Dulles's Theory And Practice Of American Policy Towards China

John Foster Dulles is a leading light in the history of the Cold War and the Postbellum American Diplomatic History; as well as one of the most controversial Secretaries of State in American history. Scholars have kept being in research on him for a long period, but there're few specialised researches on Dulles' diplomatic thoughts towards China. This paper tries to research how Dulles considered the American China Policy, and the part he played when America carried out the policy towards China in the troubled time of the relationship between China and America from 1953 to 1959. By reviewing the interaction between domestic and international politics, also the interaction between America and China in the period, the paper attempts to prove Dulles is the symbol of strained relations between idealism and realism in the enaction of American diplomatic policy. This article both analyzes the driving force of idealism behind Dulles' world view, and notices his realism when he dealt with the relationship between America and China.The first part of the paper mainly introduces Dulles' basic diplomatic thoughts and the source of his thoughts. Dulles mostly embodied his basic diplomatic thoughts in the peace philosophy and peaceful revolution theory which formed when he kept thinking about the problem of war and peace for a long time. His basic diplomatic thoughts came from his long-period practice, and were mainly influenced by the religious tradition from the family, his religions belief, American traditional spirits, as well as the university education for philosophy and law.The second part expounds Dulles' opinion to the status of China. In his opinion, China wielded lot of influence in Asia, especially after the establishing of new China. Dulles was terribly worried about that the communist forces would spread the whole Southeast Asia, and destroyed the benefit of America in this area. The status of China in the communist world was also the focal point for Dulles to consider. He took China as the vassal of Soviet Union, and Beijing as a puppet government at beginning. But he changed the opinion, and thought China was more dangerous than Soviet Union as China joined in the Indochina War, and the eruption of The Taiwan Strait Crisis. However, Dulles was sure that China must rend with Soviet, and America should press China to urge it.The third part introduces Dulles'considerations about U.S. China policy, which was on basic of his diplomatic thinking of peace philosophy. Dulles thought that "Change" was the core of U.S. China policy in 1950s. So America should adopt pressure to promote China's "Transformation".The fourth part introduces Dulles' concrete practice of diplomatic thoughts towards China. The relationship between China and America closely connect to the Taiwan policy of America. There were two Taiwan Strait Crisis in the period when Dulles was occupying the Secretary of State. The paper proves that there were inner and profound contradictions of Dulles' diplomatic thoughts towards China through the analysis of Dulles' dealing with two Taiwan Strait Crisis. In one side, Dulles believed America couldn't compromise with China, and any concession for China would influence American strategic interest in East Asia; in the other side, Dulles tried to avoid a shooting war with China.With the research of Dulles' diplomatic thoughts towards China and the part he played in two Taiwan Strait Crisis, the paper attempts to prove Dulles wasn't a stubborn autocratic Secretary of State. It was true that he was a staunch supporter of global anti-communism movement; and he fervently believed America is the leader of "free world" in the Cold War. But he didn't take large-scale revenge policy on China when there was benefit collision in Asia between America and China. His vehement language and exaggerated bluff didn't come true in the practical policy. That seems to show Dulles' unwritten tough is more possible only to be an idea he left to the public, but not the mirror to his inner thought. It's also the duality of Dulles' diplomatic thoughts towards China.