SECTION A
June 2017
1] With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the improved relations
between the USA and China in the years 1971-72. [30 marks]
SOURCES Provenance, tone and Content and argument
emphasis
From a speech on US foreign the President is in charge Nixon refers to the 22 year
policy by the US President, hostility between the USA and the
of foreign policy in the
Richard Nixon to Congress, 25 PRC as being very serious. Indeed,
US so this is valuable for
February 1971. The twenty-two since the Korean War, China and
showing Nixon’s aims
year hostility between ourselves with regard to China the USA had had no diplomatic or
and the PRC [People’s Republic of
China] is serious indeed; an
as a report to Congress, economic contact and the USA
he is clearly setting out had blocked China from taking a
international order cannot be seat on the Security Council
secure if one of the major powers his aims; his purpose
would be to make his -Nixon argues that the
remains largely outside it and international order would be more
hostile towards it. In this decade, arguments convincing as
this was a big break with stable if China was part of it.
therefore, the most important Nixon’s foreign policy was based
challenge will be to draw the PRC US policy
on realpolitik; he and Kissinger
into a constructive relationship this report was still a
believed that the US had to deal
with the world community. A year before Nixon’s visit
with China and that the US had
factor determining contemporary to China so early on in
spent too long focusing just on the
Chinese foreign policy is the the process of improving
USSR. He also, of course, wanted
intense and dangerous conflict relations which could
help in ending the war in Vietnam
with the USSR. A clash between limit its value
-Nixon points out the conflict
these two great powers is the tone is formal and between the USSR and China and
inconsistent with the kind of rational as it sets out the says that he does not want to
stable Asian structure we seek. case out for improved aggravate this situation. In reality,
We will do nothing to sharpen this relations. Nixon was using this situation to
conflict – nor to encourage it. We his advantage using ‘triangular
are prepared to establish a diplomacy’’ – hoping that good
dialogue with Beijing. We cannot relations with China would force
accept its ideological precepts or the Soviets to do a deal with the
the notion that Communist China USA
must exercise dominance over - Nixon stresses the fact that
Asia. But neither do we wish to improved relations with China
impose on China an international does not mean agreeing to its
position that denies its legitimate ideological views or territorial
national interests. aims in Asia. Nixon continued to
resist China’s claims to Taiwan.
From a joint communiqué (a -as a joint statement made by -despite fundamental differences
statement made by the US both countries, this is valuable for in political and social systems, the
and China to the world’s showing how far relations have two countries agreed that they
media), 27 February 1972. changed between the two should respect each other and
There are essential differences countries work together to maintain peace,
between China and the United -as a statement which is designed avoiding force to solve
States in their social systems and for the world’s media, its value is international disputes; this
foreign policies. However, the two limited as it will contain only emphasised the change in policy
sides agree that countries, positive elements of the meetings as there had been no diplomatic
regardless of their social systems, that have taken place; both the relations between the two
should conduct their relations on USA and China would have countries after 1950 and there
the principles of respect for the wanted to emphasise how had been direct confrontations
sovereignty and territorial successful these meetings had over Taiwan
integrity of all states, non- been for domestic reasons - neither side should try to get
aggression against other states, -the date is significant as it control over the Pacific Asia
equality and mutual benefit, and indicates that the statement was region; this was an important
peaceful co-existence. made following Nixon’s visit to caveat to reassure domestic
International disputes should be China so we can assume that opinion in both countries
settled on this basis, without these points were all discussed at - they should not get into
resorting to the use or threat of the highest levels between the agreements aimed at other
force. With these principles of leaders of the two countries states; this was a reference to the
international relations in mind the - the tone is one of moderation on going dispute between the
two sides state that: with the emphasis on compromise USSR and China, but in fact
, • both wish to reduce the danger and peaceful co-existence, America did give China secret
of international military conflict reinforcing the value of this information on Soviet troop
• neither should seek dominance document for showing the movements (see below)
in the Asia-Pacific region diplomatic breakthroughs that -there should be no dividing up of
• neither is prepared to enter into have taken place. the world into spheres of interest.
agreements or understandings
with the other directed at other
states. Both sides are of the view
that it would be against the
interests of the peoples of the
world or any major country to
collude with another against other
countries, or for major countries
to divide up the world into
spheres of interest.
From a statement by President -as this is a statement from -much of what the American and
Brezhnev of the USSR which was Brezhnev it is valuable for giving a Chinese agreed upon is secret.
published in the Soviet high-level Soviet viewpoint on the There were indeed secret
government-controlled
newspaper, ‘Pravda’, 21 March
US-China improved relations agreements regarding the USA
1972. The participants in the -as it is published in Pravda it was supplying China with intelligence
Beijing meetings told their a public statement – intended for on Soviet troop movements; the
peoples and the world little about the Soviet people but also for the CIA also ended its support for
the content of their talks and the American and Chinese leaders; Tibetan rebels
substance of the agreement again this makes it valuable to -the true significance of the talks
reached by them. More than that, show what Brezhnev wanted the will be revealed by the actions of
they said that it had been decided US and China to hear - the two sides. In fact the
to keep it secret and not to it was published two months after significance of the talks for the
discuss anything beyond what is the meeting in Beijing so is USA was that they hoped they
in the published official valuable for showing the Soviet’s would put pressure on the Soviets
communiqué. Therefore, facts and immediate perspective on the to come to the negotiating table,
the subsequent actions of the agreements which in fact they did
United States and the PRC will -its tone is suspicious and -the talks are more than just
reveal the true significance of the accusatory. Its emphasis is on the about relations between the
Beijing talks. The future will show secrecy of the meeting and the Chinese and the Americans and
how matters stand. It is implication that the USSR has imply that they are anti-Soviet in
impossible, however, to overlook been excluded. their pronouncements. This
some statements of the reveals the suspicions that
participants of the Beijing talks Brezhnev has concerning the
that make one think that the talks; the USSR also could not
dialogue goes beyond the afford to be isolated given the
framework of the bilateral existing conflict with China
relations between the United -the USA and China referred to the
States and China. For instance, fact that they held in their hand
how else can one assess the ‘the future of the whole world’.
statement made at a banquet in Again, Brezhnev would be very
Shanghai that ‘today our two unhappy with this fact. The USSR
peoples hold in their hands the and China were enemies at this
future of the whole world?’ point and he would not want
China to be seen to be the leader
of the Communist world.
June 2018
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the Great Leap
Forward. [30 marks]
SOURCES Provenance, tone and Content and argument
emphasis
From an editorial entitled taken from the People’s it says that the peasants
‘Hold High the Red Flag of Daily which was under are incredibly
People’s Communes and the direct control of the enthusiastic about the
March On’ in the newspaper, Communist Party establishment of the
People’s Daily, 3 September leadership, its views communes, seeing them
1958. Where the people’s represent those of Mao as ‘the realisation of a
communes have already come it is propaganda to long-cherished dream’,
into existence, the peasants, convince people of the something which was
success of the often proclaimed in
beating drums and gongs,
communes at this early propaganda. In reality
celebrated the occasion with stage of the GLF many peasants were not
great joy and their enthusiasm its emphasis is that the so enthusiastic about the
June 2017
1] With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the improved relations
between the USA and China in the years 1971-72. [30 marks]
SOURCES Provenance, tone and Content and argument
emphasis
From a speech on US foreign the President is in charge Nixon refers to the 22 year
policy by the US President, hostility between the USA and the
of foreign policy in the
Richard Nixon to Congress, 25 PRC as being very serious. Indeed,
US so this is valuable for
February 1971. The twenty-two since the Korean War, China and
showing Nixon’s aims
year hostility between ourselves with regard to China the USA had had no diplomatic or
and the PRC [People’s Republic of
China] is serious indeed; an
as a report to Congress, economic contact and the USA
he is clearly setting out had blocked China from taking a
international order cannot be seat on the Security Council
secure if one of the major powers his aims; his purpose
would be to make his -Nixon argues that the
remains largely outside it and international order would be more
hostile towards it. In this decade, arguments convincing as
this was a big break with stable if China was part of it.
therefore, the most important Nixon’s foreign policy was based
challenge will be to draw the PRC US policy
on realpolitik; he and Kissinger
into a constructive relationship this report was still a
believed that the US had to deal
with the world community. A year before Nixon’s visit
with China and that the US had
factor determining contemporary to China so early on in
spent too long focusing just on the
Chinese foreign policy is the the process of improving
USSR. He also, of course, wanted
intense and dangerous conflict relations which could
help in ending the war in Vietnam
with the USSR. A clash between limit its value
-Nixon points out the conflict
these two great powers is the tone is formal and between the USSR and China and
inconsistent with the kind of rational as it sets out the says that he does not want to
stable Asian structure we seek. case out for improved aggravate this situation. In reality,
We will do nothing to sharpen this relations. Nixon was using this situation to
conflict – nor to encourage it. We his advantage using ‘triangular
are prepared to establish a diplomacy’’ – hoping that good
dialogue with Beijing. We cannot relations with China would force
accept its ideological precepts or the Soviets to do a deal with the
the notion that Communist China USA
must exercise dominance over - Nixon stresses the fact that
Asia. But neither do we wish to improved relations with China
impose on China an international does not mean agreeing to its
position that denies its legitimate ideological views or territorial
national interests. aims in Asia. Nixon continued to
resist China’s claims to Taiwan.
From a joint communiqué (a -as a joint statement made by -despite fundamental differences
statement made by the US both countries, this is valuable for in political and social systems, the
and China to the world’s showing how far relations have two countries agreed that they
media), 27 February 1972. changed between the two should respect each other and
There are essential differences countries work together to maintain peace,
between China and the United -as a statement which is designed avoiding force to solve
States in their social systems and for the world’s media, its value is international disputes; this
foreign policies. However, the two limited as it will contain only emphasised the change in policy
sides agree that countries, positive elements of the meetings as there had been no diplomatic
regardless of their social systems, that have taken place; both the relations between the two
should conduct their relations on USA and China would have countries after 1950 and there
the principles of respect for the wanted to emphasise how had been direct confrontations
sovereignty and territorial successful these meetings had over Taiwan
integrity of all states, non- been for domestic reasons - neither side should try to get
aggression against other states, -the date is significant as it control over the Pacific Asia
equality and mutual benefit, and indicates that the statement was region; this was an important
peaceful co-existence. made following Nixon’s visit to caveat to reassure domestic
International disputes should be China so we can assume that opinion in both countries
settled on this basis, without these points were all discussed at - they should not get into
resorting to the use or threat of the highest levels between the agreements aimed at other
force. With these principles of leaders of the two countries states; this was a reference to the
international relations in mind the - the tone is one of moderation on going dispute between the
two sides state that: with the emphasis on compromise USSR and China, but in fact
, • both wish to reduce the danger and peaceful co-existence, America did give China secret
of international military conflict reinforcing the value of this information on Soviet troop
• neither should seek dominance document for showing the movements (see below)
in the Asia-Pacific region diplomatic breakthroughs that -there should be no dividing up of
• neither is prepared to enter into have taken place. the world into spheres of interest.
agreements or understandings
with the other directed at other
states. Both sides are of the view
that it would be against the
interests of the peoples of the
world or any major country to
collude with another against other
countries, or for major countries
to divide up the world into
spheres of interest.
From a statement by President -as this is a statement from -much of what the American and
Brezhnev of the USSR which was Brezhnev it is valuable for giving a Chinese agreed upon is secret.
published in the Soviet high-level Soviet viewpoint on the There were indeed secret
government-controlled
newspaper, ‘Pravda’, 21 March
US-China improved relations agreements regarding the USA
1972. The participants in the -as it is published in Pravda it was supplying China with intelligence
Beijing meetings told their a public statement – intended for on Soviet troop movements; the
peoples and the world little about the Soviet people but also for the CIA also ended its support for
the content of their talks and the American and Chinese leaders; Tibetan rebels
substance of the agreement again this makes it valuable to -the true significance of the talks
reached by them. More than that, show what Brezhnev wanted the will be revealed by the actions of
they said that it had been decided US and China to hear - the two sides. In fact the
to keep it secret and not to it was published two months after significance of the talks for the
discuss anything beyond what is the meeting in Beijing so is USA was that they hoped they
in the published official valuable for showing the Soviet’s would put pressure on the Soviets
communiqué. Therefore, facts and immediate perspective on the to come to the negotiating table,
the subsequent actions of the agreements which in fact they did
United States and the PRC will -its tone is suspicious and -the talks are more than just
reveal the true significance of the accusatory. Its emphasis is on the about relations between the
Beijing talks. The future will show secrecy of the meeting and the Chinese and the Americans and
how matters stand. It is implication that the USSR has imply that they are anti-Soviet in
impossible, however, to overlook been excluded. their pronouncements. This
some statements of the reveals the suspicions that
participants of the Beijing talks Brezhnev has concerning the
that make one think that the talks; the USSR also could not
dialogue goes beyond the afford to be isolated given the
framework of the bilateral existing conflict with China
relations between the United -the USA and China referred to the
States and China. For instance, fact that they held in their hand
how else can one assess the ‘the future of the whole world’.
statement made at a banquet in Again, Brezhnev would be very
Shanghai that ‘today our two unhappy with this fact. The USSR
peoples hold in their hands the and China were enemies at this
future of the whole world?’ point and he would not want
China to be seen to be the leader
of the Communist world.
June 2018
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the Great Leap
Forward. [30 marks]
SOURCES Provenance, tone and Content and argument
emphasis
From an editorial entitled taken from the People’s it says that the peasants
‘Hold High the Red Flag of Daily which was under are incredibly
People’s Communes and the direct control of the enthusiastic about the
March On’ in the newspaper, Communist Party establishment of the
People’s Daily, 3 September leadership, its views communes, seeing them
1958. Where the people’s represent those of Mao as ‘the realisation of a
communes have already come it is propaganda to long-cherished dream’,
into existence, the peasants, convince people of the something which was
success of the often proclaimed in
beating drums and gongs,
communes at this early propaganda. In reality
celebrated the occasion with stage of the GLF many peasants were not
great joy and their enthusiasm its emphasis is that the so enthusiastic about the
