Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 4 The Sino- Soviet split, 1958–69:…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 4 The Sino- Soviet split, 1958–69: The significance of Russian demands in 1958 and the clash of personalities between Khrushchev and Mao. The breakdown of relations, 1959–60; private insults, public disagreements.
In 1958 Khrushchev pressed Mao to accept Soviet-led initiatives: a joint submarine fleet and a long-wave radio station on Chinese soil.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
In 1958 Khrushchev pressed Mao to accept Soviet-led initiatives: a joint submarine fleet and a long-wave radio station on Chinese soil. Mao saw these as infringements of sovereignty, not comradely proposals. The clash of personalities sharpened the dispute: Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation and 'peaceful coexistence' contradicted Mao's revolutionary zeal, while Mao resented Soviet condescension. Relations broke down in 1959–60: Khrushchev criticised the Great Leap Forward and communes, withdrew Soviet experts and cancelled projects in 1960, and the ideological rift widened. Private insults included Mao calling Khrushchev a 'revisionist' and Khrushchev mocking Mao's radicalism; public disagreements erupted at the 1960 Bucharest and Moscow meetings, where open polemics replaced unity. Thus the split became both personal and ideological, with consequences for the Cold War and China's isolation.
What earns the marks
- Explains the 1958 Russian demands: proposed joint submarine fleet and long-wave radio station, and why Mao regarded them as threats to Chinese sovereignty.
- Analyses the clash of personalities: Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation and 'peaceful coexistence' versus Mao's revolutionary ideology and desire for leadership of world communism.
- Traces the breakdown 1959–60: Soviet criticism of the Great Leap Forward and communes, withdrawal of experts in 1960, and cancellation of economic and military cooperation.
- Distinguishes private insults from public disagreements: personal jibes between leaders versus open polemics at Bucharest (1960) and Moscow (1960) conferences.
- Assesses significance: the split weakened the communist bloc, pushed China towards isolation and later rapprochement with the USA, and intensified Sino-Soviet border tensions.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the 1958 demands as merely military requests rather than challenges to Chinese sovereignty.
Put it right: Explain how joint fleet and radio station proposals infringed Mao's control.
Assuming the split was only ideological and ignoring personal chemistry.
Put it right: Integrate Khrushchev's and Mao's mutual disdain and its role in escalating disputes.
Confusing the timeline by placing the expert withdrawal before 1960 or after 1961.
Put it right: Anchor key events to 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961–68 as appropriate.
Exam tips
- Use precise dates and names: 1958 demands, 1959 Khrushchev's criticism, 1960 Bucharest and Moscow meetings, 1960 expert withdrawal.
- Link each factor to significance: explain how the demands and personalities caused the breakdown, not just describe them.
- In essays, balance private insults and public disagreements, showing how each contributed to the split.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 4 The Sino- Soviet split, 1958–69: The significance of Russian demands in 1958 and the clash of personalities between Khrushchev and Mao. The breakdown of relations, 1959–60; private insults, public disagreements. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which Russian proposal in 1958 did Mao most resent as an attempt to subordinate China's defences to Soviet control?
Listen
In 1958 Khrushchev pressed Mao to accept Soviet-led initiatives: a joint submarine fleet and a long-wave radio station on Chinese soil. Mao saw these as infringements of sovereignty, not comradely proposals. The clash of personalities sharpened the dispute: Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation and 'peaceful coexistence' contradicted Mao's revolutionary zeal, while Mao resented Soviet condescension. Relations broke down in 1959–60: Khrushchev criticised the Great Leap Forward and communes, withdrew Soviet experts and cancelled projects in 1960, and the ideological rift widened. Private insults included Mao calling Khrushchev a 'revisionist' and Khrushchev mocking Mao's radicalism; public disagreements erupted at the 1960 Bucharest and Moscow meetings, where open polemics replaced unity. Thus the split became both personal and ideological, with consequences for the Cold War and China's isolation. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the 1958 Russian demands: proposed joint submarine fleet and long-wave radio station, and why Mao regarded them as threats to Chinese sovereignty. Analyses the clash of personalities: Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation and 'peaceful coexistence' versus Mao's revolutionary ideology and desire for leadership of world communism. Traces the breakdown 1959–60: Soviet criticism of the Great Leap Forward and communes, withdrawal of experts in 1960, and cancellation of economic and military cooperation. Distinguishes private insults from public disagreements: personal jibes between leaders versus open polemics at Bucharest (1960) and Moscow (1960) conferences. A common slip: Treating the 1958 demands as merely military requests rather than challenges to Chinese sovereignty. Instead, explain how joint fleet and radio station proposals infringed Mao's control. Exam tip: Use precise dates and names: 1958 demands, 1959 Khrushchev's criticism, 1960 Bucharest and Moscow meetings, 1960 expert withdrawal.
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. Khrushchev pressed Mao to accept Soviet-led initiatives
- 2. Soviet experts withdrawn and projects cancelled
- 3. Khrushchev criticised the Great Leap Forward and communes
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Sino-Soviet relations
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Ideological rivalry
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Personality and leadership
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Sovereignty and national interest
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Sino-Soviet relations
- Relations between China and the Soviet Union that broke down in 1959–60, with the split becoming both personal and ideological.
- Ideological rivalry
- A widening rift in which Khrushchev's de-Stalinisation and 'peaceful coexistence' contradicted Mao's revolutionary zeal.
- Personality and leadership
- A clash of personalities between Khrushchev and Mao that sharpened the dispute, with Mao resenting Soviet condescension.
- Sovereignty and national interest
- Mao's view that the 1958 proposals for a joint submarine fleet and a long-wave radio station on Chinese soil were infringements of sovereignty.
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