Lost in Translations: Defining US Foreign Policy in China

Authors

Katherine Chipman, Brigham Young University
Dr. Eric Hyer, Brigham Young University

Keywords

US foreign policy, China, Sino-American relations, democratic regime

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Political Science

Abstract

The time period from 1947 to 1949 presented a unique turning point in Sino-American relations. Harry S. Truman had the opportunity to formalize relations with the emerging Communist Chinese State but choose not to. In the following time span of 20 years, the US faced intense conflict with the Chinese including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Spartly Island incident. Today Taiwan is still a major point of contention between the US and China and no doubt would lead these two nations to war if tension escalated. These and other conflicts might have been avoided had Truman not passed up his opportunity to establish diplomatic relations with China after the Communists came to power in 1949.

Recommended Citation

Chipman, Katherine and Hyer, Dr. Eric (2013) "Lost in Translations: Defining US Foreign Policy in China," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 391.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/391