Research On Stanley K. Hornbeck And American Policy Toward China During The President Hoover Period (1929-1933)

From1928to1937,Stanley K. Hornbeck headed the Far Eastern Division of the U.S. Department of State. He played an important role in decision-making of the American China policy in the early time of the20th Century.As the expert on the research of Chinese, Hornbeck devoted all his life to study Chinese, he lived four years in China, deeply concerned about the situation in China, and in order to modify his policy toward China. From1929to1933, the United States faced an economic crisis, the external variety of unbalanced force began to challenge the world order. In this case, Hornbeck headed of the Far East Division a long time with his experience in dealing with the affairs of China and the knowledge in China, and adjusted the changing situation in the Far East. Hombeck complianced with the American national interests, his policy proposals on several occasions gained the President and Secretary of State’s favor. Therefore, this article use Stanley K. Hornbeck as the starting point, discourse his policy as a secretary of the Far Eastern Division between1929to1933, and study his influence on U.S. policy toward China. From Hornbeck"s policy experience, to perspective the U.S. policy toward China throughout the1930s and even the U.S. Far East policy direction.Hornbeck’s open door policy is an important part of his China thoughts, and continue to influence U.S. policy toward China with the changes in the situation in China. In the initial formation stage of his thought, he thought the open door policy is the basic principles and the cornerstone of the American foreign policy.There should fully recognize China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in China on the issue of mutual cooperation. On China, he is full of complex emotions, on the one hand, he revel in the ancient culture of China, and sympathy for the present situation of China, he hope to help China get national freedom. On the other hand, because of his personal experience of chaos and riots in China, he has the racial bias toward Chinese people and social. With the expanding wave of nationalism in China, his ideological center of gravity shift,it is no longer adhere, to the idealized open-door policy,he thought that wave of Chinese nationalism is the greatest threat to the U.S. interests in China and the balance of power policy.Hornbeck’s view of China is an important basis for development of policy toward China, it is evident on China-American negotiations on extraterritoriality. As a responsible person, Hornbeck did not actively promote the talks, but perfunctory in a posture of inaction, he did not understand Chinese people’s demands, but deepened the bias against China. In regard to the Chinese efforts to abolish the "unequal treaties", He expressed doubts,because these treaties to ensure that all the privileges of the United States and other countries in China. In the end,because of this negative delay policy,the negotiations resulted in no substantive progress.When the negotiations on extraterritoriality conducted, Japan made the Mukden Incident, Hornbeck turned to handle the Manchuria crisis.Hornbeck’s attitude completely to negative. He consistented with Stimson, chosed a cautious and moderate policy, to avoided the conflict the United States too much involvement. Faced of Japan’s military aggression, he worried about the interests and security of the United States than ever before, and did not respond effectively, even the moral courage to condemn gone. But with the trend continues to expand and the intervention of the League of Nations, Hornbeck demonstrated the necessary caution, timely adjustment of U.S. policy toward China. He put forward many proposal to ease the crisis, including relying on the League of Nations, the Sino-Japanese negotiations, economic sanctions against Japan, cooperation of the United States and Britain, strengthen the U.S. Navy forces and so on.These recommendations are different levels of the response of those in power. But in the implementation, Hombeck performanced rather negative, he was opposed to the United States to join the League of Nations against citing international treaties and required the United States wait for the League of Nations initiatives.Hombeck modified Stimson’s nonrecognition note was the most constructive comments. Hombeck foresaw the development of the situation, and left for the U.S. policy a lot of room.After the Manchuria crisis, Hornbeck’s policy back to reality, pursued a policy of "Hands-off-China Policy", opposed to U.S. aid to China,while strengthening the naval forces, but these did not restore the situation in the past the Far East. When Hombeck realized the war can not be avoided, he began to turn to China.It is recommended that the United States to China to limit Japan, but it was already too late, the Pearl Harbor incident marks the long-standing the Hombeck policy failure, but also the U.S.the failure of the policy toward China.Therefore, in view of Hombeck’s changing view of China and his efforts of the Sino-American relations served in the Far East within ten years, we can clearly find out his role and influence on Ameican policy toward China.