The dragon, the lion, and the eagle: Chinese-British-American relations during the Cold War, 1949-1958

This dissertation examines Anglo-American policy toward the People's Republic of China between 1949 and 1958 and the Chinese Communist Party's reaction to that policy.; The dissertation utilized recently declassified British and American documents as well as new Chinese sources to explore the interactions between a revolutionary state and two established Western powers between 1949 and 1958. It stressed mutual influences and mutual constraints in the formation of Anglo-American policies, examining how considerations of each other's reactions affect decisions.; The themes of this dissertation are: first to compare Anglo-American approaches to China on such major issues as recognition, China's representation in the United Nations, Tibet, Taiwan, the Korean War, the Geneva Conference of 1954, and the Quemoy-Matsu crises of 1954-55 and 1958; second, to analyze the objective of dividing the Sino-Soviet alliance as a goal of Anglo-American policies; third, to investigate Chinese foreign policy initiatives as well as responses to Western challenges.; Relations between the three countries during the period were dynamic and complex. The story was one of mutual stimulations and mutual constraints. Throughout the time, both Washington and London had to confront the reality of a Communist government in China. They agreed that the establishment of the PRC changed the balance of power in the Far East and constituted a great challenge to Western interests in the region. But they differed widely in their assessments of Beijing's intentions and capabilities. Their differences were reflected in their respective attitudes toward recognition and containment of China. Their policies toward the PRC were in turn reflections of the perceptions and idiosyncrasies of the top policy makers, of distinct strategic concerns, of different considerations involving their respective Asian allies, of divergences in political structures, public opinion, interest groups and diplomatic traditions.