China, US, USSR

1. China, US, USSR Split, Rapprochement, Detente

2. DeStalinization seen as an attack on Mao’s style Hungary & Poland in the 1950’s – failure to contain reactionary forces Peaceful coexistence is ideological heresy (armed struggle is the only way) Mao sees Khrushchev as a revisionist (not a real Marxist) “…more than three years after he started pushing Maoism on the world stage….Mao gave the order to denounce Khrushchev by name as a ‘revisionist’. A public slanging match quickly escalated. For Mao, the polemic acted as a sort of international advertsing campaign for Maoism” --Jung Chang and Jon Halliday, Mao; The Unknown Story (2005) Sino-Soviet relations through Chinese eyes…

3. Sino-Soviet Interactions • Mao calls on USSR to abandon revisionism @ Conference of Communist Parties, 1957 • Mao believes Khr is initiating détente w/ West to isolate China • Khr visits Beijing 1958 – unproductive. • Chinese accuse USSR of betraying Marxism and sending spies to China

4. Khrushchev betrays Mao in Taiwan 1958 • Mao builds up troops near Taiwan; fires on US ships • US also prepares; sends Navy into Formosa straits • Khr says not prepared for war w/ US – won’t back up China • Mao feels betrayed, USSR sees Mao as not recognizing reality of international situation - fanatical

5. The Great Leap Forward 1958-61 • Program for economic growth – grow industrial and ag sectors quickly • Two key areas: Grain & Steel (I.e. backyard furnaces) • Public works programs started • Generally unsuccessful – ended in economic disaster • 14 million die from famine officially (West estimated 30 mil) • Some blame disastrous weather 58-62, but also result of program • USSR denounces the GLF publicly – Mao is enraged

6. Sino-Indian War 1962 • China didn’t recognize Sino-Indian border (from colonial period) • US U-2 planes able to take pics of Chinese nukes; India leans west • USSR officially neutral, but gave India MIG fighters – China angered

7. Cuban Missile Crisis • Mao attacked: • The placement of detectable missiles in the first place • Backing down • The negative impact it would have on the struggle against US imperialism

8. Chinese Cultural Revolution • 1966-69 • Mao’s attempt to prevent the “creeping return” of liberal, anti-communist thought • Wants to reignite revolutionary struggle • The young were mobilized to “re-educate” the elders, teachers, etc. • “old thought” was attacked at all levels • USSR kept at bay as “revisionist” – USSR continues to criticize China

9. Enter Brezhnev 1968 • No improvement • Brezhnev is more Stalinist than Khrushchev • Sino-Soviet Border War 1969 • Seen as low point because: • Threatens to become full scale war • Both realigned missiles to face one another • Increase rivalry to be top dog of comm. nations.

10. USSR, China, & Nukes China: We want our own program! If you are our friend you’ll let us have it! • Mao believes nuclear war is most likely part of revolutionary struggle • Conflicts w/ peaceful coexistence • USSR will only help China develop nukes if USSR has control over it’s nuclear policy • Sino-Soviet tension increases over Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 • 1964: China develops and detonates its own A-Bomb USSR: As you are our friend, you don’t need your own, we’ll protect you!

11. All in All… • Sino-Soviet tensions lasted from mid 1950’s to late 1970’s • US tries to use this to create triangular diplomacy and play them off of each other • Both fear the other will get cozy with the West…. • How does this impact international relations between the US and China and the US and the USSR?