Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T10:00:10.812Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Britain, the United States, and the Recognition Of Communist China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

R. Ovendale
R. Ovendale
Affiliation:
University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

During the years following the end of the Second World War the British Labour government was preoccupied with the threat posed by Russia. Britain could not contain Russia on its own; indeed, only the United States possessed the necessary power. At the beginning of 1949 this was emphasized by the newly formed permanent under secretary's committee headed by William Strang. That committee considered the Anglo-American special relationship as the pivot of British foreign policy: British interests were best likely to be ensured by its maintenance and consolidation. An inequality was, however, inherent in the association, and Britain thought that the alliance would be least effective in Asia and the far east, an area where American naivety and selfishness were particularly evident. The spread of Mao Tse Tung's communists across the Chinese mainland emphasized Britain's predicament, especially as, initially, the Chinese were regarded as orthodox communists.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , March 1983 , pp. 139 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 PUSC 51 (final) second revise, Anglo-American relations, E5573/3/500G, F.O. 371/76386, Public Record Office.

2 Research department memorandum, 3 Feb. 1949, F4062/1015/10, F.O. 371/75745.

3 Hood to Dening, 10 Feb. 1949; minute by Scarlett, 15 Feb. 1949, F.O. 371/75740.

4 Meeting at Foreign Office, 4 March 1949, F4396/1015/10, F.O. 371/75746.

5 Minute by Burgess, 26 May 1949, F7101/1015/10, F.O. 371/75754.

6 Minute by Burgess, undated June 1949), F8093/1015/10, F.O. 371/75760.

7 Minute by Burgess, 8 July 1949, F9742/ioi5/io, F.O. 371/75761.

8 Minute by Coates, 2 Sept. 1949, F13044/1015/10, F.O. 371/75768.

9 Minute by Burgess, 19 July 1949, F10400/1015/10, F.O. 371/75763.

10 Minute by Burgess, 29 Sept. 1949, F14604/1015/10 F.0. 371/75771; see also Porter, Brian E., Britain and the rise of communist China (London, 1967), pp. 14–20;Google ScholarLuard, Evan, Britain and China (London, 1962), pp. 64–6.Google Scholar

11 Franks to Lovett, 5 Jan. 1949. Foreign relations of the United States(here after F.R.U.S.),1949, rx (Washington, 1974), 2–5.

12 Graves to Scarlett, 5 Jan. 1949, F415/1023/10, F.O. 371/75810.

13 Graves to Scarlett, 25 Feb. 1949, F3288/1015/10, F.O. 371/75743.

14 Draft cabinet paper, 24 Feb. 1949, F2891/1015/10, F.O. 371/75742.

15 CM. 18(49)2, 8 Mar. 1949, CAB. 128/15, Fo. 65, Public Record Office.

16 Foreign Office to Washington, 18 Mar. 1949, F4405/1023/10, F.O. 371/75810.

17 Minute by Coates, 25 Mar. 1949, F4314/1023xt/10, ibid.

18 Franks to Bevin, 18 Mar. 1949; minute by Coates, 26 Mar. 1949, F4220/1015/10, F.O.371/75746.

19 British embassy to state department, 5 Apr. 1949, F5523/1015/10, F.O. 371/75749.

20 Franks to Bevin, 22 Mar. 1949; minute by Coates, 2 Apr. 1949, F4595/1015/10, F.O. 571/75747.

21 Minute by Scarlett, 5 Apr. 1949, F4804/1015/10, ibid.

22 Stevenson to Bevin, 22 Apr. 1949, F5708/1023/10, F.O. 371/75810.

23 F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 14–32.

24 Stuart to Acheson, 17 May 1949, ibid. 24–5.

25 United States embassy to Foreign Office, 10 May 1949; Foreign Office to United States embassy, 19 May 1949, F6875/1023/10, F.O. 371/75811.

26 Aide memoire on policy for Shanghai and Hong Kong, 25 Apr. 1949, F6218/1015/10G, F.O.371/75750.

27 C.M. 33(49)2, 9 May 1949, Cab. 128/15, fos. 127–8.

28 CM. 38(49)3, 3 May 1949, ibid. fo. 148.

29 Note by Bevin, 18 May 1949, F7278/1015/10G, F.O. 371/75755.

30 CM. 42(49)5, 23 June 1949, Cab. 128/15, fo. 166.

31 Stevenson to Bevin, 22 June 1949; minute by Burgess, 27 June 1949, F9104/1015/10, F.O. 371/75760.

32 Acheson to Douglas, 20july 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 50–2.

33 Douglas to Acheson, 29 July 1949, ibid. 54–5.

34 Douglas to Acheson, 17 Aug. 1949; enclosure, 15 Aug. 1949, ibid. 56–61.

35 Stevenson to Bevin, 20 July 1949; minute by Burgess, 25 July 1949, F10919/1015/10, F.O. 371/75764.

36 Bevin to Franks, 26 Aug. 1949, F12843/1023/10, F.O. 371/75814; Douglas to Acheson, 26 Aug. 1949, F.R.U.S., 1949, ix, 68–9.

37 CM. 54(49)2, 29 Aug. 1949, Cab. 128/16, fo. 47.

38 Stevenson to Bevin, 29 Aug. 1949, F12884/1023/10G, F.O. 371/75814.

39 Stevenson to Bevin, 1 Sept. 1949, F13102/1023/10, ibid.

40 Memorandum by Butterworth, 9 Sept. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 76–8.

41 Memorandum by Acheson, 13 Sept. 1949, ibid. 81–5.

42 Memorandum by Acheson, 17 Sept. 1949, ibid. 88–91.

43 Acting secretary of state to Jarman, 21 Sept. 1949, ibid. 91.

44 Minute by Burgess, 29 Sept. 1949, F14604/1015/10, F.O. 371/75771.

45 Memorandum by Acheson, 17 Oct. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 132.

46 Douglas to Acheson, 18 Oct. 1949, ibid. 134–5; memorandum by Ringwalt, 21 Oct. 1949, ibid.138–9.

47 Holmes to Acheson, 10 Oct. 1949, ibid. 118–9.

48 Stevenson to Bevin, 1 Oct. 1949; Strang to Scarlett, 3 Oct. 1949, F14782/1023/10, F.O.371/75816.

49 Foreign Office to British repesentatives abroad, 7 Oct. 1949; minutes by Coates, 5 Oct. 1949; Strang, 6 Oct. 1949; Beckett, 6 Oct. 1949; Foreign Office to Paris, 10 Oct. 1949, F14878/1023/10, ibid.

50 Holmes to Acheson, 10 Oct. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 118–9; memorandum by Ringwalt, 21 Oct. 1949, ibid. 138–9.

51 Memorandum by Bevin, 24 Oct. 1949, Cab. 129/37 Pt. 2 fos 228~9 Public Record Office.

52 Foreign Office to Washington, 28 Oct. 1949, F16370/1023/10, F.O. 371/75818; British embassy to department of state, 1 Nov. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 151–4.

53 Franks to Bevin, 1 Nov. 1949, F16417/1023/10, F.O. 371/75818.

54 Cadogan to Bevin, 2 Nov. 1949, F16531/1023/10, F.O. 371/75819.

55 MacDonald to Bevin, 4 Nov. 1949; minute by Coates, 8 Nov. 1949, F16589/1023/10, ibid.

56 MacDonald to Bevin, 4 Nov. 1949, F16590/1023/10, ibid.

57 MacDonald to Strang, 19 Aug. 1949; MacDonald to Strang, 22 Aug. 1949, enclosing Gimson to MacDonald, 15 Aug. 1949, F13405/1023/10G, F.O. 371/75814.

58 Memorandum by Sprouse, 8 Nov. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 184–6.

59 Memorandum by Ogburn, 2 Nov. 1949, ibid. 160–2.

60 Memorandum by Perkins, 5 Nov. 1949, ibid. 168–72.

61 Bacon to Acheson, 8 Nov. 1949, ibid. 181–2.

62 Gascoigne to Scarlett, 26 Nov. 1949, F18369/1023/10, F.O. 371/75826.

63 Minute by Franklin, 16 Nov. 1949, F17052/1023/10, F.O. 371/75821; East to Tomkins, 16 Nov. 1949; Metcalf to Scarlett, 18 Nov. 1949, F17902/1023/10, Strang to Bevin, 24 Nov. 1949, F17999/1023/10G, F.O. 371/75824; Minutes by Franklin, 30 Nov. 1949; Scarlett, 30 Nov. 1949, F17467/1023/10, F.O. 371/75823; Douglas to Acheson, 16 Nov. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 193; British embassy to department of state, 28 Nov. 1949, ibid., 200–1.

64 A. M. Field (MO 2) to Scarlett, 18 Nov. 1949, F18073/1023/10, F o 371/75825.

65 Strang to Bevin, 25 Nov. 1949; minute by Bevin, 25 Nov. 1949, F17999/1023/10G, F.O. 371/75824.

66 Jebb to Dening, 3 Dec. 1949; Dening to Jebb, 3 Dec. 1949; minutes by jebb, 5 Dec. 1949; Dening, 6 Dec. 1949; Jebb, 8 (?) Dec. 1949; Strang to Jebb, 6 Dec. 1949; minutes by jebb, 7 Dec. 1949; Beckett, 5 Dec. 1949; Scarlett, 6 Dec. 1949; Allen, 6 Dec. 1949; Scarlett, 7 Dec. 1949, F18695/1023/10, F.O. 371/75826.

67 Franks to Bevin, 8 Dec. 1949, F18481/1023/10, ibid.; Memorandum by Acheson, 8 Dec. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 219–20.

68 Dening to Bevin, 14 Dec. 1949, F19416/1023/10G, F.O. 371/75839.

69 CM. 72(49)2, 15 Dec. 1949, Cab. 128/16, fo. 131.

70 Bevin to Franks, 16 Dec. 1949, F19057/1023/10, F.O. 371/75828.

71 MacDonald to Bevin, 15 Dec. 1949; minute by Franklin, 17 Dec. 1949; Bevin to Bangkok, 20 Dec. 1949, F18766/1023/10, F.O. 371/75827.

72 Minute by Scarlett, 22 Dec. 1949, F19350/1023/10G; Bevin to Attlee, 23 Dec. 1949; minute by K. M. Wilford, 24 Dec. 1949, F19460/1032/10, F.O. 371/75829.

73 Holmes to Acheson, 30 Dec. 1949, F.R.U.S.,1949, ix, 257–8.

74 Research department memorandum, 18 June 1970, F18896/10, F.O. 371/75827.

75 Discussion on 8 Feb. 1950, FZ10345/3, F.O. 371/84528.

76 F18896/1023/20, F.O. 371/75827.

77 CM. 24(50)5, 24 Apr. 1950, Cab. 128/17.

78 F18896/1023/10, F.O. 371/75827.

79 Delegation to acting secretary of state, 11 May 1950, F.R.U.S.,1950, iii (Washington, 1977), IO33–43.

80 Younger to Bevin, 11 July 1950, FK.1022/215G, F.O. 371/84091.

81 Bevin to Hutchinson, 15 July 1950, FK.1022/111G, F.O. 371/84086.

82 Jessup to Acheson, 25 July 1950, F.R.U.S.,1950, iii, 1657–69.

83 Acheson to Douglas, 28 July 1950, ibid, vi (Washington, 1976), 396–8.

84 Douglas to Acheson, 29 July 1950, ibid. 298–9.

85 C.M. 52(50)1, 1 Aug. 1950, Cab. 128/18, fo. 44.

86 Memorandum by Bevin, 30 Aug. 1950, Cab. 129/39, fos 242–3.

87 C.M. 55(50), 4 Sept. 1950, Cab. 128/18.

88 Henderson to Weil, 30 Dec. 1950, F.R.U.S.,1950, vi, 613–6.

89 C.M. 85(50)3, 12 Dec. 1950, Cab. 128/18, fo. 167.