Friends and Enemies: The United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972 (Modern America) [Hardcover]

Gordon H. Chang (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chang, historian at UC-Irvine, argues that U.S. policymakers from the Truman through the Johnson administrations never regarded the Sino-Soviet relationship as monolithic but recognized their conflicting interests early on, actively encouraged a rift and exploited their differences. Based on newly declassified documents, the study reveals that President Eisenhower came close to ordering a nuclear strike on the Chinese mainland during the 1955 Quemoy-Matsu crisis, and that President Kennedy sought to collaborate with the Soviets in preventing China from developing a nuclear capability. A major consequence of Washington's utilization of the Beijing-Moscow feud, the author indicates, was the role this friction played in President Johnson's decision to escalate American intervention in Vietnam. Chang provides an illuminating inquiry into Washington's China policy during the more than two decades of hostility and non-recognition. Photos.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This study makes thorough use of recently declassified documents to present a new view of American policy toward Communist China. Chang (American history, Univ. of California, Irvine) discovered that, contrary to official statements, U.S. policy had never assumed that Communism was a monolithic movement. He documents how the United States actively pursued policies which would aggravate the split between China and the Soviet Union, and how these policies were a major factor in American intervention in Korea and Vietnam. A disturbing sub-theme in this book is the racial prejudice and disdain for the Chinese which influenced American policy. This study is heavily documented, with 58 pages of notes and an impressive bibliography. Many of the previously unpublished photographs were obtained from Chinese sources. Recommended for all college and university libraries.
- Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, Pa.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 397 pages
• Publisher: Stanford Univ Pr (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804715653
• ISBN-13: 978-0804715652
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,236,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive stories of China, Taiwan and US in early 50's., December 25, 2004

By 

Purple Tang "Long Islander" (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Friends and Enemies: The United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972 (Modern America) (Paperback)

I appreciate the author of providing very valuable stories of the Dachen Withdraw and the crisis of Jinmen and Mazu in 1955 and 1958. This part of history is very little known to the people of Taiwan. Should the history textbook of Taiwan include more details of these events?

Chapter 4 "To the Nuclear Brink" in 1954 US considered the ultimate disposition of Taiwan and Penghus unsettled. One of the option Washington had is to place Taiwan under U.N. trusteeship. US considered the offshore islands just off the coast of mainland were legally Chinese territory. I never heard of these concepts until lately. When Chiang Kai-Shek authorized the use of the atomic weapons against his people on the mainland the US National Security Council members were speechless. KMT and CKS demonized CCP when I was in Taiwan. I guess that will make the killing more justly. It is interested to me that these events happened 50 years ago is revived again. I heard China does not want Jinmen and Mazu because they fear that Taiwan will move further away from China. Taiwan has no interest in Jinmen and Mazu either.

On page 149 in 1955 president Eisenhower learned that preference of Taiwanese, in order, is independence, reunion with Japan, joining with Communist China. The mainlander and CKS always consider the Taiwanese are the traitors, because of Taiwanese's affection with Japanese. CKS treated the Chinese in Manchuria as traitors too. When he dispatched the representatives to accept Manchuria from Soviet Union and Japan he did not allow any Manchurian to be the representative. I knew Manchurian were discriminated from the top government positions in Taiwan when CKS was in power.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good use of Chinese, and Soviet archives..., June 20, 2000

By 

L. Troy Beals (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Friends and Enemies: The United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972 (Modern America) (Paperback)

This book is an example of how the end of the Cold War has helped American history be less "Americancentric". We think one thing, but along comes Chinese and Soviet sources that help us have a more balanced view of the past. The book traces the relationship between the U.S., U.S.S.R. and China from 1945-1972. It is well researched and well argued and for the most part balanced. I felt there could have been a little clearer discussion of what lead up to the Nixon visit to China in 1972, It still seemed to just happen. A must for those interested in the cold war, China and Soviet communism and the such.