712 Chapter 6
MID#634
Dispute Number: 634
Date(s): September 29, 1949 to January 24, 1950
Participants: 710 China/2 United States of America
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: China seized three American ships on September 29, 1949, for alleged
enemy support. The ships were released on October 6. These seizures came at a time
when the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had surrounded the American
consulate in Mukden and demanded the American consul, Angus Ward, surrender
the consulate’s radio transmitter. He refused, and the PLA effectively put him under
house arrest. Ward was finally arrested by the Chinese in October, put on trial, and
deported in December. The Chinese then seized the embassy in Beijing in mid-Janu-
ary. The United States ordered all of their personnel out of China.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 1, 1949.
MID#633
Started in October 1949. See the narrative in the 710 China/713 Taiwan dyad dispute
list.
2 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/713 TAIWAN
MID#2006
Dispute Number: 2006
Date(s): August 23, 1949 to February 27, 1950
Participants: 713 Taiwan/2 United States of America
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: As the Chinese Communists pushed the Nationalists off the mainland,
the Nationalists implemented a blockade of Communist ports. On June 6, 1949, the
Chinese Nationalists informed the United States that they planned to implement a
blockade of Chinese communist ports and later that month gave official notification
of the blockade.
The dispute began on August 23, when a Nationalist warship detained the British
ship Edith Moller. Dozens of ships were then seized, attacked, or otherwise harassed
by the Nationalists. The United States finally sent warships as escorts for its com-
mercial vessels and stated that the Chinese government would be held responsible for
the various acts.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 2, 1949.