The Wedge Strategy Of Truman Administration-Policy Of Disrupting Sino-Soviet Relationship

Wedge strategy is a policy adopted by the United States for splitting China and Soviet Union by using divarication and conflicts between them during Truman Administration (1948-1953). It aimed at deepening and expanding the divarication and conflicts between these two countries by placatory and pressed policies. Therefore, it was beneficial for Unite States to protect herself interests and political framework in East Asia by destroying Soviet Union's strength and impeding its expansion of strength in East Asia.After World War II, USA's policy towards China was prepared under two backgrounds, one was USA's global expansion and the other was the international framework of US-Soviet competition. The breakout of the Cold War speeded up the competition for strength between the United Sates and Soviet Union. Impeding Soviet communism's development in Europe and Asia became the goal of USA's foreign policy. However, the United States was at a strategic defensive position because her idea of"Europe First"and strength limit in global expansion. Therefore, for protecting herself strategic framework, the United States had to realize her maximum interests by any possible ways except for direct entry into the war. China, for her important position in East Asia, was naturally taken as a powerful strength for the United States to maintain herself interests in Asia and compete with the Soviet Union. The development of China Communist Party put high pressure to pro-American Kuomintang Government. Truman Administration pursued to the policy of Anti-communists Policy in favor of Chiang, Kai-shek, however, American policy towards China became passive for the corrupt and incompetent Kuomintang Government, which also provided an opportunity for America to adjust her policy towards China.American policy towards China was adjusted on the basis of full understanding of China Communist Party and prediction of Sino-Soviet relationships. Meanwhile, the United Stated also learned a lot from Yugoslavia Event. Therefore, splitting Sino-Soviet relationships had been taken as the guideline and goal of her policies towards China. US State Department's Policy Planning Staff led by George F. Kennan and some diplomats including Secretary of State Dean Acheson thought that China Communist Party was independent to Soviet Union and there were big divarication between them, so they should split their relationships by positive and convert manners for impeding Soviet Union's expansion in Asia. Therefore, under the leadership of George F. Kennan, Truman Administration issued a serious of policies and plans for splitting China and Soviet Union.At that time, America had to start from China as a shortcut because of severe competition between America and Soviet Union and tense relationships. Therefore, American decision-making decided to change the policy towards China, from"Intervention Policy"to"Off-body Policy". This new policy asked for leaving off Kuomintang regime, giving up the control of Taiwan, recognizing the People's Republic of China and impeding alliance between China and Soviet Union by using indirect political and diplomatic manners for pleasing China. Under the leadership of Secretary of State Dean Acheson, many plans of"Wedge Strategy"had been put into practice. While for some subjective reasons, the implementation was not successfully. Policy of"Lean to One Side"to China Communist Party let more people in American government oppose"Wedge Strategy"and combined with the opposition in Congress and the China Lobby, which resulted in unfavorable decisions and actions for"Wedge Strategy"by Truman Administration. Sino-Soviet alliance and Korean War worsened the relationships between China and American and pressed Truman Administration to adopt hard policy towards China, which did not means fundamental change in understanding of Sino-Soviet alliance. The American leadership did not give up spitting China and Soviet Union and only adjusted the policy according to practical situations, from former placatory policy to pressed policy. These policies deeply affected the division of the alliance, brought huge pressure to China for long-term and all-around economic blockade and trade embargo policy and resulted in excessive dependence on Soviet Union for China because Soviet Union was almost the only country where China could get international economic and defense support. In such a circumstance, it was natural that the dependence and self-determination of China Communist Party became contradict to Jingoism, which foreshadowed the following division.From 1948 to 1953,"Wedge Strategy"of Truman Administration was always used for its policies towards China, impacting a number of decisions and actions."Wedge Strategy"is an important part of Truman Administration's policies towards China and a main power among the factors influencing Sino-US relationships. It was also a lean-to-realism foreign policy of Truman Administration's policies towards China. During this period, there were two outstanding realism diplomats George F. Kennan and Dean Acheson. They became famous for their realism diplomatic and political views, especially for their effects on making and implementation of foreign policies. For these two influential persons, this strategy had the characteristic of realism.Starting from"Wedge Strategy"of Truman Administration, the idea of spitting China and Soviet Union was developed in Eisenhower Administration and Kennedy Administration. As for the policies of splitting China and Soviet Union in these two administrations, one side they were influenced by"Wedge Strategy", and the other they were different for different historical stages. Eisenhower Administration and Kennedy Administration both watched and analyzed Sino-Soviet relationship and tried to split China and Soviet Union by using the contradictions between them. All their policies and theories were based on"Wedge Strategy". The idea of splitting China and Soviet Union was developed by adjusting and innovation.