Korean War #12: A Treaty of 'Friendship'

**REMEMBER, 1956 - The Eventful Year is out NOW! 1956 is a brand new original series examining the eventful aftermath of the Korean War. Stalin was dead, the West was facing numerous troubles, and everything seemed in flux. It is an incredible story, and I really enjoyed researching it. It is absolutely free to listen to the first few episodes of 1956, but it is in a brand new podcast feed! 4 episodes in total and more to come are on the way, so please do follow these links so that you can subscribe and enjoy this underrated story.

The following episodes are available to all:

What is 1956?

1956 Part 1 Introduction

1956 Episode 1.1: Death of a Comrade

1956 Episode 1.2: There Can Be Only One!

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Please do stop by - there's so much to see and hear in this series, and already I have heard great things from several listeners and Patrons alike! Thankssss! :D

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In Episode 12, A Treaty of 'Friendship', we examine Mao Zedong's visit to Moscow reaching its conclusion. The long awaited treaty, so long feared in the US, was concluded on 14th February. Yet, while on the surface, the agreement was steeped in mutual cooperation and Sino-Soviet happiness, the truth was far more complex, and far less warm.

Under the surface, Stalin had already set the ball rolling for a war in Korea by providing Kim Il-Sung with thousands of new experienced soldiers, freshly returned from their campaigns in China. This sudden influx of experienced and enthusiastic veterans meant that Kim was in a position to invade the South, at least, so he thought. To Mao Zedong, this meant a whole load of bad things, but above all, it meant complications and security problems for his fledgling People's Republic.

Having sown this seed in the background, Stalin was bound to see it bear fruit in the near future, and he found that Mao was a great deal more suspicious of him when they met in late January to conclude their long awaited deal. The rumour and whispers about Stalin's moves and the dangers these posed Mao compelled the Chinese leader to change his stance in many, almost hilarious respects. While Stalin, altered also by the events he was setting in motion, had changed his tune as well. The Treaty of Friendship, while lamented in Washington, was as much a blessing as a curse for Mao - above all, it now meant that the race was on to make war against Taiwan before there was war in Korea. The problem being, Stalin had his hands all over the necessary equipment, and he was in total control

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