improved - and in both cases, Britain followed America’s lead.

Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

Détente with the USSR

• What does détente mean? How did this apply to the USA and USSR during the 1970s?

• How did the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 change the relationship between the USA and USSR?

Détente: An easing of tensions between nations. The USA and USSR experienced détente during the 1970s.

After the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Presidents of both countries tried to prevent such event reoccurring. This led to the creation of a ‘hot-line’, regular meetings called summits and an agreement to limit the Cold War nuclear arms race.

Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

Thatcher’s ‘Iron Lady’ nickname

• Which speech given by Margaret Thatcher caused a response from Red Star in which they coined the nickname ‘The Iron Lady’?

• What position did Margaret Thatcher hold at the time?

• What did the ‘Iron Curtain’ allude to?

• How did Thatcher respond to the nickname?

In 1976, as leader of the Conservative Party (not Prime Minister), Thatcher gave her “Britain Awake” foreign policy speech which lambasted the Soviet Union saying it was “bent on world dominance”.

The Soviet Army journal, the Red Star reported her stance in a piece headlined “Iron Lady Raises Fears” alluding to her remarks on the Iron Curtain dividing Western and Eastern Europe.

Thatcher embraced the nickname.

Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

The Georgi Markov 1978 Assassination

• Who was Georgi Markov?

• What did Georgi Markov speak publicly about?

• When and where was Markov assassinated?

• How was Markov assassinated?

• Who were suspected, although never proven guilty, of being behind the assassination?

Georgi Markov was a Bulgarian who spoke publicly against the communist regime in his country.

Assassinated in London in 1978 by a poisonous pellet fired from an umbrella.

The Soviet Secret Service, KGB, were suspected of being behind the assassination, though this was never proven.

Topic 3, Lesson 16: What was Britain's attitude toward the USSR and China?

Britain’s 1970 Cold War Relations with China

• Why was there growing friction between the USSR and China during the late 1960s?

• How did the tension between the USSR and China lead to better relations for Britain with China?

• When did Britain agree to an exchange of ambassadors with China?

• How many times did Edward Heath visit China in 27 years from 1974?

• When did Premier Hua Guofeng visit Britain?

• Why was this visit monumental?

Late 1960s: growing tension between China and USSR over leadership of the communist world.

This led to Mao Zedong looking to repair relationship with America.

Nixon’s Visit to China:

• Nixon held meetings with Zedong

• The US would formally and fully recognise Communist China in 1979

• Britain followed the US lead in reaching out to Communist China

• March 1972: Britain agreed to an exchange of ambassadors with China.

• Edward Heath visited China 26 times in 27 years from 1974

• Heath was awarded the title “People’s Friendship Envoy” which is the highest honour given by China’s government to a foreigner

Premier Hua Guofeng visited Britain in October 1979

This was the first visit to Britain by a Chinese leader since their communist revolution

Thatcher graciously received the Chinese leader and the two engaged in friendly talks about the future of Hong Kong.