Far east expansion

• Attempts to spread Russian influence in the Far East were largely governed by developments in transport & communications (by the end of the 19th century, it could still take months to travel from Moscow to Sakhalin)
• Post Russo-Japanese War, Russian involvement in the Far East was largely influenced by war & conflict (e.g. WW1, 1917 & Civil War acted as distractions to expansion, but post-1922 interest in the East picked up again)
• China:

  • 1917-37: Chinese gov dominated by the KMT - accepted support from Lenin & Stalin (but not wholly supportive of communism)
  • Post-1925: KMT ordered extermination of troublemakers (communists, trade unionists, peasant leaders.) Further purges occurred in 1930 & 1934. Infighting between the KMT & Chinese Communists (led by Mao)
  • Soviet Union continued to support the KMT & aided them in fighting against Japanese
  • 1949: Mao succeeded in gaining control of mainland China - until Stalin’s death, USSR & PRC had fairly cordial relations, but under Khrushchev the friendship deteriorated rapidly
• Manchuria:

  • 1905-31: under Japanese influence
  • 1931-45: Japan went further and occupied the territory. This resulted in control over Port Arthur (strategically very important for Japan)
  • 1945: Soviet troops liberated Manchuria & handed control to China. However, USSR controlled Port Arthur until Stalin’s death in 1953
• Korea:

  • 1910: came under Japanese control
  • 1945: defeat of Japan saw it split into two zones
  • North = Russian; South = USA
  • Disputes over possible reunification led to war between North & South - resolved by establishing a clear dividing line
  • The Russians played no direct role in the conflict, but it was blamed by Truman for influencing the initial invasion of the South by the North. This heightened Cold War tensions - encouraged Khrushchev to introduce his policy of ‘peaceful co-existence’
• Mongolia, Sinkiang and Tanu Tuva:

  • Russian influence was strong in these regions
  • As with other national groups, these regions attempted to break away from the USSR & China with varying degrees of success