A Discussion Essay done on the topic of "The emergence of communist china affected American foreign policy and the focus of the cold war” Critically analyse the validity of this statement for the period .
The essay was done by a 2019 Matric student of Saheti School.
“The emergence of communist china affected American foreign policy and the
focus of the cold war”
Critically analyse the validity of this statement for the period 1950-1975.
The statement that the emergence of communist China affected American Foreign
Policy and the focus of the Cold War is valid to a large extent. This is because the
USA feared a global takeover by communism, Mao was a confirmed Marxist and he
wanted to export the revolution globally. This affected American foreign policy as the
USA extended her policy of containment to Asia due to her fear of the Domino
theory. The USA got directly involved in the Korean War and the Vietnam war
showing that the focus of the Cold War had shifted to Asia. However, due to China
and the USSR competing for power and influence in Africa many state that the focus
of the cold war had shifted to Africa rather than Asia, this is invalid as this was rivalry
between the USSR and China.
In 1949 China emerged as a communist state, the west was alarmed and openly
hostile towards the Chinese communist party as in the civil war they had supported
the Chinese Nationalists. China emerging as a communist state tipped the scales in
favour to Communism. Mao as a confirmed Marxist wanted to export the revolution
to Asia, communism would attract the peasants and the USA due to the domino
theory feared a communistic takeover in South East Asia. This led to the USA
extending her policy of containment to Asia and forming SEATO an anti-communistic
stronghold in South East Asia. This shows that the USA had changed her foreign
policy and that the focus of the Cold War had shifted to Asia.
America showed her change in her foreign affairs policy by her involvement in the
Korean War in 1950. During the Korean war the USA supported non-communist
South Korea while China and the USSR supported communist North Korea. The UN
sent troops to defend South Korea, this shows that the Cold War had become hot
and that the focus of the Cold War had shifted to Asia. American led troops drove the
North Korean forces back and almost reached the Chinese border, Mao saw this as
an opportunity to advance his status internationally and sent over a million Chinese
troops to support the North Koreans, the Chinese managed to push back the
Americans and advanced into South Korea however the Americans pushed the
Chinese troops back to the 38th parallel. The Korean War ended in 1953 with Korea
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