64 { China’s Quest
necessary, or practical.^14 The US sacrifice of Taiwan, combined with British
January 1950 recognition of the PRC (which Stalin thought might presage a
similar US move), could lead to a purely “Chinese solution” to the Taiwan
question. Stalin understood that the objective of US policy was to drive a
wedge between the PRC and the Soviet Union. Stalin chose a policy mirror-
ing Truman’s; Stalin now sought to drive a wedge between Washington and
Beijing by involving the PRC in confrontations with the United States—in
Korea as well as in the Taiwan Strait. In January 1950, the Soviet media began
reporting China’s preparations against Taiwan. During the negotiation of the
economic aid agreement in Moscow in February 1950, Stalin agreed that half
of the $300 million trade credit could be used to purchase Soviet naval equip-
ment to outfit PLA forces for an invasion of Taiwan.^15
Another factor contributing to Stalin’s endorsement of Kim Il Sung’s war
plan was the conclusion of the PRC-USSR alliance in February and the un-
derstanding with Beijing, tracing to Liu Shaoqi’s July 1949 talks with Stalin,
that the PRC would assume prime responsibility for supporting the Asian
revolution. This meant that if things did not go according to Kim’s plan, it
would be Chinese, not Soviet, forces who rescued Kim. Stalin made this very
clear to Kim Il Sung during the latter’s last pre-attack visit to Moscow from
March 3 to April 25, 1950. Kim laid before Stalin a plan envisioning a six-day
war to liberate all of South Korea with the assistance of an uprising by a pu-
tative 200,000 party members and peasant guerrillas in the South. The war
would supposedly be over before the United States had time to intervene.
Stalin accepted the plan, but told Kim that if, contrary to Kim’s expectation,
the United States entered the conflict, the Soviet Union would not come to
Kim’s rescue. That responsibility would lie with Mao and China. Stalin told
Kim: “If you should get kicked in the teeth, I shall not lift a finger. You have
to ask Mao for all the help.”^16
Following Stalin’s suggestion, Kim Il Sung sought China’s sign-off. On
May 13, Kim arrived in Beijing for discussions with Mao. According to the
memoir of Mao’s Russian-language interpreter for that discussion, Mao asked
Kim about possible US intervention in light of the fact that the United States
supported the Rhee regime and that Korea was linked to Japan, where the
Americans were in charge.^17 Kim was confident the Americans would not in-
tervene. They would not have time; the operation would be over before they
could deploy forces. Mao asked if Kim needed Chinese support, and offered to
deploy three Chinese armies on the border with North Korea. Kim declined.
North Korean forces, with the help of insurrection in the south, could solve
the southern problem by themselves, Kim explained. But while asking prob-
ing questions, Mao did not directly challenge, let alone veto, Kim’s plan.
After discussion with Kim, Mao cabled Stalin seeking confirmation
of what Kim had told Mao about Stalin’s approval of Kim’s war plan. The
Chinese cable reported that Kim said Stalin had indicated “that the present