Basic HTML Version
July 1971
vast Mongolian state - giant buffer
between the U.S.S.R. and China - is
Russia's military "keystone" in any fu–
ture hostility between the two Red
powers.
"China's case against Russia [and
vice versa] is so embedded in na–
tional consciousness that no resolution
through mediation, negotiation, arbi–
tration, or diplomacy can readily be
imagined. It has reached the classic
point where statesmen turn to 'other
means.' " (IV
ar Between R11ssia and
China,
Harrison Salisbury, p. 52.)
Mao the "Greatest Prophet"
The struggle over the true inter–
pretation of Marxist-Leninist philoso–
phy has further intensified the Sino–
Soviet dispute.
The adoption of Communism has not
fundamentally altered the trad itional
Cbinese view of the world, which sees
China as the center, the sole upholder
of true civilization.
The Chinese claim to be the only
practitioners of "pure Marxism.'' Russia
is denounced as "revisionist," faint–
hearted, too willing to compromise
idealism for política! advantage.
Karl Marx was the modern replace–
ment for Confucius with his imperfect
and incomplete teachings for today. But
it is Mao who has added "new truths"
to Marxism, and made Marxism con–
forro to Chinese thinking.
According to noted Chinese scholar
C.
P. Fitzgerald: "lt was inevitable that
Chinese Marxism should be found to be
puree than that of Russia, that Mao
should
be
hailed as the greater prophet,
and that 'sorne people' [the Russians]
should
be
shown
to
be in error. There
cannot
be
two suns in the sky.''
The Russians, of course, feel exactly
the same toward China's brand of
"Mongol" Communism.
A patching up of Chinese and Rus–
sian relations is definitely not in the off–
ing - at least as long as Mao lives and
the "Thought of Mao" survives.
Cautious of Tokyo
The Soviet Union is not Peking's
only concern. Hardly a day passes in the
Communist controlled Chinese press
without vehement attacks against the re–
viva! of dreaded "Japanese militarism."
U.S.S.R.
) . l
India
,-,,-–
__
,
Communist
China
China's Sphere of lnfluence as
Viewed from Peking
O
The Greol Norlhwell: sei:red by Imperial Russio under lhe Treoty of
Chuguchok, 1864.
O
Pomirs: secrelly divided between 8ritoin ond Russio in
1896.
O
Nepol: wenl lo Britoin ofter "independenco" in 1898.
O
Sikkim:
occupied by Britoin in 1889.
O
Bhuton: wenl lo 8ritoin oflor "indupondence"
in
1865.
O
Assom: given lo 8ritoin by Burmo in 1826.
O
Burmo: become port
of the British Empire in 1886.
O
Andomon Archipelogo: wenl lo Britoin.
C!)
Malayo : occupied by 8ritoin in
1895.
Cl)
Thoilond: declored "independenr•
under joinl Anglo-French control in 190-4.
G)
Annom: occupied by Franco in
1885
(caven presenl Norlh Vietnam, South Vietnam, loas, ond Combodio.]
CD
Toiwon ond Peng-hu Archipelogo (Pescadores]: relinquished lo Jopan per
lhe Treoty of Shimonoseki, 1895.
CD
Sulu Archipelago: wenl lo Briloin.
O
Regían where lhe 8ritish croued the border ond committed oggression.
Q
Ryukyu Archipelogo: occupied by Jopan in 1879.
C)
Koreo: "independenr•
in
1895-
onnexed by Jopan in 1910.
G)
The Greol Norlheosl: seized by Im–
perial Russio under the Treoty of Aigun.
1858.
C)
The Greot Northeost: seized by
Imperial Russio under lhe Treoly of Peking, 1860.
C)
Sokholin: divided between
Russio ond Jopan.
$
Temporory loss of Monchuria in 20th cenlury.
$
Outer
Mongolio- buffer stole occupied by Soviet Union
$
Zone of increosing Soviet
influence.
$*
Treoty port concessions gronted Western powers, 1913.
The firsl 19 territorial cloims ore described in
A Short History
of Modern
China
(first published in Peking in 195-4), o text usod in Chinese secondory
schools. The mop ond English tronslotion of cloims were reproduced in Wor
lletween Ruuio
ond Chino
by Horrison Solisbury, W. W. Norton and Compony,
N.Y., 1969 pp. 132, 133. Territory cloims 20-23 ore described in Asia, Eosf
by
South: Cultural
Geogrophy,
by
J.
E. Spencer
&
W. l. Thomos, John Wiley,
N.Y.. 1971, p. 518.