Cold War Comrades - An Emotional History of the Sino-North Korean Alliance

In this major new interpretation of Sino-North Korean relations, Gregg A. Brazinsky argues that neither the PRC nor the DPRK would have survived as socialist states without the ideal of Sino-North Korean friendship. Chinese and North Korean leaders encouraged mutual empathy and sentimental attachments between their citizens and then used these emotions to strengthen popular commitment to socialist state building. Drawing on an array of previously unexamined Chinese and North Korean sources, Brazinsky shows how mutual empathy helped to shape political, military, and cultural interactions between the two socialist allies. He explains why the unique relationship that Beijing and Pyongyang forged during the Korean War remained important throughout the Cold War and how it continues to influence the international relations of East Asia today.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. Leaders; 2. Volunteers; 3. Cadres; 4. Cultural exchanges; 5. The end of an era; Conclusion; References; Index.

About the author

Gregg A. Brazinsky is Professor of History and International Affairs at The George Washington University and the author or editor of three previous books about China and Korea.

Product details

• Authors: Brazinsky Gregg A.
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 31.01.2026
• EAN: 9781009633314
• ISBN: 978-1-009-63331-4
• Illustrations: Worked examples or Exercises
• Subjects: Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000, 20th Century, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, International Relations, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, Diplomacy, Asian History, c 1945 to c 2000 (Post-war period), c 1945 to c 1990 (the Cold War period)