American Missionary Activities in China - Essay Example

With the American imperialism that marked the middle of the 20th century, United s became complacent, yet it remained aware of the constant threat from the Communist forces of China and USSR in particular. As far as China is concerned, all diplomatic and strategic fronts were exploited by the United States including the integral role played by American missionaries to enforce American Imperialism in China. This paper explains how the desperate attempts made by the American Missionaries went futile and in fact the communist forces retaliated to pose major threat to the American dominance. AMERICAN MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES IN CHINA: The missionary activities in china had started from the beginning of the nineteenth century. The British missionaries were the first to enter the land in 1807. It was not until 1860s when the first American mission set foot in china. The basic reason of any missionary was to inculcate the idea of Christianity in the minds of the people. The missionaries who went to china were generally Protestants. Thus, the ideology of the protestant Christians began spreading in china in the early nineteenth century by the British missions, and in the late nineteenth century by the American missions. The missions of preaching Christianity were a sub category of the greater mission of America. The greater mission was to become the East Asian power and the missionary activities acted as a gateway for further Americans to show their presence in East Asia. For example, by the end of the nineteenth century, America had a direct control in countries like Philippines and an indirect control in many other East Asian countries. The missions could also be classified under the heading of American Imperialism. This term states that America at getting an influence of its culture and economy in other countries. The missionary activities could have been a gateway for this greater aim. CHINESE IMMIGRANTS IN THE U.S. IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY The missionary activities in china led the way for the Chinese common people to eye an opportunity to work in America. During the nineteenth century, the first Chinese immigration into America took place. Initially most of the Chinese were from the labor class and occupied the same profession in America. Although these people had already interacted with the American missionaries and their families in china, but they experienced a cultural shock when they experienced the lives of the Americans at first hand. Moreover, Chinese workers also had to face the problem of racism which made them realize the difference in both the communities. OPEN DOOR POLICY When America was emerging as an economic power in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, it was able to negotiate terms with the rest of the powers. Open door policy stated that all the countries could trade with china given that these countries do not harm the culture and the traditions of china as an influence of the trade. The success of this policy shows the influence and power that America had in the region, thus clearly indicating to the success of the missionary voyages. U.S. AND CHINA ALLIANCE IN THE WWII The effects of the American involvement in china were that during the Second World War, china allied itself with the western forces. This gave the allies a great advantage in terms of strategic location. Japan, who was the part of the axis states, now could be threatened from its very neighbor. The reasons for chines alignment with the allies are many in number, but one fundamental reason was the continuous involvement of America in china. Chinese could turn to America for help when japan showed aggression in 1937. STILWELL AND AMERICAN MILITARY IMPERIALISM: Perhaps the most impactful policy of American Imperialism in China was through American intervention in Chinese army for getting a military edge in the Asian region more specifically the CBI (Chinese Burma Indian Theater). For this they chose no other man than their trump card Joseph Stilwell, who with his undaunting attitude and sheer military diplomacy was not only able to protect American interest in Asia by providing a shield to Japanese imperialism but also was able to create a strong impact on the Chinese and Allied army. He also used Chinese resources to protect Burma, a futile attempt. However, Stilwell created a cornerstone in the American impact on Chinese military scenario (Tanner, 2009). AMERICAN IMPACT THROUGH JOURNALISM: HENRY LUCE American thought had everlasting effects on the social and political scenario of China and this was replicated in the rise of journalism that purported the imperativeness of American interference in China to fight the all important war against Communism. Henry Luce, son of missionary parents and a strong American Internationalist, used media like Time and Life magazines to highlight the dire need of American Involvement in the affairs of China. With the end of World War in 1945, Luce came out as a leader in China lobby to support the Nationalists of China over the Communists. With his strong support for America and his unparalleled influence on the political scenario of China, Henry Luce turned out to be an influential tool in the inundating China with American Imperialism though for a short time period. However, it is noteworthy that after sometime, he started failing to attract American attention towards his ideology which weakened his proposition for American Internationalism. CHINESE LOBBY: Perhaps direct integration of American policies with the anticommunism efforts in China were made possible by the Chinese Lobby that composed of desperate Chinese and Americans working to manipulate American stance towards China. The lobby made attempts to gain constant support of America to help Nationalist movements against Communism. This lobby proved to be a handy player in the Sino-Japanese war and in the World War II as well. Its efforts ensured constant aid to China from America in support of the Nationalist Workers. It was its efforts that helped China benefit from the cold war period through American support and also maintain the trade relations between China and America. However, the China Lobby weakened in the beginning of the 21st century yet the efforts continued. (Stanley, 1976) RED SCARE AND THE FATE OF THE CHINA SPECIALISTS: In two distinct periods of 1917 to 1920 and 1940 to 1950, the US society got hugely intimidated by a constant threat of communist influence and its infiltration of the US government; this led the establishment to make desperate attempts to pinion any political movement in the country. The fears were further intensified with the communists winning the civil war in China. The Chinese American’s as a consequence, faced harsh immigration policies and the atrocities started in America against the communist population in general. Although the climate of trepidation diminished in the coming years but the Red Scare continued to influence the political debate on the United States and the ramifications still affected the US china relations in the years to come. Hence this shows that the Chinese forces turned the tables towards the US at some instances that made US imperialism futile and emaciated in the region. KOREAN WAR It seemed as if the loss to communism was due to the apartheid attitude of the US because, even under the Communist imperialism hysteria and such deliberate attempts to eradicate Communism, the US was unable to curb the affects of Communism. This was evident in 1950 when the Chinese volunteer army intervened the Korean War to stand against the Soviet Union, providing security and protection to the North Korea and even after the fall of Soviet Union, The PRC worked as the most reliable ally of North Korea in respect of both military and economic terms. The Chinese fought the US to a standstill, causing the US to lose the first ever war that it engaged in (Lipping Kim, 2001). If considered on a broader context. The Korean War proved the tenacity of the Communist Militaries especially china, that would be reaffirmed in the Vietnam War. It is also clear that the decision of Korea for the past half century intensified the Korean nationalism into Anti-Americanism. CONCLUSION The American missionaries had an aim in China. An aim that was omnipotent and all sufficing as it stood on the ideology of anticommunism. The missionaries strived hard to accomplish this aim but it is quite evident that the desperate attempts made by the missionaries and the subsequent anti communism movements went in vain to a great extent as Mao’s establishment usurped and marked a series of tough competition to the American Imperialism that had already become emaciated with the start and continuation of the Korean War. Works Cited Brinkley, Alan. The Publisher: Henry Luce and His American Century, . 2010. Goldberg, Jonah. ""Two Cheers for "McCarthyism"?"." 2007. National Review Online. Kim, Ilpyong. "The Impact of Division on Korea and the Major Powers." 2001. Porter, Keith. The Relationship of the United States with China. 2009. . Tanner, Harold Miles. Chinese History. Hackett Publishing, 2009. Tuchman, Barbara. Stilwell and the American Experience in China, . 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