I have a question; If the Peoples Republic of China and the Soviet Union were both communist, why did they hate each other? I mean with most of the world hating communism, wouldn't the two biggest Communist powers want to cover each others backs?
USSR vs PRC
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Gelion
Retired Captain
In short PRC and USSR started to "hate" each other after Stalins death primarily for two reasons (IMHO):
- Khruschev started a more softer line with the West that contradicted Chinese Stalinist approach to intl politics
- China as a populous nation, recovering economically, felt disadvantaged being a "little brother" of its northern neighbour and wanted to conduct a more independent policy.
In short Sino-Soviet split can be attributed to two reasons: differences in ideology and shifting balance of power.
For more info you could check Wiki
- Khruschev started a more softer line with the West that contradicted Chinese Stalinist approach to intl politics
- China as a populous nation, recovering economically, felt disadvantaged being a "little brother" of its northern neighbour and wanted to conduct a more independent policy.
In short Sino-Soviet split can be attributed to two reasons: differences in ideology and shifting balance of power.
For more info you could check Wiki
Gelion
Retired Captain
My pleasure fellow NESer 
From what I can tell Albania (together with Yugoslavia) were not particularly pro-Stalin. In fact they were the only regimes in Eastern Europe not to be created by Stalins armies. Moscows dictatorial way of running things did not appeal to Tito and Albanians and thus they tried to get away from Soviet sphere of influence by getting "other" allies. They had few options as the nations of the West could not be close allies (as they were capitalist and frowned upon any "socialist" governments), thus emerging China seemed like a good choice. I must say I am not an expert on anything Albanian, but their choice of alliances does seem wierd. I dont think it lasted that long.
After I typed this I noticed a link to Sino-Albanian split in the article... going to check that now.
From what I can tell Albania (together with Yugoslavia) were not particularly pro-Stalin. In fact they were the only regimes in Eastern Europe not to be created by Stalins armies. Moscows dictatorial way of running things did not appeal to Tito and Albanians and thus they tried to get away from Soviet sphere of influence by getting "other" allies. They had few options as the nations of the West could not be close allies (as they were capitalist and frowned upon any "socialist" governments), thus emerging China seemed like a good choice. I must say I am not an expert on anything Albanian, but their choice of alliances does seem wierd. I dont think it lasted that long.
After I typed this I noticed a link to Sino-Albanian split in the article... going to check that now.
Kraznaya
Princeps
Yes, the Sino-Soviet border was one of the longest borders in the world (cannot remember if it was the longest, though if you add Mongolia [which was basically a Soviet puppet], it definitely was). There is some historical conflict between the two countries, from Russia attempting to take advantage of the weakening Qing Dynasty and fighting Japan for interests in Manchuria. China had and still has a much larger population then Russia, and yet a much lesser land area. Siberia was as far from Moscow as from Beijing, and I bet there was a point where the Chinese leadership lusted after it greatly.
Gelion is correct. Mao was above all a creation of Stalin; in fact many chinese communists asked Moscow to replace him while they were still fighting for power, since they could not stand Mao's absolute evilness. But Stalin was always very firm on his support of Mao, as he sensed that he was the most power-hungry of all and thus the most determined to defeat the nationalists.
Mao's regime was also similar to Stalin's in many regards: massive cult of personality, rampant paranoia against possible "counter-revolutionaries", confiscation of the agricultural production from peasants to pay for industrialisation (which in both cases resulted in famine).
But Stalin died before his pupil, and the Soviet Union improved a great deal after his death. But all the things Kruschev denounced were still taking place in China, the result was an obvious discomfort. Plus, Kruschev was not as eager as Stalin to share military technology with the chinese, who he saw as possible competitor for the leadership of communist world. All of that infuriated Mao.
Mao's regime was also similar to Stalin's in many regards: massive cult of personality, rampant paranoia against possible "counter-revolutionaries", confiscation of the agricultural production from peasants to pay for industrialisation (which in both cases resulted in famine).
But Stalin died before his pupil, and the Soviet Union improved a great deal after his death. But all the things Kruschev denounced were still taking place in China, the result was an obvious discomfort. Plus, Kruschev was not as eager as Stalin to share military technology with the chinese, who he saw as possible competitor for the leadership of communist world. All of that infuriated Mao.
Zardnaar
Deity
Mao wanted to be the leader of the Communist world. Also Krushev said something like "When I look at Mao I see Stalin".
In the USSR it was a workers revoloution. In China it was a peasants revolution.
In the USSR it was a workers revoloution. In China it was a peasants revolution.
Nah, in both cases it was a revolution of professional revolutionaries like Lenin and Mao.
Neither China nor the Russia had a large proletarian population by the time of their revolution. In both the majority of the population was peasants.
History_Buff
Deity
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It's not. The longest border between any two countries is the one between Canada and the USA.
onejayhawk
Afflicted with reason
No he may be right with that qualification. The US/Canada border is the longest cocontinuous land border, and the longest essentially open border, but the combined Russian/Mongolian border may exceed it. Of course, if add in Alaska, it flips back.
J
Provolution
Sage of Quatronia
Very simple. Russia has too much land. China has too much people. These countries are neighbors. Chinas one child policy has given a surplus of male fit for military service. Siberia is resource rich. China has nowhere else to go, as Vietnam, Burma and India is overpopulated and Central Asia is useless and dangerous. Siberia is the only direction. If this was Civ4, Russia would already be attacked.
ohcrapitsnico
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I would say border conflicts and the post-Stalin government said some things to inflame the Chinese.
ParkCungHee
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Actually the problem with Albania was the opposite of the one in Yugoslavia. Albania was very radicalized and pro-stalin, they denounced Krushchev's secret speech and moved towards the more Radical PRC.My pleasure fellow NESer
From what I can tell Albania (together with Yugoslavia) were not particularly pro-Stalin. In fact they were the only regimes in Eastern Europe not to be created by Stalins armies. Moscows dictatorial way of running things did not appeal to Tito and Albanians and thus they tried to get away from Soviet sphere of influence by getting "other" allies. They had few options as the nations of the West could not be close allies (as they were capitalist and frowned upon any "socialist" governments), thus emerging China seemed like a good choice. I must say I am not an expert on anything Albanian, but their choice of alliances does seem wierd. I dont think it lasted that long.
After I typed this I noticed a link to Sino-Albanian split in the article... going to check that now.
Yugoslavia never really moved towards a "Pro-PRC" positions, despite Mao's efforts.
Gelion
Retired Captain
Thanks for that, as I said I am not very good in Albanian history. I am sure there was some geopolitics involved in their descision too.
After about the mid-1960s the communist world basically divides into two.
1) The Soviet Bloc: the USSR, Warsaw Pact countries, Mongolia, African and Middle Eastern socialist or pro-socialists countries (eg Syria, S. Yemen, Ethiopia etc), Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, Afghanistan
2) China et al: the PRC, Albania, Cambodia (Khmer Rouge)
The exceptions are Yugoslavia (non-aligned, takes a more pro-Western approach than any other communist country) and North Korea (not aligned with either USSR or PRC but rather committed to Juche = self-reliance but takes aid from both countries). Cuba sometimes acted independently of Moscow (eg Cuban intervention in Angola).
Before 1972 it was China that is radical and virulently anti-western. But then China repaired relations with the US (but still anti-Soviet). This is because Mao realised he couldn't confront both the US and USSR at the same time and he chose to ally with the Americans as the USSR is closer and in Mao's eyes a greater threat.
An armed skirmish between the PRC and USSR actually occurred in 1969 along the siberian-manchurian border in the Amur region which the Chinese never really accepted. Chinese invaded Soviet-backed Vietnam when it invaded Chinese-backed Cambodia in 1979 and send aid to guerrilas fighting Soviet Afghanistan.
1) The Soviet Bloc: the USSR, Warsaw Pact countries, Mongolia, African and Middle Eastern socialist or pro-socialists countries (eg Syria, S. Yemen, Ethiopia etc), Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, Afghanistan
2) China et al: the PRC, Albania, Cambodia (Khmer Rouge)
The exceptions are Yugoslavia (non-aligned, takes a more pro-Western approach than any other communist country) and North Korea (not aligned with either USSR or PRC but rather committed to Juche = self-reliance but takes aid from both countries). Cuba sometimes acted independently of Moscow (eg Cuban intervention in Angola).
Before 1972 it was China that is radical and virulently anti-western. But then China repaired relations with the US (but still anti-Soviet). This is because Mao realised he couldn't confront both the US and USSR at the same time and he chose to ally with the Americans as the USSR is closer and in Mao's eyes a greater threat.
An armed skirmish between the PRC and USSR actually occurred in 1969 along the siberian-manchurian border in the Amur region which the Chinese never really accepted. Chinese invaded Soviet-backed Vietnam when it invaded Chinese-backed Cambodia in 1979 and send aid to guerrilas fighting Soviet Afghanistan.
History_Buff
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Right, I forgot about the old Republics. Damn new age globes.
West 36
Can count up to 4
Different ways of doing business. On Cuba, after the missle-crisis, how did its relation change with the USSR (I'm only aware of Che denouncing them and looking more towards China, but he would soon be out of Cuba anyway). As for the border, even if its not the longest border, the point remains- ITS FREAKIN LONG! and both countries wanted more land. I wonder how these relations are going today?
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