In 1969, Russia and China Almost Went To War

OmniAtlas

Robert Farley, National Interest: In 1969, Russia and China Almost Went to War. It Might Have Unleashed World War III.

This is why.

In the immediate wake of the conflict, both the USSR and China prepared for war, with the Red Army redeploying to the Far East and the PLA going into full mobilization. The Soviets enjoyed an overwhelming technological advantage over China in 1969. However, Beijing had constructed the largest army in the world, much of which mustered within reach of the Sino-Soviet border. The Red Army, by contrast, concentrated its strength in Eastern Europe, where it could prepare for a conflict with NATO. Consequently, at the moment of the clash, the Chinese could plausibly claim conventional superiority along much of the border.

Americans tend to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis as the most dangerous moment in Cold War brinksmanship. Despite some tense moments, Washington and Moscow resolved that crisis with only the death of U.S. Air Force pilot Maj. Rudolph Anderson Jr.

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WNU editor:  Many Russians harbor the belief that China's long term goal is to seize eastern Siberia, a point of view that I also hold. And while the Kremlin does pursue major energy contracts with China, Russian businesses tend to avoid doing business with Chinese businesses unless they have to. The only bright spot between the two countries is tourism, but the traffic between the two neighbors is still remarkably small .... Russian Tourism to China Surges: Number of Visitors Doubles in 2017 Over 2016 (Sputnik).