US Relations with China

What were US relations with China like in 1950?

At the time of the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, US relations with China were hostile.

Why were US relations with China in 1950 hostile?

US relations with China were hostile for 3 key reasons:

• ❖ The USA had previously backed the anti-communist Chiang Kai-shek in the Chinese civil war. The communists won the war and took over the government.
• ❖ This scared America, as the country was committed to containing communism and was convinced it would now spread throughout Asia.
• ❖ US spies suggested the USSR and China were trying to support communist takeovers in other areas of Asia, including Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines, and Korea.

What was significant about US relations with China in 1950?

US relations with China were significant for the following reasons:

• ❖ The hostility between them is considered a key cause of the Korean War. It certainly shaped America's actions when North Korea launched its invasion of the south.
• ❖ Their relationship shaped the direction of US policy in Vietnam, spanning 5 presidents. Each one further committed the USA to the region as he did not want to be the leader who lost Vietnam to communism, as Truman did with China.