First Taiwan Crisis 1954-55

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1.0 Introduction        

            The First Taiwan Crisis: 1954-55 was a brief armed conflict that involved the governments of the Republic of China (ROC) and Peoples Republic of China (PRC), over strategic islands in the Taiwan Strait. It is significant to acknowledge that in the early 1950s, the government of PRC deliberately shelled islands under the control of ROC. In consequence, the United States swiftly responded by actively taking a firm stand in favor of the ROC. The islands in the Taiwan Strait were of vital importance most notably because of the geographical proximity to PRC and ROC and as such they played a significant role in the Chinese Civil War[1]. For instance, Quemoy is located two miles from Xiamen, China; while on the other hand, Mazu is one hundred miles west of Taiwan. Therefore, after the government of ROC under the leadership of Nationalist Chiang Kai-shek acknowledged the loss of mainland China during the Chinese Civil War, the officials fled to the island of Taiwan, thereby creating a formidable force on the island. As a result, in the early 1950s, the Chiang Kai-shek led army shelled the mainland China's coast from the two islands of Quemoy and Mazu. Hence, leadership from both sides of the Strait viewed the two island as suitable grounds to fulfill the duties of a launching pad so that to attack the ROC with the aim of retaking Chinese mainland and consequently controlling the two islands.

2.0 Contentious issues

            The United States foreign policy most especially towards East Asia during the Cold War fuelled the tension further in the Taiwan Strait. During the period of late 1949, the United States had agreed to let PRC armed forces so that to go into battle with Chiang Kai-shek. However, the outbreak of Korean War complicated the matter. In consequence, the United States recognized the Chiang Ki-shek led government as the legitimate leadership over the rest of China, with President Truman declaring that the United States would keep off the Taiwan Strait Crisis and that he would not intervene if the PRC launched an attack against the ROC. Nonetheless, the United States responded to the Korean War outbreak by sending its troops into the Taiwan Strait so that to mitigate the spread of the conflict from spreading further south[2]. The United States argued that to neutralize the Taiwan Strait was in best interest of the nation and as such the intervention was to prevent any conflict between ROC and PRC, this resulted to Taiwan being effectively put under the American protection[3].

            Consequently, the deployment of the United States military rattled the Chinese Communists as they reacted by transferring their troops to the Korean front despite being poised to attack Taiwan. As a result, this move ended up delaying the Taiwan Strait military conflict prompting the United States to withdraw her fleet after the cease fire of the Korean War. Additionally, during the following years, the United States government consistently acknowledged and allied itself with the ROC government in Taiwan. Therefore, in 1954 the United States was at the fore front during the creation of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, with the aim of bringing the region together in the fight against the alarming rise of communistic ideas fronted by the Chinese communist. To further add on that, the United States made it clear they were willing and ready to welcome the idea of signing a Mutual Defense Treaty with Chiang Kai-Shek so that to eases the tension in the Taiwan Strait.

            In consequence, the PRC government regarded these developments of the United States toward the ROC government as a threat to the sovereignty of their nation as well as a constant threat to the regional leadership and national security. In reality, so that to bolster the interest of PRC concerning the strategic position in the Taiwan Strait, it started to shell Quemoy towards the end of 1954 with plans to further attack other areas such as Dachen and Mazu islands, resulting to the United States deliberating on sending troops into the Taiwan Strait. However, the United States policy makers were at a loss on the outcome of the move because some argued the action will only lead another Chinese Civil War, a situation that will compromise the interest of the United States in the region

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