The Sino-Soviet Split

Mr. Ornstein

Willow Canyon High School

IB: History of the Americas

Lack of Contact

Before the Communist Revolutions in China and Russia There Was Little Contact Between the Two Countries

Other Background Factors

English was the Second Language of Chinese Elite

Russian Influence Isn’t Until the 1920’s

Is Not a Strong Bond Between Russian Advisors and Chinese

Stalin and the Nationalists

Chinese Communist Did not Forget that Stalin Played Both Sides During Chinese Civil War

Stalin Made Treaties with the Nationalists and Chiang Kai-Shek

American Aid

Chinese Leadership Eventually Recognizes Need for Outside Aid and Knows United States Can Supply It.

1969 Border Conflict with Soviet Pushes This Idea Forward

Reasons for the Sino-Soviet Split

Distrust After Korean WarChina Develops Own Brand of

CommunismMao Zedong ThoughtCompetition to be Head of the

Communist World

Reason for the Sino-Soviet Split

Disagreement with Khrushchev’s Peaceful Co-Existence Policy

Mao Is Ready to Confront Nuclear War Disagreement with Khrushchev’s

Denouncing of Stalin and Stalin’s Style of Leadership

Mao’s Personal Dislike of Khrushchev and vice-versa

Reason’s For Sino-Soviet Split

Soviet Criticism of Great Leap Forward

Soviets Feel Mao’s Policies Towards Taiwan Could Trigger War with US and this went against Peaceful Co-existence

Reason for the Split

Soviets Do Not Help China Build Atomic Bomb

Chinese do not allow Soviets to build radio transmitter for Sub Fleet in Pacific

Soviets side with India on Border Disputes with China

Results of the Split

Break of Unity Between Two Biggest Communist Powers.

Soviets Withdraw 10,000 experts from China.

China has to develop own nuclear weapons. Nuclear in 1964

Results of Split

1969 Border War between USSR and China

Nixon’s Visit to ChinaBetter Relations with USAAmericans and Soviets can reduce

Nuclear Arms and Detente

Brezhnev Doctrine

1968 Brezhnev is Russian leader after Khrushchev Says USSR has the right to intervene in any

Communist Country moving away from Soviet Domination/Influence

Why should China care?

March 1969

Soviet and Chinese Troops Fight Along Border at the Damansky/Zhenbao Island

Soviets Feel War with China is a realitySoviet Intervention in Czechoslovakia is

one reason Chinese become more aggressive.

March 1969

Soviet Respond with Large Force and Full Assault In April the Soviet Leaders Attempt to Make Contact

with Chinese Leaders and the Chinese Refuse to Connect the Call

April More Sino-Soviet Clashes Along Western Borders

More Incidents in May and during the Summer

Sino-Soviet Split 1969

Soviet Leadership is Obsessed with China.

Mao sees border conflict as way to divert internal criticism and take attention away from the Cultural Revolution.

Sino-Soviet Split

Soviets Send Many Troops to Border

Mao Tests Two Hydrogen Bombs Near Border.

What message did the bomb tests send?

March 1969

Border Conflict is Seen in America As Opportunity to Improve Relationship with Both Russia and China.

Soviet Union was Main enemy of both US and China

Kissinger Emerges as Nixon’s Top Foreign Policy Advisor

March 1969

Effects the Vietnam WarRussian Supplies to the North

Vietnamese Communists flowed through China

Supplies are DelayedNixon sees as opportunity to help

US pull out of Vietnam

Results

Nixon Visits China Improved Relationship between US and

ChinaArms Reduction between US and

USSR Improved Situation for the US in

Vietnam

Ticket out the Door

What were 2 causes of the Sino-Soviet Split?

What were 2 results of the Sino-Soviet Split?

What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?