Episode 9: Sino-American Talks Part 1 introduces us to the OTHER side of Chinese diplomacy between 1949-50; that involving the US, and how Washington attempted to wrest some benefit out of the rapidly changing situation in China, as the Republican/Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek suffered successive defeats at Mao's hands.

The US would attempt to drive a wedge between the USSR and the PRC during 1949 - a policy which we know, in light of the signing of the Sino-Soviet alliance, eventually failed, but this was not from lack of trying! To set the proper for context for the radical change in American foreign policy which emerged in spring 1950, it is necessary here to detail what came before. I hope you guys enjoy our examination of a period of post-war American diplomacy which is largely skimmed over today.

At the head of this wedge strategy was the Secretary of State Dean Acheson (pictured), who rebelled against the policy insisted upon by the right of centre Republicans that wanted the US to fight for Chiang Kai-shek. Acheson was adamant that only through the appeasement of the communist Chinese, through a realistic approach to their civil war, and through an appraisal of the advantages the US had over the Chinese, could the feared Sino-Soviet agreement be prevented. Time would show, as we know, that Acheson, as well as his peers, were wrong on all accounts.

This episode, much like the previous take on Sino-Soviet relations, forms a critically important building block, and is a necessary scene setting step towards the REALLY juicy stuff in early 1950, so I hope you enjoy it!

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Music used:

"Casey Jones", by Mr and Mrs Byron Coffin, released in 1939. Available:http://www.loc.gov/…/pres…/activities/songs/audio/song1a.mp3

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