Causes and Elevation of the Sino-Soviet Schism

Causes and Elevation of the Sino-Soviet Schism

It can be argued that the most significant effect on foreign policy during the Cold

War, besides the arms race, was the schism and eventually antagonism between the USSR

and China. Some historians have argued that the schism between the USSR continued to

elevate throughout the Cold War. Alvin Z. Rubenstien, in his book "Soviet Foreign Policy

Since World War II" makes the argument that "The Sino-Soviet rift is more complex

today [Rubenstien wrote his book in 1985] than ever before." (Rubenstien, 148) Some

historians argue that the schism has continued to grow long after the end of the 1960's.

Other argue that the schism had reached its climax by 1965, when both nations almost

completely broke off relations with one another. By 1965 the schism between the USSR

and the Soviet Union was complete and it had become a policy between the two nations to

pursue antagonistic policies against one another. (Nogee, 256-61)

After the end of the second World War it was a goal of Stalin and the Soviet

Union to encourage, and even coordinate, the rise of communist regimes in other

countries. (Salisbury, 33-7) But this was not the case in China, where the Soviets were not

able to incite a communist revolution. Instead, Mao Zedong carried out a communist

revolution that was independent of Soviet influence. (Nogee, 199) This, of course,

irritated the Soviets and cause them to oppose the People's Republic of China for about

the first fifteen years of its existence. Many historians feel that this was the first of the

many Sino-Soviet disputes- the mere fact that China was able to engender a communist

regime. (Simmons, 17)

In 1927 the Soviets had unsuccessfully tried to incite a co...

... middle of paper ...

...ow, Progress Publishers (1973)

2. Griffith, William The Sino-Soviet Rift Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press (1964)

3. Halle, Louis J. The Cold War as History New York, NY Batnam Row Publishers

(1971)

4. Nogee, Joseph L. Soviet Forgien Policy Since World War II Pergamon Press (1981)

5. Rubinstein, Alvin Z., Soviet Forgien Policy Since World War II: Imperial and Global

Cambridge, MA Winthrop Publishers (1981)

6. Salisbury, Harrison E. War Between Russia and China New York, Batnam Books

(1970)

7. Simmons, Robert R. The Strained Alliance: Peking, Moscow and the Politics of the

Korean War New York, NY New York Free Press (1975)

8. Warth, Robert D. Soviet Russia in World Politics New York NY, Twayne Publishers

(1973)

9. Westard, Oddarne Brothers in Arms: The Rise and Fall of the Sino-Soviet Alliance

1945-1963 Standford University Press, (1991)