CHINA POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES: WITH EMPHASIS ON THE EISENHOWER AND NIXON ADMINISTRATIONS AND THE ROLE OF TAIWAN

Since the end of World War II, United States policy toward China has fluctuated between idealism and reality. The idealism was expressed by the policy favoring the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek, which the American government expected to be a country of democracy and freedom conforming to the American tradition. The reality was revealed in the policy favoring recognition of the Chinese Communist regime led by Mao Tse-tung, even though it was seen as contradicting the American tradition and opposed to America's leadership of the free world. Consequently, United States China policy was deeply affected by domestic poltical fights between idealism and reality. These two factors resulted in the Eisenhower administration's policy of confrontation and isolation and the Nixon administration's policy of conciliation.; This study examines the relationships between external and domestic affairs and the impact this interaction had on the making of their China policies by the Eisenhower and the Nixon administrators. Under study is the attempt of both Republican administrators to deal with the strategic realities of "China politics" in the light of domestic political forces as they were perceived by the central policy makers of the two administrations. Eisenhower followed the domestic trend as dominated by the conservative Republicans and accepted their participation in the decision-making process. While Nixon followed the emerging domestic demands for policy change toward Peking, he denied congressional participation in the process. Difference in the environment and in the personalities of the two administrations accounted for the different roads each president chose to advance his objectives.; The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, enacted by Congress following recognition of Peking, states that all international laws and statutes applicable to a country, state, organization or body shall also be applicable to Taiwan; it thus attests to the international personality of Taiwan. In the 1978 communique establishing diplomatic relations with Peking, Washington accepted the principle held by both Peking and Taipei that Taiwan is a part of China, yet the United States made one proviso as a condition of recognition: that any change of the relationship between Peking and Taiwan must be peaceful. Despite Peking's resentment, the American government stands by the Taiwan Relations Act to continue weapons sales to Taiwan to ensure its security.; This dissertation analyzed the variables, both domestic and external, in the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations which influenced United States policy toward China. The principal variables of the study are considered to be the presidents themselves, their foreign policy aides, and selected congressional members, as well as selected interest groups, American allies, and Peking's policy of political independence and territorial integrity, including its avowed aim of recovering Taiwan. Hypotheses have been developed by which the actions of these individuals and groups are evaluated.