Lecture 1: Introduction &

the Myth of America's Lost Chance in China 1949-1950

About the Cold War

What is the Cold War? What’s the origin of the Cold War? How about the development of IR in

the Cold War?

Different Schools’ Opinions on the Origin of the Cold War

Traditionalists (orthodox) in the 1950s; Revisionists in the 1960s; Reconciliationists/post-revisionist in

late 1970s and early 1980s; Internationalists in early 1990s.

Traditionalists’ Opinion Stalin and the Soviet Union; Soviet unreasonable expansionism in Eastern Europe

VS US reasonable counterattack; Evidence:1. Not allowing free election in Poland;2. Slow to remove its troops from northern Iran after the

war;3. In 1948, the communists took over the

Czechoslovakian government;4. In 1948 & 1949, Berlin Crisis;5. In 1950, North Korea’s army crossed the border into

the South Korea.

Revisionists’ Opinion USA Reasons:1. Truman & harsh-liner;2. Nature of Capitalism; Evidence:1. Soviet was much weaker than US;2. Restraining China’s communists from taking power;3. Restraining the Greek communists in Greek civil war;4. Allowing non-communist governments to exist in Hungary,

Czech, and Finland,5. In May 1945, Truman suddenly cut off the lend-lease

program of wartime aid;6. At Potsdam Conference in July 1945, Truman tries to

intimidate Stalin by mentioning the atomic bomb;

Reconciliationists’/Post-revisionists’ Opinion

Structure level

In an ideological bipolar world, a state use its military forces to impose societies similar to its own in order to ensure its security.

(Based on US declassified documents on US diplomacy, military and national security at the beginning of CW)

Internationalists’ Opinion

“New” Cold War History Studies Representative: John Lewis Gaddis Characteristics:1. Declassified documents from

different states, esp.: Russian and Eastern Europe countries;

2. More emphasis on interaction of nation-states.

Key issues in the Cold War

International security and Conflict settlement/resolution;

Ideology;

Nuclear Weapon;

Characteristics of the Cold War Studies

Interdisciplinary Research international relations, diplomacy,

behavioral science, psychology, communication, culture

Participation of Chinese, Russian and East European scholars;

Deterrence & Containment Deterrence: to discourage the competitor

through fear. Countries built armies, formed alliances, and issued threats to deter other countries from attacking. Deterrence by nuclear threat is also an extension of balance of power.

Containment: Specific policy of containing Soviet communism so as to promote a liberal economic and political world order.

Ambiguities of Containment

Whether to contain Soviet power or to contain communism?

Whether to spend resources to prevent any expansion of Soviet power or just in certain key areas that seemed critical to the balance of power?

China’s Role in the Cold War Standing at the intersection of two

superpowers hostility Sino-Soviet Alliance (1950-1969) (rise, development and breakdown) Sino-US Confrontation (1950-1969) Events: The Korean War The Vietnam War Taiwan Strait Crisis Sino-US Rapprochement (1969-1972) Strategic triangular relations of US, Soviet

and China

Key terms: Intermediate zone Ideology China’s foreign policy pattern1. Mao’s Personality & political

psychology2. Political institution3. Mao’s sense of insecurity4. Features of use of force

Westerners’ Perception of China

Independent Foreign Policy of Peace1. 5 Principles of Peaceful Coexistence;2. Never seek hegemony;3. Solve disputes by peaceful means; An Asian Country (regional power) Many neighbors Diverse ethnical population

Foreign Policy Agenda-setting by History & Geography

Restore and maintain territorial integrity;

Prevent other countries’ domination of the Asian region while expanding cooperation with its neighbor;

Create a favorable environment for economic growth.

Legacy

History & culture Problems from the past:1. Backwardness2. Territorial integrity3. Nationalism

Sino-Soviet/Russia Relations

Leaning to one side, 1949-1958; Diverging priorities, 1958-1960; Dual adversaries, 1960-1972; The strategic triangle, 1972-1990; From threat to partner.

Sino-US Relations

Confrontation, 1950-1969; Rapprochement, 1969-1972; Strategic triangular relations, 1972-

1991; Competitor or partner?

John Lewis Gaddis

Shu Guang Zhang ( 张曙光 )

Chen Jian （陈兼）

Zhai Qiang （翟强）

沈志华、李丹慧

牛军《从延安走向世界：中国共产党对外关系的

起源》，福建人民出版社 1992 年出版。

《从赫尔利到马歇尔：美国调处国共矛盾始末》，福建人民出版社 1989 年出版。

《同床异梦：美国的欧洲战略》，鹭江出版社 2000 年出版。

Myth of America's Lost Chance in China

Discredit the Truman-Marshall-Acheson policy toward China;

Foreign Service critics of Jiang’s regime, such as John S. Service & John Davies;

1949, Acheson’s China White Paper book By the late 1960s, in the context of

America’s war in Vietnam, a new critique of Truman’s policy toward China.

There exists a chance in Sino-US accommodation

2 Assumptions:1. CCP sought US recognition to develop

her postwar economic reconstruction;2. Relationship between CCP and Soviet

is vulnerable for Soviet’s insufficient support in Chinese civil war.

US Strategy toward China

A friendly neutral; To prevent China from becoming

an adjunct of Soviet power; Limited Military Aiding based on

cost-benefit analysis.

US Mediation in China’s Civil War

Patrick J. Hurley’ Mediation (Sept. 1944 – Nov. 1945);

George Marshall’s Mission to China (Dec. 1945 – Jan. 1947).Key Issues:1. To establish a coalition government;2. Not support Jiang Kaishek to initiate

Civil War.

Marshall-Kennan’s consensus

George Marshall: determined to avoid commitment to provide Jiang with the means to victory because they feared the burden on the US would be too large and too long;

George Kennan: low estimate of China’s importance in the Cold War.

US Overall Judgment on China NSC (March 1948):Soviet objective in

Asia was to establish influence over China first, then over Southeast China, and finally over the whole Asia-Pacific area;

PPS-39 (Sept. 1948):1. Chaotic & undependable factor on the

Far Eastern scene;2. China is worth having;3. Mao’s leadership.

US Policies toward China

Limited financial aid; Exploit the rift between the Soviet

Union & Communist China; Unilaterally to minimize conflict

with the emerging Communist China to draw it away from the USSR, to minimize Soviet influence in the Far East.

Angus Ward Case

Change of CCP policy toward Americans in Shenyang from Nov. 1948 to late 1948;

Soviet’s influence; Mao’s “revolutionary diplomacy”;

Guidelines for China’s Foreign Policy

6-8 Jan., 1949, “make a fresh start”;

“clean the house before entertaining the guests”

30 June, 1949, “leaning to the side of the Soviet Union”

Stuart-Huang Hua’s Talk

Life story about John Leighton Stuart;

Conditions to recognize Communist China:

1. Control of territory and administrative institutions;

2. Perform international obligation;3. Have clear support of its people.

Stuart-Huang Hua’s Talk 1st meeting(13 May,1949):Stuart: wish for China “unity, peace, truly

democratic government & international goodwill”; conditions to recognize CCP government;

Huang Hua: cease assisting Nationalists & withdraw US naval vessels from the combat zones near Shanghai & Qingdao; CCP was interested in US recognition of Communist China on equality & mutual benefit.

Stuart-Huang Hua’s Talk 2nd Meeting (June 6, 1949)1. About recognition;2. Stuart: take continued presence of

foreign embassies in Nanjing as a “significant” development; US’s fear of CCP’s doctrine of world revolution through violence, and such factor had been a considerable factor in forming America’s policy toward the CCP.

Stuart Proposed Beijing Trip 8 June, Philip Fugh’s message; Zhou Enlai’s arrangement; 28 June, Huang Hua’s call to Stuart; Stuart’s report to State Department; Negative response from W. Walton

Butterworth to avoid unfavorable domestic reaction;

1 July, information from State Department to make a nonstop rush trip to D.C.

CCP’s actions

Public charges against Ward; Mao’s reaction against China White

Paper; CCP’s tight control over public

media.