IEB History discursive essay that falls within the Cold War Topic.
Topic: The relationship between the USA and China changed significantly between the 1950s and 1970s.
Discuss the accuracy of this statement in between 600 and 800 words.
This essay received a mark of 100%.
Discursive Essay: Extension of the Cold War - China
Amy Wright
Topic: The relationship between the USA and China changed significantly between the
1950s and 1970s.
Discuss the accuracy of this statement in between 600 and 800 words.
It is to a greater extent that the statement, “The relationship between the USA and
China changed significantly between the 1950s and 1970s” can be considered
accurate. This significant change can be seen as the relationship developed from
being strained in the 1950s to drastically improved by the 1970s.
At the start of the 1950s the relationship between China and the USA can be
considered strained and defined by tension that stemmed from multiple sources. The
USA had great fear that the now communist state of China, would attempt to spread
communism throughout Asia which would threaten capitalism and the USA’s position
in the Cold War. On the other hand, China had become suspicious of the USA due to
their support for Taiwan. The relationship between China and the USA was further
strained during the 1950s due to both nation’s involvement in the Korean and
Vietnam Wars. During the Korean War, China supported North Korea whilst the USA
supported South, these alliances brought China and the USA into direct conflict.
During the Vietnam War, China supported the North Vietnamese against the USA.
These conflicting alliances during wars resulted in greater tension between the USA
and China which strained their relationship. Therefore, it can be seen how the
relationship between China and the USA was strained during the 1950s.
The improvement of the relationship between China and the USA began in the late
1960s. A driving force behind this change was the Sino-Soviet Split which began in
the early 1960s. The effect of this on the relationship between China and the USA
was that Chinese leaders no longer considering the USA to as great of a threat
anymore. Another driving force for the improvement in their relationship was the
American defeat in the Vietnam War as well as the now great opposition against the
USA as a result of the Vietnam War. In addition to this, tensions between China and
the USSR were drastically increasing. All these factors resulted in many Chinese
leaders beginning to consider and seek out better relations with the USA. It is
therefore evident that the relationship between China and the USA had begun to
improve by the 1960s.
However, the most significant improvements in the relationship between China and
the USA occurred during the 1970s. One of the first signs of this improved
relationship was in 1971 when China and the USA made their first sporting and
cultural contact in the form of an America table tennis team visiting China. This was
1
, Amy Wright
DISCURSIVE ESSAY: THE COLD WAR - CHINA
a result of China’s decision to attempt to establish closer links with the USA. Another
breakthrough came in 1971 as the USA withdrew their opposition to China joining
the UN which had been in place since before the 1950s. This showed that USA was
also willing to improve their relationship, this was a result of the American defeat in
Vietnam which prompted the realisation that the USA needed better relations in Asia.
The most significant event in the development of this relationship was in 1972 when
American President Nixon visited China and met with Chinese leaders. During this
meeting, Nixon agreed that the USA would support and protect China against the
USSR and Chinese leaders agreed that China would stop supporting the North
Vietnamese. It can therefore be seen that both China and the USA were seeking to
improve their relationship and were willing to compromise in order to do that. This
depicts how the relationship between China and the USA improved from being
strained and in conflict in the 1950s to being tentative allies in the 1970s. This can be
considered a significant improvement in the relationship between the two nations.
Therefore, it is to a greater extent that the statement, “The relationship between the
USA and China changed significantly between the 1950s and 1970s” can be
considered accurate. This change was significant as the two nations developed from
having a strained relationship and being in conflict, to being tentative allies with
drastically improved relations.
Word count: 662
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