762 Chapter 6
Narrative: The Chinese National government and the Soviet Union signed a treaty on
August 14, 1945, stipulating noninterference in the others internal affairs. The Soviets
also pledged to leave Manchuria once any part of the area ceases to have immedi-
ate need for military operations. Informally Stalin said this would be less than three
months. However, the Soviets were permitting Chinese communist forces to enter
Manchuria and allowed them to recruit from the ex-Manchukuo army and to acquire
seized Japanese arms.
On September 6, 1945, a Soviet naval newspaper admitted to supporting and aid-
ing the rebel forces. On October 6, the Soviets challenged the plan of the entry of
Chinese Nationalist troops at the port of Darien, as a violation of the treaty because
the port was for commercial use. When the US Seventh fleet arrived at the other ports
the Soviets deemed acceptable, they were already occupied by Communist Chinese
forces. The United States had to take the Nationalist Chinese forces to the American-
held Chinwangtao.
The Communist Chinese forces surrounded and disarmed the Nationalist police
forces in Changchun during Soviet occupation, in November. The Nationalists with-
drew from Changchun on December 9 and blamed it on the Soviets. The Soviets said
they would not leave until China replied to their proposal of joint economic operations
in Manchuria. The Soviets stripped the Manchuria industry and deemed it war booty,
allegedly its worth totaled two billion dollars.
The Soviets used their occupation as a tool to remove any American presence in
China, by threatening not to leave until US troops were gone. The Soviets announced
their withdrawal from Manchuria and with evacuation of Ssuping let the Chinese com-
munists take over on March 17, 1946. On March 26, they turned north Manchuria over
to the Chinese communist forces. On April 14, the Soviets withdrew from Changchun
and let 12,000–14,000 Nationalist forces take over, which were attacked the next day
by 20,000–30,000 Chinese Communist forces. The communists controlled the area
four days later. When the Soviets announced that they had completed their with-
drawal from Manchuria on May 3, the Communist Chinese forces had several cities
and a major part of Manchuria, and the Nationalists had the south and central areas
of Manchuria.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 6, 1945. Outcome changed from
Unclear. Settlement changed from Unclear.
MID#3265
Started in May 1947. See the narrative in the 710 China/712 Mongolia dyad dispute
list.
365 RUSSIA/713 TAIWAN
MID#2036
Dispute Number: 2036
Date(s): June 23, 1953