1945-1959: Good Sino-Soviet Relations, Tense Soviet-American Relations and Tense Sino-American Relations
The Sino-Soviet alliance of the 1950s shifted the focus of the Cold War from Europe to Asia
Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance February 1950
This treaty was initially between the Soviet Union and Nationalist China called Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance in 1945.
The treaty was reformed and signed by Stalin and Mao, allying Communist USSR and Communist China.
Soviet Union officially recognized the PRC and renamed the recognition to the ordinary Republic of China. Within the treaty, Soviet Union gave a loan of $300 million to the PCR as they suffered economic problems due a decade of intense warfare.
This treaty meant that two of the strongest communist states had joined forces, which only made the spread of communism more likely – something that the United States wanted to avoid.
The Korean War 1950-1953
United States administered the southern zone of Korea, whilst the Soviets administered the northern zone. On June 25 1950, North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea. U.S.-led United Nations forces responded, and battled the North Korean and Communist Chinese armies. The Soviet Union supplied North Korea and China.
Although the war was between the United Nations and Korea, the alliance system and the UN authority status, indirectly made it a war between USA and USSR about the policy of containment.
China’s Great Leap Forward 1958-1961
Soviet-guided China followed the Soviet model of centralized economic development and emphasizing heavy industry.
This threaten the USA as this meant that China could possibly have an industry that could rival America’s. Since the Soviets support the Great Leap Forward, this worsened Soviet-American relations even more.