2200 words for Asian History

profilelishabaiyi
002.ppt
Home>History homework help>2200 words for Asian History

The Korean War and
the Sino-US Confrontation

Lecture plan of this week

  • Overview of the Korean War

  • China’s involvement

  • Domestic and international impacts

  • Puzzles and answers

  • A framework to understand PRC foreign policy (suggested by Thomas Robinson)

North Korean tanks crossed the 38th parallel

A Country Divided: The historical background

August 15, 1945, the Soviet Union entered into North Korea; September 8, 1945, the US troops arrived in South Korea: Korea was divided along with the 38th parallel

Early developments of the war

  • June 25: South Korea fought back

  • Jun 27: U.S. President Harry Truman announced U.S. support to South Korea, and dispatched the 7th Fleet to the Taiwan Strait

  • Late June to early Sept, North Korea almost occupied the whole peninsula

  • Sep 11: Truman approved the crossing of the 38th parallel

  • Sep 15: The Inchon landing

Dramatic changes of the war situations, June 25, 1950-Apr 22, 1951

The War didn’t last long

  • Late November 1950: South Korea gained predominance
  • January 1951: A kind of balance
  • April: Stagnation

  • June 23: Soviet diplomat Malik proposed talks
  • July 10: The talks opened

  • July 1953: The War ended 

19 nations were involved into the war

Oct 19, 1950: Chinese troops advanced into Korea

Photo: Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River

China’s Involvement

Chinese “volunteer” soldiers prepared to advance in their Fifth Offensive of the Korean War, April 1951

China’s military preparation to participate during the period from late June to mid-Oct, 1950

  • July 13, China set up a force of about 300,000 soldiers to defend its northeast borders

  • Sept 19, Chinese military officers went to North Korea for surveying the terrain

  • By the end of Sept, China got ready for military actions

But the political decision was difficult to make

  • Oct 2nd, Mao telegraphed Stalin, indicating China’s willingness to send some troops to the Korea War

  • But soon later China retreated from the stance

  • Oct 8th, Zhou Enlai was sent to Soviet Union for convincing Stalin that China was not able to send troops

Oct 8th, when Zhou was on the flight to Moscow, in Beijing Mao convinced the CCP

Politburo that China should be involved into the Korean War

Mao changed mind

Reaching the final decision

  • Zhou’s diplomatic task was altered to negotiate with USSR for the Soviet logistic supports to the Chinese troops in Korea

  • Oct 18th, Mao issued the order to the Chinese troops for crossing the Yalu

  • Mao took the responsibility for making the final decision

Among the Impacts: China-N. Korea vs. USA

‘Bloody friendship’ between China & North Korea

From Sino-Soviet alliance to Sino-American confrontation

This was the overall confrontation
(not only military)

Domestic anti-U.S. mass mobilizations

556 millions of Chinese yuan were collected through mass donations, worth about 3,710 fighters

‘Resisting America, assisting Korea’: A major mass campaign in the early 1950s in Chinese politics

‘Who are the most beloved persons?’

Chinese saga of fighting Americans as an enduring legacy of patriotism

The fate of the Chinese Commander in Korea Marshall Peng Dehuai

Peng with Kim in Korea

Mao sent his eldest son into the war. He died in Korea, which had consequences in Chinese politics

The Enigma of China’s Involvement

  • Why did Stalin decide NOT to be directly involved into the War?

  • Why did Mao decide to join?

  • What is Chen Jian’s explanation? Do you agree or not? Why?

China vs. USA: GDP in 1950

China: 39 billion US$

USA: 329 billion US$

*

Chart1

USA
China
Sales
329000000000
39000000000

Sheet1

Sales
USA 329,000,000,000
China 39,000,000,000
To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

China vs. USA: Foreign Trade in 1950

Chart1

USA USA USA
China China China
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
24100000000
0

Sheet1

Series 1 Series 2 Series 3
USA 24,100,000,000
China 0
To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

China vs. USA: Finance in 1950

USA

The world's only creditor nation, with a gold-backed dollar serving as a reserve currency for international trade as mandated by the Bretton Woods international finance regime

China

The new CCP regime was struggling against inflation crisis that had troubled the previous KMT regime, and the PRC had very small financial budget

China vs. USA: Military Power in 1950

USA

  • Recently emerged as a major winner of the second world war
  • Virtually the sole nuclear power in the world
  • Advanced weapons and military equipment
  • Powerful navy and air forces

China

  • Just after about three decades of wars

  • Backward weapons and equipment

  • Virtually no navy and air forces

Domestic situation in China

  • The Civil War was not really finished, as some parts of the mainland were still beyond control of the CCP

  • The PLA was preparing to cross Taiwan Strait

  • Massive supporters of the KMT regime were at large and even influential in local and social life

  • Tremendous challenges in economic reconstruction and development

Back to the Puzzle

Why did China enter the Korean War?

What best explains China’s decision of doing so?

Different explanations

  • Chen Jian: Sino-Soviet alliance, domestic power consolidation (Communist revolutionary China)

  • Michael Sheng: Ideology, revolution (also, communist revolutionary China)

 

  • Goncharov, Lewis, and Xue: National interest, security concerns, nationalism, and realpolitik (nationalistic, powerful China)

  • Whiting: Perception and misperception (understanding of ‘security’), communication and miscommunication (‘cultural’ China?)

Compensation to Stalin’s Cost in the Shaping of the Sino-Soviet Alliance
From Stalin’s geopolitics
to Mao’s
ideological & political calculations

Robinson’s sextet of comprehending PRC foreign policy

Three domestic factors:

  • The primary of politics (revolutionary politics, Mao’s personality)

  • The weight of the past (revolutionary experience, such as united front strategies within triangle relationships, Chinese experience with imperialism, ancient Chinese wisdoms)

  • The importance of ideology (Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, anti-imperialism)

Three international factors

  • The foreign policies of the superpowers (USA and USSR)

  • The structure of international system (global and Asian regional, bipolarity)

  • China’s calculation of its relative power and interests

Meeting Schedule Adjustment

  • The classes on Feb 20 (Monday) will be cancelled due to the instructor’s conference trip

  • The lecture topics will be accordingly adjusted

Reminder

  • The first book review is DUE on Jan 30 (next Monday) by 3:00 pm

  • Name your document as “Poli 319 [or Hstr 365c] BR1 Your Last Name”

  • Hand in as a WORD document attached to your email to [email protected]