The Cold War had significant effects on China between 1945-1990. In the 1950s, China allied with the Soviet Union through the Sino-Soviet Friendship Treaty but did not fully align with either superpower. China's entry into the Korean War in the late 1950s increased tensions with the US. In the 1960s, China grew isolated after the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution and developed nuclear weapons, likely targeting the Soviet Union. In the 1970s, China reopened relations with the US, worrying the Soviet Union, and gained international legitimacy. Under Deng Xiaoping's reforms starting in the late 1970s, China modernized its economy while maintaining positive US relations during the final decades of the Cold War.
The Cold War had significant effects on China between 1945-1990. In the 1950s, China allied with the Soviet Union through the Sino-Soviet Friendship Treaty but did not fully align with either superpower. China's entry into the Korean War in the late 1950s increased tensions with the US. In the 1960s, China grew isolated after the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution and developed nuclear weapons, likely targeting the Soviet Union. In the 1970s, China reopened relations with the US, worrying the Soviet Union, and gained international legitimacy. Under Deng Xiaoping's reforms starting in the late 1970s, China modernized its economy while maintaining positive US relations during the final decades of the Cold War.
The Cold War had significant effects on China between 1945-1990. In the 1950s, China allied with the Soviet Union through the Sino-Soviet Friendship Treaty but did not fully align with either superpower. China's entry into the Korean War in the late 1950s increased tensions with the US. In the 1960s, China grew isolated after the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution and developed nuclear weapons, likely targeting the Soviet Union. In the 1970s, China reopened relations with the US, worrying the Soviet Union, and gained international legitimacy. Under Deng Xiaoping's reforms starting in the late 1970s, China modernized its economy while maintaining positive US relations during the final decades of the Cold War.
Effect
-‐ 1945-‐1950
o 1945-‐49:
CCW,
with
no
major
Cold
War
effects
o 1949:
People’s
Republic
of
China
proclaimed
-‐ 1950-‐1960
o 1950:
Sino-‐Soviet
Friendship
Treaty
–
China
now
considered
as
part
of
the
‘Russian
Bloc’,
but
China
didn’t
belong
to
the
USSR
or
the
US
§ Did
lean
toward
the
USSR
for
help
though
o Late
1950:
China
decided
to
intervene
in
the
Korean
War
§ Led
to
NSC-‐68
(US
military
buildup,
which
lead
to
global
military
buildup)
§ Gained
China
prestige
in
the
3rd
World,
but
now
tied
to
USSR
§ Led
to
firm
commitments
from
the
US
to
Taiwan
and
the
French
in
Indochina
o Stood
behind
the
Viet
Minh
in
Vietnam
o 1959:
Soviets
pulled
out
of
a
year
where
they
promised
to
provide
China
with
nuclear
technology
–
had
taken
two
years
to
negotiate,
and
Mao
reacted
strongly
§ One
of
the
reasons
for
the
Sino-‐Soviet
split
-‐ 1950s-‐1970
o Great
Leap
Forward
and
Cultural
Revolution
led
to
the
isolation
of
China,
as
she
opposed
both
the
US
and
USSR
o 1964:
Exploded
first
atomic
bomb,
most
likely
target
was
USSR
-‐ 1970-‐1980
o Resumed
relations
with
US
§ Sent
shock
waves
to
USSR
§ Made
Soviets
fully
embark
on
a
détente
policy
§ China
was
now
accepted
in
the
UN,
and
supported
ending
the
Vietnam
War
o 1972:
Nixon
visited
China,
and
accepted
the
legitimacy
of
the
People’s
Republic,
promising
to
pull
out
forces
from
Taiwan
o Late
1970s:
Deng
was
the
real
leader
of
China
o 1978:
US
broke
off
relations
with
Taiwan
o 1979:
US
gave
full
diplomatic
recognition
to
China
o During
this
time,
many
conflicts
that
the
USSR
and
China
were
on
opposite
sides
of
-‐ 1980-‐1990
o Embarked
on
modernization
under
Deng,
and
maintained
good
relations
with
the
US