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Drawing on the rich trove of recently declassified Russian and Chinese archival materials, this history of Sino-Soviet relations in the 20th century sheds new light on key events during this period. It offers fresh insights into the role of ideology and national interests in the evolution of the complex and turbulent relationship between not just the two countries but also their respective Communist Parties. The chapters on the normalization of bilateral ties provide an in-depth analysis of divisions in the socialist camp that culminated in both its collapse and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The book argues that 20th century Sino-Soviet relations reflected both long-standing and emerging political and geopolitical challenges facing members of the Cold War socialist camp, in particular tensions between the ideal of internationalism and national aspirations, between commitment to the principle of sovereignty and commitment to that of equality in international relations, and between inter-party relations and inter-state relations. This makes for a valuable addition to the reading lists of all those interested in the development of the relationship between two of the world's most important countries.
List of contents
Part I: Uncertain Adversaries, 1917-1948.- 1. Exporting Revolution Against the Backdrop of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between China and the Soviet Union.- 2. The Nationalist Revolution Assisted by the Soviet Union.- 3. Moscow and the Soviet Revolution in China.- 4. Sino-Soviet Diplomacy Under the Threat of War.- 5. Sino-Soviet Wartime Cooperation and Conflict.- 6. China's Civil War and Sino-Soviet and Nationalist-Communist Relations.- Part II: Comrades and Brothers, 1948-1959.- 7. The Political and Economic Foundations of the Sino-Soviet Alliance, 1948-1949.- 8. Conflicts of Interest and Creation of the Alliance Treaty, 1949-1950.- 9. Differences and Cooperation During the Korean War, 1950-1953.- 10. Khrushchev's Policy Toward China and the Honeymoon of the Alliance, 1954-1956.- 11. The Twentieth CPSU Congress and the Eighth CCP Congress, 1956.- 12. The Polish and Hungarian Crises and CCP Political Support for Khrushchev, 1956-1957.- 13. Mao, Khrushchev, and the Moscow Conference, 1957.- 14. Differences over Domestic and Foreign Policies, 1957-1959.- Part III: From Split to Confrontation, 1959-1978.- 15. Open Struggles and a Temporary Truce, 1959-1961.- 16. The Collapse of Party Relations and the Deterioration of State Relations, October 1961-July 1964.- 17. Mao's Changing Perception of Internal Disturbances and External Threats, Mid-1963 to the End of 1964.- 18. The Schism in the International Communist Movement and the Collapse of the Alliance, 1965.- 19. The Breakdown of State Relations and the Sino-Soviet Military Confrontation, 1966-1973.- Part IV: The Road to "Normalization," 1979-1991.- 20. The Issue of "Normalization".- 21. Embarking on "Normalization".- 22. The Turning Point in "Normalization".
About the author
Zhihua Shen is professor at World History Institute, East China Normal University, China. He is the leading authority on Cold War history studies in China. He is, more recently, the coauthor of A Misunderstood Friendship: Mao Zedong, Kim Il-sung, and Sino–North Korean Relations, 1949–1976 (2018).
Summary
Drawing on the rich trove of recently declassified Russian and Chinese archival materials, this history of Sino-Soviet relations in the 20th century sheds new light on key events during this period. It offers fresh insights into the role of ideology and national interests in the evolution of the complex and turbulent relationship between not just the two countries but also their respective Communist Parties. The chapters on the normalization of bilateral ties provide an in-depth analysis of divisions in the socialist camp that culminated in both its collapse and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The book argues that 20th century Sino-Soviet relations reflected both long-standing and emerging political and geopolitical challenges facing members of the Cold War socialist camp, in particular tensions between the ideal of internationalism and national aspirations, between commitment to the principle of sovereignty and commitment to that of equality in international relations, and between inter-party relations and inter-state relations. This makes for a valuable addition to the reading lists of all those interested in the development of the relationship between two of the world’s most important countries.
Report
"Zhihua Shen's edited volume is a timely and apt contribution to Soviet studies. ... this work remains a valuable contribution to the scholarship on Sino-Soviet relations from the Chinese perspective." (Punsara Amarasinghe and Davide Oristto, International Affairs, Vol. 97 (4), 2021)
