The Sino-Soviet relationship can be described as that of a newly middle school couple. They were fell in love with each other exchanged ideas and traded, but then as time wore on they began to forget why their existed such a relationship. Each side then began to plan their break-up.
Well that is almost exactly how it played out.
Initial Phase:
Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance for short, is the treaty of alliance concluded between the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union on February 14, 1950.
Relationship:
Each side would support the other to prevent capitalism from expanding its borders. Their was also the clause that stated if the one was attacked the other would move to support them. Russia supported such a relationship because they believed that Asia with its large population and growing strength would make a difference on the world table.
“Putin pointed out that the organization’s member countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and observer nations (Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia) have a combined population of 3 billion people. “Meeting in this format, the leaders of those countries are making and will continue to make decisions that affect the social and economic well-being of the overwhelming majority of people on the planet,” the Russian leader said yesterday. “In and of itself, that is a significant factor in world politics.”-Putin
Split:
The Sino-Soviet split (1960–1989) was caused because of ideological and political differences in which both countries were heading towards. Russia at the time was pursuing the idea of a peaceful existence with the west with both sides accepting each other, their was also the idea of integrating bits of capitalism into their economy. This was considered a movement by the Chinese as something quite different than communism. The Chinese were starkly communist dotting their “i”s and crossing their “t”s. So this worsening of political and ideological relations between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) during the Cold War resulted in the biggest split of Communist States in the World. ” They(Chinese) denounced the Soviet emphasis on “peaceful coexistence” with the capitalist world as kowtowing to the “paper tiger” of imperialism, considered de-Stalinization as “revisionism,”
Both sides began to arm their borders, resulting in a mass build of military forces. It wasn’t until March of 1969, that the tensions along the border erupted into serious clashes of military units along the border and territory between the Chinese and Russians- control of Damanskii Island (Chenpao Island to the Chinese), situated at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers. Clashes would also occur regularly along the Sino-Soviet border with units exchanging shots-Xinjiang-Kirghiz border. On August 28, 1969 Pravda called on China to give up its “absurd territorial claims” and warned that if war broke out, the Soviet government would not shrink from employing its nuclear arsenal.
Article: Current Digest of the Russian Press
PROVOCATION BY CHINESE> AUTHORITIES ON THE SOVIET-CHINESE <BORDER>. (Izvestia, March 4, p. 2. Complete text:) On March 2, at 4:10 a.m. Moscow time, <Chinese> authorities staged an armed provocation in the vicinity of the Nizhne-Mikhailovka <border> station (Damansky Island) on the Ussuri River. An armed <Chinese> detachment crossed the Soviet state <border> and moved toward Damansky Island.The <Chinese> side suddenly opened fire on the Soviet <border> guards protecting this area. There were killed and wounded.Taking resolute action, the Soviet <border> guards drove the <border violators from Soviet territory.On March 2, 1969, the Soviet government sent a note to the C.P.R. government.
Tensions died down to a minimum after the Soviets threatened to engage their Nuclear arsenal, and peace talks ensued with the outcome not to engage in war and territory along the border would remain frozen with its current owners.
Works Cited:
http://dlib.eastview.com/searchresults/article.jsp?art=5&id=13773439
http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1968china&Year=1968
I thought this was a very good and succinct article about the Sino-Soviet split. I really liked the article you used from the Current Digest of the Russian Press, and I also thought your analogy about their relationship resembling those of middle school was amusing and accurate.
Great post! I find this topic really interesting. Mainly due to the fact that while this was going on in Asia, Americans thought that the communist regimes of China and Russia were instead plotting together to take over Asia. Obviously that was not the case. Its cool that you included details on the border clashes between the two nations. I didn’t know that there were such large disputes that Russia threatened nuclear intervention. Fun post to read, good job.
Nicely written post, enjoyable to read and set out well. The rise of China as a potential superpower, following a different strand of communism meant it was even more likely the two would conflict. A tri-polar world was emerging, each superpower used their relation with the other to gain concessions from the other. This is explains the USA’s rapprochement with China in the 1970s after the Sino-Soviet split.
Reading the number of people present in the member countries and the observer nations really puts into perspective how powerful a Sino-Soviet relationship had the potential to be. Luckily for any enemies of communism, this relationship was not fruitful and did not result in damage and much death.
You could certainly see your expertise in the paintings you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. At all times go after your heart. “What power has law where only money rules.” by Gaius Petronius.