to the Chinese cause. The Soviets even joined the United Statesin support of the nationalist (and anticommunist) government “in unifying their country[China], improving their military and economic conditions.” (Warth, 56-9). Even after aMao, a communist, had taken power Stalin seemed reluctant to cut ties with the head ofthe nationalist government, Chiang Kai-Shek. This reluctance of Stalin’s led China todistrust the motives of the Soviet Union, espicially in the 1950’s when the USSR askedChina to help North Korea in the Korean War. (Westard, 36-7)Some historians claim that the roots of the hostility between the Russian and theChinese an be traced back to the thirteenth and fourteenth century when Mongol Tartarsconquered most of Russia. During the nineteenth century Russian tsars conquered largeparts of China and imposed unfair treaties on the Chinese empire. (Salisbury, 48-50) Withthis new information in mind, combined with the shaky start of Sino-Soviet relations, itbecome more understandable that two neighboring nations, both with similar ideologies,might not have completely affable relations.. The first indication of cooperation betweenthe USSR and communist China was in February 1950 when China and the Soviet Unionnegotiated the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Alliance. A portion of this treaty dealt with a loan of300 million dollars at one percent interest to the Chinese by the Soviets. This miserly loanleft the Chinese resentful. Only a few months before the loan was made to the Chinese theSoviets had given a 450 million dollar loan to Poland at no interest. Moreover, theChinese needed the money to fight the Korean War, a conflict which Stalin had asked theChinese to support. Mao did not have complete confidence in the North Korean cause buthe finally consented his aid on behalf of Stalin and Kim Il Sung, the leaders of the NorthKorean Communists. The Chinese had felt that the Korean War was a common strugglewith th...
