[TMJC] Sino-Soviet notes

H1 History 8821 Theme 2: The Cold War in Asia, 1945 – 1991 Topic 1: Superpower Relations with China 1 TMJC History Unit | Updated April 2024 SUPERPOWER RELATIONS WITH CHINA (1950 – 1979) SINO-SOVIET RELATIONS 1. Overview & Main Events in beginning, consolidation , worsening and to total split in Sino-Soviet relations 2. Causes leading to the worsening Sino-Soviet Relations (1960-1979) a. Ideological splits b. Clash of personality between Mao & Stalin & Khrushchev c. Domestic politics in China & Mao’s political agenda d. Sino-Soviet Roots of historical mistrust - Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship (1950) e. Evolving Security concerns: i. Role of US: foreign policy impact on Sino-Soviet relations ii. Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1986), Afghanistan (1979) f. Competition for global influence: i. Chinese Invasion of Vietnam and Soviet Responses (1979) 3. Consequences of the Sino-Soviet Rivalry Overview Possible Questions:- • How far was the breakdown in relations a result of ideological differences? • “Rivals rather than ideological brothers.” HFDYA with this statement with regards to Sino - Soviet relations from 1950 to 1979? • Sino-Soviet relations between 1950 and 1979 were primarily influenced by Sino -American ties.” How far do you agree with this? Introduction The Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s was unmistakably one of the most significant events during the Cold War era. Why did the Sino-Soviet alliance, hailed by its creators as ‘unbreakable’ and ‘eternal’ ‘brotherly solidarity’, break up and the bilateral relations eventually evolve into open hostility and military confrontations in the 1960s? The answer commonly can be attributed to security concerns which did evolve through time and international political developments: • 1950s: Traditional security concerns involve wider ideological conflict with the USA • 1960s: Greater desire to exert global supremacy that aggravated security concerns between Soviets and China , which motivated irreconcilable differences and resulted in Sino-Soviet split in 1969. The relationship between Russia and China could be described as that of estranged siblings.

H1 History 8821 Theme 2: The Cold War in Asia, 1945 – 1991 Topic 1: Superpower Relations with China 2 TMJC History Unit | Updated April 2024 • While both were communist from 1949, their relationship was lukewarm at best. • Relations were frosty from 1960 onwards after the Sino-Soviet Split. • Prospects for improvement only came about after the death of Mao, when more progressive and liberal-minded leaders like Gorbachev and Deng Xiao Ping focused on economic reforms. “Insofar as its impact upon the Cold War’s overall development is concerned, the divergences between the Chinese and Soviet communists gradually shattered the foundation of the strategic alliance between Beijing and Moscow…both the socialist camp and the i nternational communist movement became profoundly divid