Chinese-Soviet Relations, 1937-1945: The Diplomacy of Chinese Nationalism

by John W. Garver

During the Sino-Japanese war of 1937-1945, the Chinese people suffered great degradation at the hands of the Japanese. The spectacle of China's debasement as well as the very real prospect of the restoration of alien rule incensed nationalist passions throughout China. As the military, economic, and political crises deepened, three different Chinese regimes emerged--the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT), and the pro-Japanese government headed by Wang Jingwei--all competing for nationalist legitimacy. Through an exhaustive and meticulous examination of available resources, John Garver here illuminates the complicated relationship between these different variants in Chinese nationalism and the Soviet Union during this period. In doing so, Garver elucidates the diplomacy of Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Nationalists, the inner history of Chinese Communist relations with the Soviet Union, and the intersection of these two themes within the
larger context of international relations in East Asia and the world.

Genres: China, History

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Aislinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the very few books that focuses on the Sino-Soviet relationship before 1949. It is hard to find an authoritative work on the relationship between the Soviet Union and the Republic of China. It is even harder to find an authoritative work on the relationship between these two regimes during the Sino-Japanese War - since these are two regimes which, in the words of Michael Walker, are nowadays seen as "mostly relegated to the dustbin of history," forgettable except when they have to be dragged out of their graves as a part of the occasional parades thrown to (re)illustrate the greatness of the victors.

So, I am very, very pleasantly surprised by the quality of this work. Garver sticks to the facts, and after each chapter he includes a list of endnotes explaining his thoughts on the reliability of the sources. It is obvious - sometimes painfully obvious - how hard he tries to remain "neutral," with the book divided almost completely 50/50 between the KMT and the CCP.

Deliberate attempts to avoid "offending" aside, I find his views on Mao and Chiang to be a very refreshing take, quite apart from anything else I've read. He argues that both Mao and Chiang are fervent Chinese nationalists, they just have a very different view of what it means to be a true "patriot":

Both Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong realized the importance of these nationalist sentiments, and each attempted to establish his party as the sole sincere and effective representative of Chinese nationalism. Indeed, a central aspect of the political contest between the Nationalists and the Communists was a struggle for nationalist legitimacy. In line with this, the propaganda of each party denigrated the nationalist credentials of the other.

The KMT tarred the CCP as a Soviet puppet, a Soviet fifth column operating within China. Areas under CCP control were the Soviet equivalent of Manchukuo (the puppet regime established by the Japanese in Manchuria in 1932) or the other "special regimes" created by Japan in northern China. The CCP, on the other hand, depicted the KMT as a pliant vassal of this or that imperialist power. The class nature of the KMT was such, the Communists charged, that it was inherently incapable of leading an uncompromising struggle against the foreign imperialists plundering China. Both the Nationalists and the Communists genuinely believed the charges they leveled against their opponents. That is to say, each party was genuinely convinced of its own nationalist credentials and saw itself as the only sincere representative of the Chinese nation.

Consistent with this view, the author does not shy away from pointing out that both the KMT and the CCP tried to check each other's power (read: attack each other) during the Sino-Japanese War, while also acknowledging that both sides perhaps genuinely believe that they are doing it for the good of "China."

I find this to be a very important point - if not the most important - when we evaluate the KMT-CCP rivalry and China's position in WW2. Standing in the 21st century, both Chinese and foreigners alike love to attack one of the parties for its borderline "traitorous" behavior during the Sino-Japanese War, for it is putting the interest of the regime above the survival of the nation. Yet just perhaps, in the eyes of whichever party's leaders, their regime is the nation, and the other side an obstacle to national salvation no less dangerous than the Japanese.

Some might still find the idea hard to grasp. Let's put it this way: If, say, Lenin and Nicholas II were to declare an alliance during the Great War because of inner pressure from their people, does anyone really expect the alliance to not be temporary, not lasting only as long as Germany is still at their throats, and that furthermore the two men should totally hug each other in tears, completely trust each other to have their back, and then after the war proceed together to form a two-party democracy where everybody is cheering and content and willing?

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Of course, readers might still disagree with the author's interpretation of the "nationalist" nature of both parties, and they are welcome to do so. And yet, it should be clear that the author does not - or at least tries not to - favor one party over the other, thus getting (gasp!) too political.

For sure, the book has its shortcomings. Not only was it first published in 1988, but it relies mainly on Chinese and English sources, with the few Soviet sources being translated versions in one of the two languages mentioned above. Personally, however, I find this forgivable when one considers the vast amount of information the book contains, especially as it deals with a corner of history that is often neglected despite its importance.

I become particularly interested in Chiang's showdown with the Soviets in Xinjiang and Mao's struggle against Wang Ming, the "'angel' armed with a 'precious sword' from Moscow," throughout ... the entire war, really. Both of these events are little known or covered, even though they greatly affected China's course in history.

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All in all, this book is well worth reading if you are interested in the subject. It may not be the most up-to-date book on this period of history, but it is undoubtedly a good introduction to the subject and a must-have reference for further research.