Containment And Isolation: U.s. Policy Toward China In The 1960s

In 1960s, the Government of U.S. A took the same policy as the one of 1950s to continually contain and isolate the P.R.C., but at that time, the policy became more artistry and flexible than before.In order to counter American nuclear threat, Chinese Government decided to develop its own nuclear bomb. After China developed its own nuclear weapons, American Government had not only seriously discussed but actively pursued the possibility of some kind of joint military action with Soviet, or tried to give China military attack on its own to delay Chinese nuclear plan.In regard to Jiangjieshi "counterattack" the land, the Government of America realized that whether they clearly support or object definitely, they would be fallen into trouble. American officials regarded the best choice was to took blurred strategy and continue discussing with Guomindang Authorities. As before, American Government still stood on the sympathetic attitude, but at other hand the government consisted that Guomindang Authorities should present concrete intelligence to support its counterattack plan. But later, as the international situation changed, American Government began to clearly object to "counterattack" the land.As far as the embassy lever talk is concerned, the content of the principle of American Government is that American Government would take part in the talk but not plan to solute any problems. Both Kennedy and Johnson Governments decided to continue the talk. Because American could attain political and psychological gains from the talks: Firstly, to display that American Government did not ignore China and had actually been dealing with Chinese Communist on a regular basis on matters of common concern; Secondly, to place the onus of the tense relationship between the United States and the Communist China to China. Thirdly, the talk had apparently acted as a partial damper on the land military actions against Tai Wan. At the same time, it could minimize the chance of the third parties attempting to set themselves up as middlemen between Beijing and Washington. Lastly, the talk constituted a direct and private mean of communications between the U.S.A and China.American Government had been taking the Sino-Soviet Alliance as the most serious threat. When Sino-Soviet conflict became obvious, American Government came to think that China was more militant, aggressive and dangerous than Soviet. So American Government began to moderate with Soviet, and adopt more stern policy to China.The article holds that containment and isolation should not be separated. They are the integration. In some degree, containment means isolation;otherwise isolation means containment. And the target of isolation is to contain better. So Flexible Response Strategy taken by Kennedy Government put a new , emphasis on the non-military instruments of containment.Both Kennedy and Johnson retained that the same zero-sum game view of the world that had characterized the Eisenhower administration. Kennedy himself was reluctant to improve the Sino-America relationship. His motives behind his some actions and words were thought to improve the Sino-America relationship was mixed. Neither did Kennedy effort to rectify the policy, nor did he prepare to explain to the public that American should take more actual policy towards China.Though American Government took the policy of containment and isolation towards China in 1960s, it was very obvious that American Government had known clearly China had no capability and no intention to challenge America. At that time, American Government has always been on its initiative in the bilateral relationship between America and China. If American Government had no intention or actions to improve Sino-America relationship, there were no meanings for Chinese Government to take any actions. Actions taken by Chinese Government should be the reaction to the ones taken by the American Government. The flexibility reflected from American Government taking the policy of containment and isolation towards China did not mean...