Carol Varghese
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Background
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Cracks in Alliance
- Soviet aid was cheap
- When they made territorial demands, the Chinese had a flashback to similar demands European powers made about 150 years ago
- At one point, Mao Zedong was basically forced to wait for two long cold months in Moscow
- He was finally persuaded to sign a treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance("unequal treaties")
- Soviet had naval and economic privileges. In return for these favors, Soviets actually gave China less economic aid than non-communist countries
- Around 1964, clash between Soviet Union and China became embarrassingly noticeable
- Leaders would throw insults and compete for influence in Asia and Africa
- After China and Soviet split, it is now possible for countries like America to ally with China if they wanted to.
- The countries are no longer forced to choose capitalist/communist or even Soviet/China