The American-Chinese Alliance During World War II - Essay Example

The American-Chinese Alliance during World War II The Second World War left a mark in the world history because it consisted of all types of armed troops of nations rising against nations. In addition, new alliances resulted as nations joined forces against other competing nations in pursuit of different interests. This war found china in a state of potential substance to compete internationally but kits potential seemed a reserve for the future. From historians’ perspective, China had the potential but it proved weak. In the Asian region, the prevailing force was Japan. China did not participate in the First World War, but Japan did. In their participation, Japan posed a great threat to western countries. Further, Japan sought dominance in the East Asian region and intervened china taking up Chinese territories (Rocky 186). It was during this war that America and China formed alliance with a view of achieving their objective. This paper gives a detailed analysis of the success attributed to the American and Chinese alliance in the World War II, and the reasons behind the success. An understanding of the prevailing conditions in China enable a clearer understanding of the situations under which the alliance between America and China started. After the First World War, Japan intruded into china’s territories. Previously, China respected all the treaties it had signed. In the international picture, China lacked a good reputation in international relations. China had internal issues, which it sought to get over first. China had the habit of not responding to foreign intrusions into its territories. However, after japans’ intrusion in 1930’, china responded as a nation to the imperialism. This marked China’s turning point in international interests and especially the East Asian region (Gallicchio 187). On the other hand, America was an emerging threat to all nations to take over the global economy. America participated in the First World War and realized that Japan was a potential threat to its interests. This realization prompted America to seek an alliance with the weak China. The two countries shared nothing in common in terms of relations and interests. However, America realized that strengthening China to stand up, as a unified nation against Japan would alter situations. The altered situations would be in America’s favor. Unified China would probably defeat Japan and America would no longer be under any threat. America was prepared to pay the price to unify China and enable it to stand against Japan (Liu 71). China’s entry into an alliance with America was a pursuit for its needs to gain stability nationally, regionally and internationally. China pictured that by the end of the war, the resulting policies would enable it to compete in the international front effectively. China hoped that America would help it overcome its internal differences and stand up as unified force in East Asia. In addition, China had a quest to conquer Japan and regain its lost territories. The alliance looked promising for both nations. China belonged to the Big Four in the United Nations but at that time, it did not compete effectively (Hing 55). Therefore, Chinese leaders reasoned that the alliance and post war events would leave it in a better position. These circumstances led to leaders in Washington and Chongqing to decide to lay down a different structure in China’s international relations. The alliance was China’s best opportunity to be empowered internally and externally. Their alliance came about after Japans’ Pearl Harbor attack masterminding. Shortly before the Pearl Harbor attack, Chiang, the then Chinese leader had expressed his confidence in America’s leadership and promised to that China would adopt that form of leadership after the war. He presented China as a potential center and this won the favor of Roosevelt. Roosevelt was the president of America in that era. Chiang promised America that they would serve as a market for America’s surplus after the world war. Chiang admitted that they needed both help in establishing both economical and political policies and strategies that would help them become East Asian leading nation (Liu 78). When Japan advanced to attack the Pearl Harbor, it was time for America to play its role in to strengthen the alliance. America offered Japan financial aid and organized allied troops to counter the attack. This support came at the right time because China military could not stand on its own against then very powerful Japan (Rocky 189). The year 1942 brought about another unifying front for the two governments as they signed the United Nations declaration. Their signing against axis powers in the declaration gave them another common interest. Later in the same year, America listed as one of the countries who would gain from its lend-lease program. The Chinese government explored the possibility of establishing long lasting agreement with the American government. China not only needed support to defeat Japan but also a promising commitment from the American government. Chinese leaders thought it was only fair if the two governments played equals in the alliance. However, America’s continuous supply of aid put the Chinese government at the verge of losing their independence. The continued aid and support put America in a controlling position. China was becoming more and more dependent on America to appoint that the Chinese leaders were beginning to worry (Gallicchio 189). On a different aspect, the War waged against Japan was tarnishing China’s reputation contrary to what Chinese leaders had perceived. The pacific war gave rise to questioning of China’s assumed diplomatic position. China had chosen to represent itself as a peace-seeking nation that sought to restore order in the Asian region. China’s calculated that such a reputation would put it in a better international standing. However, China was beginning to lose the reputation it held before the westerners as Japan’s main adversary. The alliance brought tension among the Chinese leaders because repeatedly, America was becoming more controlling. Repeatedly, the American government interfered in china’s internal and foreign policies. In a way, America was determined to direct china’s policies. The Chinese military became relatively stronger but this seemingly was the only positive result of the alliance. During a time when the pacific war was at worst, America failed to give China the right support. However, some people in America still believed that china and America could have more and rewarding relations. The U.S commander to the Asiatic fleet felt that it was a worthy course to strengthen china. Stabilizing China would be an advantage to America (Chan 19). In addition, Currie rose to convince Roosevelt to offer the right guidance to China to help it advance economically. According to America’s view, China lacked the power both in military terms and economically to take over the position of the leading nation in Asia. China’s nationalism aspects were bringing it down. Some Washington leaders were losing their patience in the alliance. At some point, America only diverted minimal support to China. America only remained in the alliance for its selfish racial interests. America’s intention to conquer Japan was on purely racial basis. America took advantage of China and Japan’s relation to defeat Japan. Forming an allied relation with China was America’s strategy to achieve its goal and exert its influence on Asia. In 1944, China proved the America’s assertion right. China faced more attacks from Japan but its resistance was limited. The American-Chinese alliance resulted to failure in the long run. The two governments pursued different interests. They had more differences in real sense than similarities. The alliance lacked a common strategy to achieve their goals. China’s civil and economical conditions made it more difficult to achieve positive results. The American government created an illusion to the Chinese government that in the end they would become a great power. In this dream, China stuck to the alliance even when America was losing patience and slowly withdrawing (Schultz 31). The alliance lacked a common planning between the two nations and this contributed greatly to its failure. At the end, China conquered Japan subduing it and am America had won somehow. However, the alliance had all its focus on conquering Japan and forgotten to prepare in advance how they would deal with post war effects and crises. In addition, the alliance suffered from existing differences in status, culture, and history. America’s main goal was to create a great nation in Asia for its easy manipulation to align the world peace and economic setting differently. It proved difficult for the governments to manage the post war crises. In addition, Russia had risen to pose potential threat to both China and America (Hing 52). The American-Chinese alliance had both failures and successes. The failure resulted from existing differences in history, culture, policies, and the status of the two nations. In addition, lack of proper planning, divided interests, and improbable strategies contributed to the failure. However, China made markedly high advances in economy, policymaking, and internal structure. It also attained the status of a great nation although it was ironical because in a practical sense, it lacked the capacity. China underwent an internal revolution and transformation making it more organized internally (Chan 21). China’s military received an empowerment and could respond to external attacks. America realized some of its objectives too. Silencing Japan and exerting a level of control over Asia were America’s main achievement. Work Cited Chan, Sucheng. Remapping Asian American history. New York: Rowman Altamira, 2003. Gallicchio, S. Marc. The unpredictability of the past: memories of the Asia-Pacific war in U.S./East Asian relations. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2007. Print. Hing, O. Bill. Making and remaking Asian America through immigration policy, 1850-1990. California: Stanford University Press, 2004. Liu, Xiaoyuan. A Partnership for Disorder: China, the United States, and Their Policies for the Postwar Disposition of the Japanese Empire, 1941-1945. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. Rocky, M. Mirza. American Invasions: Canada to Afghanistan, 1775 to 2010. Manchester. Trafford Publishing, 2010. Print. Schultz, Kevin. America Unbound: A U. S. History Primer. New York: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Read More