Response to Ose Bataller
The single most important cause of the Sino-Soviet split
Hi, Battler, I agree with you that the single most cause for the separation of the Sino-Soviet Union was due to personal interests between the people’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union. The leaders in both states were determined to look out for their interests rather than the Union’s communist ideology. The speech of de-Stalinization by Stalin’s successor ( Khrushchev) angered Mao since the Soviet Union never provided copies to the Chinese leaders containing that contained the contents of the speech (Lecture 6). Khrushchev’s action-fueled more animosity between the two countries.
Who do you think was more at fault for the deterioration of the relationship?
I agree with you that China was to blame for the deterioration of the Soviet Union and China relations because China had a feeling of being humiliated in the past interventions by Japan and western Countries and accused the Soviet Union of her mistreatment. Additionally, Chinese leaders led by Mao Zedong were never satisfied with the financial and military support that she received to uplift her economic status that had declined due to her participation in the Korean War. Besides, I would like to add that during the anti-Soviet uprisings in Poland and Hungary in 1956, the Chinese government threatened to attack Moscow since it was against the Soviet domination of the Polish government (Lecture 7). As a result of Chinese lobbying, Khrushchev of the Soviet Union decided against military force in Poland and pursued a peaceful settlement.