Wars
and Conflicts Between China and the United States
Chinese
Soldier in the Korean War
The
series of wars and conflicts between China and the United
States can be known as the Sino-American Wars. While only
two of the Chinese-American conflicts can be considered
major wars, the relations between the two world powers
have been tense and hostile for over a half century now.
As China emerges into a formidable economic, diplomatic,
and military force in Asia and the world, the possibility
of a future conflict between the United States and China
will continue to grow.
The
Boxer Rebellion
(1899-1901)--A Chinese secret society called the
Righteous Harmony Society, and called "The Boxers" by
Western observers, began an uprising to drive Western
influence from China. While the rebels also at first
opposed the ruling government, called the Manchu Dynasty,
the government soon managed to direct most of the
violence against European, American, and Japanese
cultural, political, military, and diplomatic interests
in China. After the rebels and the Chinese government's
military began a siege of the Foreign Legations (foreign
embassies) in the capital of Beijing (known as Peking at
the time), an unlikely alliance of eight nations gathered
military forces to invade China and save their embassies,
as well as to preserve the power and influence they had
long held in China. These allies included: Great Britain,
France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, the
United States, and Japan. This China Relief Expedition
totaled nearly 45,000 men, and quickly invaded China,
seizing Beijing. China was forced to pay war reparations,
(in other words, they had to repay their enemies for the
financial cost of the war), accept more foreign troops on
Chinese soil.
United States Marines from
the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai, China
(1927-1941) The United States, sent troops to protect
American citizens and American property in the Shanghai
International Settlement during the Chinese Civil War and
the Second Sino-Japanese War. These troops, along with
other foreign troops were allowed under the treaties the
Chinese government had been forced to sign with many
Western nations.
Korean War
(1950-1953)--When the Communist North Koreans invaded
South Korea, the United States and many other nations
sent troops to defend South Korea. As these forces drove
the North Koreans back, the goal changed from saving
South Korea to liberating the North from Communist rule.
The new Communist governement of China responded by
sending hundreds of thousands of soldiers to aid the
North Koreans. This resulted in heavy combat between
Chinese and American forces until the fighting ended in
1953 with an Armistice.
Taiwan Strait
Crisis (1954-1955)--The People's Republic of
China (Communist China), attacked islands under the
control of the Republic of China (the Nationalist Chinese
government in Taiwan). The United States was not part of
the fighting, but was very supportive of the
Nationalists, to the point of considering military action
and the possible use of nuclear weapons on mainland
China.
The Vietnam War
(1965-1975)--The dates listed here represent the years
that Chinese military forces were stationed in North
Vietnam during the war. China sent Anti-Aircraft
Artillery batteries (and the troops to man them) in large
numbers to help the North Vietnamese battle American
warplanes over North Vietnam. At one point, in 1967,
China had over 170,000 troops in 16 AAA divisions serving
in North Vietnam. Chinese also supplied missiles,
artillery and logistics, railroad, engineer and mine
sweeping forces to aid the Vietnamese Communists in their
war with the United States.
Hainan Island
Incident (2001)--A U.S. Navy EP-3
reconnaissance aircraft operating above the waters of the
South China Sea was struck by a Chinese Air Force
interceptor jet. The Chinese plane and pilot were lost at
sea, and the American plane made a forced landing on
China's Hainan Island. The U.S. crew were released after
eleven days of captivity. The Chinese kept the U.S. plane
and gained much useful intelligence about classified
American equipment and materials related to the
aircraft’s surveillance mission.
2009 Naval
Incidents Between the U.S. and China--In March of
2009, several incidents took place between the military
forces of the United States and the military forces of
the People's Republic of China at sea.
In June, 2009, a Chinese submarine collided with a
sonar array towed by a U.S. destroyer near the
Philippines.
Links
and Resources on Chinese-American
Conflicts:
Nuclear
War with China is Possible, Says
Dissident--1913intel.com
Chinese
Support for North Vietnam during the Vietnam War: The
Decisive Edge --Military History Online
Korean
War: The Chinese Intervention--From the United States
Army history website.
The
Hainan Island Incident, Ten Years Later--Facing
China
Quemoy
and Matsu: An Historical Footnote Revisited--by
Robert B. Norris
Sources:
.
5th ed. Binghamton, NY: CQ Press,
2004.